Christopher Boyle KC

Call: 1994

Silk: 2013

Christopher specialises in Town and Country Planning, Compulsory Purchase, Environmental and Infrastructure Law.

Contact Practice Managers

Planning

Environment

Cross-practice

Planning

Christopher was called to the Bar (Lincoln's Inn) in November 1994 and he was appointed King's Counsel in March 2013. He joined Landmark Chambers in 2007.

For nearly 30 years, he has specialised in Town and Country Planning, Compulsory Purchase, Environmental and Infrastructure Law, acting principally for developers, landowners and scheme promoters.

For over 25 years, Christopher's practice been dominated by the promotion of major housing schemes across the country, at section 78 and local plan. These include past and present promotion of 2,000 houses at Sayor Common, 1000 in Cambridge, 4,500 in the Wirral and many schemes of around 100-500 units taking advantage of para 11 of the NPPF.

Christopher has a recognised expertise in the issues of housing, 5-year land supply local plan and neighbourhood plan matters. At Dawlish he defeated the first ever neighbourhood plan to reach examination. His case Woodcock Holdings v SSCLG represents a milestone case in the approach to the then para. 14 of the NPPF. He regularly appears for landowner and developer interests in promoting strategic sites.

His clients include many of the Country’s largest house-builders: Barratt/David Wilson, Berkeley Homes, Crest Nicholson, Persimmon, Croudace, Gleeson Developments, Wates and Rydon Homes among others. He also regularly acts for landpromoters landed estate and landowners directly promoting their own sites. His work with the Prince’s foundation and the Build Better Build Beautiful commission gives him an insight into the government’s ‘beauty agenda’ and landowner legacy scheme and Design coding. 

Town centre regeneration CPOs and retail work has encompassed protecting and extending retail landownership for major investor/owners across the country. 

Christopher was a founder member of the Compulsory Purchase Association, wrote the PEBA Consultation response to the IPC/DCO process in the 2008 Act and has been involved throughout his practice in significant infrastructure promotion. This has included hybrid bill (Central Railways), TWA (eg the Second Tyne Tunnel; the £500m Mersey Gateway Bridge), and conventional planning and highways CPO.

Environment

Christopher has a significant practice in energy, waste, minerals and commercial operations. 

He has particular expertise in matters concerning European protected sites, advising developer interests in respect of habitats, species, nutrients, neutrality and off-setting. He advises the Home Builders Federation on the issue of water neutrality, as well as advising major developers, landowners and local planning authorities on neutrality and water neutrality. He won the appeal which led to the 'CG Fry' litigation on HRA and condition 2024 promoted 1000 dwellings =, for Borrat in Cambridge and for crest 

He is used to working with and leading large multi-disciplinary consultant teams. He has a particular aptitude for understanding and leading detailed and technical environmental evidence and takes obvious relish in the opportunities presented by cross-examination.

Cross-practice

Landmark's barristers often work at the intersection of our core practice areas; bringing a wide range of skills, knowledge and experience to bear on a particular dispute or issue facing a client.

Our focus is always on achieving the best possible outcome for our client. By viewing the client's objectives in a holistic way - and not purely through the lens of one rigidly-defined legal area - we deliver the best possible advice and representation in complex matters that engage multiple specialist areas of law. 

Whether it's providing support as an individual cross-practice barrister or a cross-disciplinary team of Landmark counsel, we are able to draw on an outstanding array of complementary skillsets and knowledge bases. This often achieves a better result than instructing multiple barristers from different specialist sets. This also improves the quality of client care through increased levels of communication, quicker response times, and a coordinated approach to clerking and fees, made possible by our team-based cross-practice approach.

Please contact our practice management team for more information.

ADR

Qualified mediator.

Energy

Telecommunications

Specialisms

Commercial/Retail

Compulsory Purchase and Compensation

Development Consent Orders

Development Plans and other planning policy

Energy

Environment

Green Belt

Heritage

Highways, Footpaths and Rights of Way

Infrastructure

Minerals and Waste

Neighbourhood Planning

Planning Appeals, Inquiries and Hearings

Planning Judicial and Statutory Reviews

Residential

Transport Orders and Parliamentary Bills

Specialisms

Air Quality

Ecology and Biodiversity

Energy

Environmental Assessment (Environmental Outcomes)

Habitats and Species

Protection of the Countryside

Utilities

Waste

Water

Specialisms

ADR

Energy

Telecommunications

"
Clients love him, inspectors love him, judges love him."

Chambers and Partners

Chambers Top Ranked UK Bar 2024 Uk leading silk 2024 The Planning Law Survey 2024

Qualifications and achievements

Qualifications

  • BA (Hons)(Oxon) - Juriprudence (Merton College, Oxford)

Memberships

  • Compulsory Purchase Association (Founding committee member 2006)
  • Planning and Environmental Bar Association (Secretary 2006-2013)
  • The Georgian Group (Chairman 2015-2020)

Recommendations

Practice Managers

Contact our friendly and helpful Practice Managers for more information about our barristers and services or to make an enquiry.

Kevin Squires New background

Kevin Squires

Senior Practice Manager

020 7421 1351

Jason Allen new

Jason Allen

Senior Practice Manager

020 7421 1306

Noel Pudney new

Noel Pudney

Assistant Practice Manager

020 7421 1398

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