Harley Ronan

Property

Harley’s practice encompasses the full spectrum of property law. He is regularly instructed to appear in property disputes both in Court and the FTT for both claimants and defendants. He has experience acting for clients on a wide range of property matters, including:

• The acquisition and interpretation of easements
• The enforcement of covenants
• Business tenancies and the 1954 Act
• Disrepair claims
• Forfeiture proceedings
• Interim injunctions
• Possession proceedings
• Service charge disputes
• TOLATA claims.

Harley also has experience in planning law, and is well-placed to receive instructions on matters that raise both property and planning issues.

Harley’s practical experience is complemented by his expertise in property law acquired prior to joining Chambers. He has a PhD in law which focused on property law and housing. He has also worked at the University of Oxford as a Research Assistant on a project exploring rentcharges and onerous obligations on freehold land, and at the University of Kent on a leasehold reform project for the Welsh Government. Harley also taught property law (both land law and equity and trusts) to LLB and LLM students. From this range of experience, Harley is well versed in tackling and explaining complex topics in property law.

Harley is a member of the editorial team for the Encyclopedia of Housing Law and Practice.

Planning

Harley has experience across a wide range of planning, environment and infrastructure matters, acting for both claimants and defendants. He regularly appears in the Magistrates Court, the High Court and at planning inquiries.

Harley’s current and recent planning work includes:

• Acting (with Paul Brown KC and Nick Grant) for the Secretary of State for the Home Department in three combined claims for judicial review challenging the legality of the decisions to use two former RAF airfields to accommodate asylum seekers.
• Acting (with John Litton KC) for the appellant in planning inquiry for 150 homes
• Acting as sole counsel for a defendant in High Court injunction proceedings under s. 187B of the TCPA 1990
• Acting for a claimant parish council in a judicial review of a decision to grant planning permission. The decision was successfully quashed by consent.

Harley has a busy advisory practice encompassing all aspects of planning an related areas, including highways, commons, and town and village greens. He is regularly asked to advise claimants on High Court challenges.

Harley has a particular interest in public rights of way, commons, and town and village greens. He has assisted with a DMMO inquiry, and has published work in the Modern Law Review on recent developments in town and village green law.

Harley has a Master’s degree in Urban Studies which explored issues in urban planning and development. As part of his studies, he met policy makers and local government officials in cities across Europe, providing a valuable insight into planning policy.