Practice Profile

Practice Profile

Andrew Tait QC's main areas of work are in planning and environmental law, in particular major infrastructure works,, highways, compulsory purchase and compensation.

He is recommended as a Leading Silk in Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 guides, and in the last 4 years has been described as follows:

 "Exudes calm confidence-an extremely able advocate-well prepared..."

 "Impressive experience in railway work"

"Impressive... with a wealth of experience in highways, regeneration, compulsory purchase and compensation-related work"

"Deemed 'diligent and hard-working with a calm authority about him', Andrew Tait QC is credited with 'an absolutely clinical mind and a devastating ability to dissect cases.'"

"Opponents should not be deceived by Andrew Tait QC's 'friendly, approachable demeanour', his 'dedication, thoroughness and willingness to get stuck in' make him a formidable adversary."

"Highly regarded for his very quick grasp of a case and his sound and sensible advocacy"

Recent cases of Note

• Barnstaple Western Bypass compensation Inquiry
• Bond v Dorset County Council in the Lands Tribunal
• Clemdell v Dorset County Council in the Lands Tribunal
• South Devon Link Road Inquiry
• Victoria Station Upgrade Inquiry
• Weymouth Relief Road Inquiry
• DLR 2012 Capacity Enhancement Order Inquiry
• Brighton and Hove Waste Water Treatment Works Inquiry
• Poole Harbour Twin Sails Bridge Inquiry
• Brunt v. Southampton International Airport Ltd in the Lands Tribunal and Court of Appeal

Experience

INFRASTRUCTURE

He has been involved in a number of major infrastructure projects at public inquiry, including promoting major road proposals on behalf of the Highways Agency, such as schemes for the A30/A303/A35 and M20; and urban regeneration projects, such as Roundshaw Estate redevelopment in South London. He appeared at the East London River Crossing, Hinkley Point C Nuclear power station inquiries and Thameslink  inquiries. He advised the Olympic Delivery Authority on obtaining the planning permissions for the 2012 Games. He advised Southern Water on the Brighton and Hove WWTW and the Hastings and Bexhill WWTW.

He has extensive Private Bill and Transport and Works Act Order experience, including promoting Victoria Station Upgrade for TFL, the Thameslink inquiry on behalf of the City of London Corporation and the Poole Twin Sails Bridge Transport and Works Act Order. He promoted the DLR (Capacity Enhancement and 2012 Games Preparation) Order, the Weymouth Relief Road and the South Devon Link Road at inquiries. He acted for BAA on the Airtrack proposals.

He has been involved in numerous railway bills in parliament. He promoted the Greater Nottingham LRT Bill and acted for BAA on the Crossrail proposals. Other bills include the Transport for London Bill, the Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority Bill and the Llanelli and Burry Port Bill.

PLANNING

His experience at planning inquiries includes minerals, housing and retail proposals.

Recent public inquiries include:

• New settlement north-east of Chelmsford (for Countryside properties)
• Appearing at the New Forest National Park Inquiry on behalf of three opposing Dorset authorities and at the South Downs National Park Inquiry on behalf of Southern Water
• Major expansion south of Ashford
• Major out of centre retail proposals in Tunbridge Wells
• Major inquiries for Southern Water including the Brighton and Hove waste water treatment works
• Various housing proposals for Persimmon Homes in the South-West and the Midlands

He has been involved in a number of major infrastructure projects at public inquiry, including promoting major road proposals on behalf of the Highways Agency, such as schemes for the A30/A303/A35 and M20; and urban regeneration projects, such as Roundshaw Estate redevelopment in South London. He appeared at the East London River Crossing, Hinkley Point C Nuclear power station inquiries and Thameslink inquiries. He advised the Olympic Delivery Authority on obtaining the planning permissions for the 2012 Games.

He has extensive Private Bill and Transport and Works Act Order experience, including promoting Victoria Station Upgrade for TFL in 2008-9, the Thameslink 2000 inquiry on behalf of the City of London Corporation and the Poole Twin Sails Bridge Transport and Works Act Order in 2005. He promoted the DLR (Capacity Enhancement and 2012 Games Preparation) Order and the Weymouth Relief Road at inquiries in 2007, and the South Devon Link Road in 2009. He has been involved in numerous railway bills in parliament. He promoted the Greater Nottingham LRT Bill and acted for BAA on the Crossrail proposals.

LAND VALUATION

He has extensive experience of land compensation, including inquiries under section 18 of the Land Compensation Act 1961, and valuation disputes in the Lands Tribunal. Reported cases include:

• BP Oil UK Ltd v. Kent County Council in the Court of Appeal (2003) - concerning limitation periods in compulsory purchase claims
• Brunt v. Southampton International Airport Ltd in the Court of Appeal (2005) - where he appeared for BAA on a point of statutory construction under Part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973
• Clemdell v Dorset CC (2009 and 2010) concerning claims for underpayment of advance payments and the subsequent substantive hearing
• Bond v Dorset CC (2010) concerning the scope of entitlement to compensation for modification of planning permissions
• He acted for Devon County Council, the compensating authority, at the Barnstaple Western Bypass section 18 appeal in 2011

ENVIRONMENTAL

He has wide experience of environmental law, including:

• Promoting the Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole Waste Local Plan, including major waste plants
• Southern Water waste water treatment plants: public inquiries and judicial review
• Hinkley Point ‘C' nuclear power station public inquiry
• Numerous minerals and waste public inquiries

PARLIAMENTARY

He has promoted and petitioned private bills in Parliament, including:

• Llanelli and Burry Port Bill (for promoter)
• Various railway bills (for promoter)
• Great Nottingham LRT Bill (for promoter)
• Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority Bill (for promoter)
• Crossrail (for BAA)
• TfL Bill (for LB Barnet)

Qualifications and Appointments

• MA (Oxon) (Open Exhibitioner)
• QC 2003
• Assistant Boundary Commissioner for England 2000 and 2005
• Bencher of the Inner Temple
• Member of the South Eastern Circuit
• Member of the Planning and Environment Bar Association (Committee member since 2009), the Administrative Law Bar Association, the Parliamentary Bar, the Compulsory Purchase Association and the Anglo-American Real Property Institute