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Fiona Gordon

Legal Director, Planning and Infrastructure Consenting
Edinburgh

EXPERTISE

Fiona specialises in Planning law, including advice on planning appeals, advocacy in planning appeals and Local Development Plan hearings, acting on corporate and property deals, statutory appeals and judicial reviews, and the drafting and negotiation of planning obligations and agreements in relation to roads and other infrastructure. She also advises on matters including planning enforcement, Environmental Impact Assessment, transport and infrastructure projects and compulsory purchase. Fiona acts for clients across a broad range of sectors, including housebuilders, commercial developers, infrastructure providers and renewable energy operators and funders.

Experience

Advising national housebuilders including Barratt East / West Scotland, Persimmon Homes East / North Scotland, Avant Homes (Scotland) Limited, Taylor Wimpey, Robertson Homes, Robertson Partnership Homes in relation to live applications, planning policy, planning obligations and modifications, judicial review and enforcement. Acting on sites of up to 1200 units.
Advising Network Rail in relation to Scottish planning matters. Work has included objecting to a number of CPOs; advising on a Stopping-up Order over a level crossing, including preparation for Inquiry; advising on use of Transport and Works (Scotland) Order powers, and general ad hoc planning advice on permitted development, planning conditions and enforcement.
Advising Peel Energy in relation to wind farm planning issues in Shetland and Peel Land and Property in relation to a purchase notice over a residential site in Inverclyde
Acting for major retail park operators Hammerson and Intu in relation to proposed changes to existing retail parks in Scotland and England
Advising institutional investors including Aberdeen Standard, M&G, Harrison Street Real Estate and Sigma Capital on commercial development projects, including residential schemes, hotels, offices, student accommodation and build to rent
Low Carbon Contracts Company: advising on Scottish planning issues relating to CfD schemes, advice on consenting requirements, timescales and comparative differences across UK planning regimes.
Alpha Real Capital: advising on the planning aspects of its acquisition of a portfolio of 20 operational turbine sites across Scotland, England and Wales. Carrying out diligence exercise, advising on community benefit arrangements, planning agreements and conditions, including any ongoing restrictions that would impact on the portfolio sites under new ownership, inputting into Share Purchase arrangements
Aquamarine Power: advising in relation to the onshore planning aspects of their Oyster project, negotiating terms of the related Section 75 Agreement
Triple Point: advising on the pre-construction acquisition of various renewables projects, including gas peaking plants, CHP and run of river hydroelectric schemes, carrying out planning diligence and negotiation of agreed reports and Certificates of Title
Canadian Solar: advising in its acquisition of the Errol project, Scotland’s first operational solar farm, and the subsequent financing of the project. Involved from pre-construction stage, advising on satisfaction of conditions, variations to grid route and ROC accreditation.

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