John Hunter

Practice:
 Planning
Environmental
Local Government
Employment

Profile:  

John practises across the range of planning/environmental law, public law/judicial review, licensing law, employment law and discrimination/human rights. From 2004-5 John was judicial assistant to Lord Rodger and Lord Nicholls in the House of Lords.

John was named in the list of 15 best planning barristers under 35 in Planning Magazine in 2008.

Planning/Environmental Law

Work includes appearing for and advising local planning authorities, developers and private individuals in planning inquiries, statutory appeals/judicial review, enforcement proceedings, injunctive proceedings, and related criminal prosecutions for breaches of planning/environmental law.

Employment Law/Discrimination

Work includes appearing for and advising claimants and respondents in employment tribunal and employment appeal tribunal proceedings. Recent work has included successfully representing several workers claiming sex and disability discrimination in tribunal proceedings. Appellate work has included advising on appeals to the EAT concerning tribunal procedure, pension loss, unfair dismissal and disability discrimination.

Licensing

Work includes appearing for and advising local authorities and licensees in licensing appeals and hearings held under the new Licensing Act. Also appears in magistrates’ court and crown court proceedings relating to taxi licensing.

Public Law/Judicial Review

Work includes appearing for and advising local authorities and private individuals in relation to local authority/central government functions and human rights. Recent work has included advising local authorities in relation to civil proceedings and ombudsman complaints of breach of statutory duty/negligence, judicial review of planning, community care and parking regulation decisions, and statutory homelessness appeals.

Planning/Environmental Law :

Barnsley City Academy (2007) (counsel for United Learning Trust in successful application for stopping-up order required for implementation of planning permission for Barnsley’s first City Academy)

Alstonefield Village Green (2007) (counsel for objector into application for registration of land as village green – inspector’s report currently before committee recommending that the objection be upheld and the land omitted)

Askin Haulage, Kirkless DC (2007) (counsel for LPA successfully defending appeal against enforcement notice alleging material change of use by way of intensification of haulage business in green belt)

Howley Quay, Warrington (2006) (counsel for LPA in successful defence to refusal of planning permission contrary to officers’ recommendation for major proposal involving erection of tall buildings outside Warrington town centre)

Environment Agency v Durham County Council (2006) (counsel for county council in successful defence to prosecution for discharge of controlled waste)

Empire Works, Kirklees DC (2006) (counsel for LPA in successful defence on affordable housing grounds to refusal of planning permission for large housing scheme)

Neptune Developments, New Brighton, Wirral (2006) (junior counsel for developer, led by Rodger Lancaster in call-in inquiry into major regeneration proposals for New Brighton Waterfront)

Yi Hui Tan v Liverpool City Council (2006) (counsel for appellant in High Court proceedings successfully challenging Secretary of State’s decision to dismiss planning appeal)

Employment Law/Discrimination:

Neve v Governors of Moor Park School (2007, ET) (counsel for claimant in claim for disability discrimination)

Roebuck v Decorpart Ltd (2007, ET) (counsel for claimant in ongoing claim for disability discrimination/unfair dismissal)

Deegan v Maddocks Clarke Solicitors (2006, EAT) (counsel for claimant in EAT appeal concerning ET pre-hearing procedure)

Jones v Scope (2006, ET) (counsel for claimant in claim for disability discrimination/unfair dismissal)

Grace Kinsey v Champs Sports Camps Ltd (2006, ET) (counsel for claimant in a case which received widespread media attention concerning sexual discrimination/harassment of employee of children’s sports camp)

Public Law/Judicial Review:

R (Lewis) v Redcar and Cleveland BC and another [2007] EWHC Admin 3166 (challenge to grant of planning permission on grounds of apparent predetermination and misdirection on Habitats Directive)

Nextdom (Bootle) Ltd and Others v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and another [2007] EWHC (Admin) 3040 (Counsel for claimant in human rights/reasons challenge to compulsory purchase order).

R(Abdi Husein) v Coventry City Council (2006) (high court human rights challenge to refusal of accommodation under National Assistance Act 1948)

Younger Homes (Northern) Ltd v Calderdale BC (2004) (high court environmental impact assessment challenge to grant of planning permission)

Memberships:
Planning and Environmental Bar Association
Administrative Law Bar Association
Amnesty International
Northern and North Eastern Circuit

Panels:
 Junior Counsel to the Crown (Provincial Panel)

Career & Education:

University:

Degrees:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

School of Law:

 

 

 

Languages Spoken:

The Queen's College, Oxford

BA Philosophy and Spanish, First Class, 
MSt European Literature, Distinction, The Queen's College, Oxford
Exhibitioner, The Queen's College, Oxford
Taberdarship, The Queen's College, Oxford
Gibbs' Prize for Performance in Philosophy, Oxford University 

AHRB Studentship

CPE, Commendation, Northumbria University.


BVC, Very Competent, Inns of Court School of Law

Sir Thomas More Bursary, Lincoln's Inn
Hardwicke Entrance Scholarship, Lincoln's Inn

 

Spanish, French and Portuguese

 

John Hunter

Year of Call:  2002

Specialises In:
Planning, Environment & Public Law

Clerked by:
 Mark Ronson

 

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