Jonathan Easton

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Year of Call: 1996

Profile:

Jonathan practises in the areas of town and country planning and compulsory purchase, environmental law, highways and road traffic, licensing, local government and social housing.

Planning

He has extensive experience across a wide range of different developments, with a particular focus on residential schemes. Jonathan has also represented local authorities in several Development Plan inquiries. 

He appears regularly in the High Court in both Judicial Review cases as well as statutory challenges. 

Jonathan undertakes work in the area of Town and Village Greens. He appears for both applicants and objectors at informal inquiries. 

Jonathan lectures regularly on planning matters for various bodies including the RTPI, RICS and Planning Aid.

Significant Work includes:  

Redevelopment of golf course affecting ancient woodland (North Lincolnshire DC)

Major residential development (including 60% affordable housing) (Department of Local Government and the Environment, Isle of Man)

Promoting large mixed use CPO at Droylsden, Greater Manchester (Tameside MBC)

Promoting Ashton-under-Lyne bypass (Stage 2) CPO (Tameside MBC)

Resisting proposal for crematorium in the Cheshire Green Belt (Ellesmere Port and Neston)

Promoting a series of sheltered housing schemes (Golden Living plc)

Major call-in in Merthyr Tydfil - 1800 residential units, significant retail floorspace and 10,000 seat stadium (Merthyr Tydfil CBC)

Garden Centres - both promoting and resisting (most recently on behalf of Leeds City Council)  

Test Valley Borough Local Plan Inquiry and Caerphilly County Borough Council UDP Inquiry.  

Recent Cases:

Feather v Cheshire East BC [2010] EWHC 250 (Admin): concerning replacement dwellings in the Green Belt.

R. (on the application of P Casey (Enviro) Ltd) v Bradford MBC [2009] J.P.L. 639: irrationality and abuse of power in relation to enforcement proceedings.

Staffordshire Moorlands DC v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government [2008] EWHC 3619 (Admin): calculation of period 6 weeks for a challenge under s.288 Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

 

Compulsory Purchase  

In the field of compulsory purchase, Jonathan has promoted a variety of proposals at Inquiry (in and around Manchester particularly) and acts in relation to compensation matters in the Lands Tribunal. 

Highways  

Jonathan practises in all areas of highway law, but concentrates especially on road traffic regulation. He has made regular appearances in front of the National Parking Adjudication Service (now the Traffic Penalty Tribunal) and has advised and lectured on the application of the Traffic Management Act 2004. 

Recent Cases:

Herron v. Parking Adjudicator and Sunderland CC [2010] EWHC 1161 (Admin): key case in relation to the enforceability of Controlled Parking Zones and the adequacy of signage.

 

Recommendations:

Chambers UK 2012:
"Jonathan Easton of Kings Chambers is "a really solid blue-chip barrister," who handles social housing work as part of a broader public law practice."

Chambers UK 2010:
"busy and committed advocate," whose broad practice takes in anti-social behaviour, homelessness and disrepair work.

Chambers UK 2008:
He retains the respect of his peers and is widely thought of as a 'sound individual' "

Legal 500 2010:
"consistently recommended for planning instructions" 

Legal 500 2009:
"consistently recommended"

Legal 500 2008:
"In an excellent group, solicitors consistently mention Jonathan Easton"

Legal 500 2007:
".....highly rated"

Chambers and Partners 2006:
"Jonathan is in the First Rank for Social Housing"

Planning Magazine 2006 cited Jonathan as one of the top barristers under 35 in their survey of the legal profession.

Publications:

Author of the Chapter on Housing Law in "Judicial Review" (Jordans, August 2010)

Seminars:

Planning:

Jonathan has given numerous seminars on a wide range of topics including:

National Policy Statements and their Relevance to Planning RTPI

PPS 4                                                                                                  RTPI

Planning and Climate Change                                                            RTPI

Environmental Impact Assessments    Solicitors Special Interest Group

Planning and Flood Risk        RTPI

 

Traffic Regulation

TROs - Getting the Drafting Right     Highway and Traffic Regulation Law Conference (CLT)

Signs and Lines - Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them    Highway and Traffic Regulation Law Conference (CLT)

Housing

Housing and Vulnerable Persons       2010 Social Welfare Conference

Houses in Multiple Occupation           Kings Chambers (2007)

Career & Education:                        

University Degree:      Warwick
                                First Class LLP (Euro) in European Law 

                                European University Institute, Florence
                                LLM in International and Comparative Law (thesis was on
                                environmental law and human rights)

Year of Call:              1996 (Grays Inn)

Joined Chambers:      2006

Door tenancy:            2/3 Grays Inn Square, London

Other:                       Direct Professional Access