Clerked by: Gary Smith Mark Ronson Jake Brooke
AREAS OF EXPERTISE:
Freddie accepts instructions in all areas of Town and Country Planning, including housing, retail, highways, enforcement and minerals. Freddie has advisory experience in all of these areas, and appears in planning inquiries, enforcement inquiries, and enforcement prosecutions and appeals.
Freddie is regularly instructed to draft papers in statutory challenges and Judicial Review proceedings in the High Court. Freddie has experience appearing in the High Court and Court of Appeal on planning matters.
He accepts instructions in the field of Highways Law, including advisory work and appearances at public path and definitive map modification order inquiries.
Freddie has experience in all aspects of Licensing law, including Premises licensing, Gambling and S.E.V licensing. Freddie is adept at advising local authorities having undertaken a secondment to Birmingham City Council’s legal services Licensing team. Freddie has advised local authorities at committee hearing and also appears on behalf of Premises owners and objectors at committee hearings, reviews and appeals concerning applications made under the Licensing Act, and for S.E.V licences.
Freddie appears in taxi licensing cases both for local authorities and appellants involving both hackney carriage and private hire vehicles. He has advised on the formulation and implementation of local authority taxi licensing policy.
Year of Call: 2011
Defending a challenge in the High Court under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 on the grant of Temporary Traffic Regulation Order and making an application for an Extended Civil Restraint Order.
Acting for Selby District Council in defence of their Core Strategy in the High Court and Court of Appeal. Central question was the extent of the duty to cooperate under s.33A (Junior to Alan Evans)
Wakefield CiL examination, representing retail park operator in objecting to the definitions in the charging schedule and the calculation of the levy.
Various enforcement proceedings, including Enforcement Notice appeals, issuing of Temporary Stop Notices and grant of s.187B Injunctions including on Gypsy and Traveller Sites.
Significant Reported Cases
Sam Smiths Old Brewery (Tadcaster) v Selby District Council [2015] EWCA Civ 1107
Defending Local Authorities decision to revoke a Taxi Licence of a driver who had been acquitted in the Crown Court of Sexual Harassment charges.
Multiple Crown Court appearances on appeals against convictions relating to plying for hire and other breaches of the Licensing Legislation.
Advisor to Birmingham City Council Licensing Sub-Committee on a review application of Gatecrasher Nightclub, the biggest club in the city, brought by the Police.
Residential
Successfully acted for Rotherham Council at 6 day appeal in November 2021 opposing residential scheme for 116 dwellings
Defending at Inquiry Lichfield Borough Council’s refusal of 121 dwellings issues included 5yr HLS, Heritage and Highways.
Defending at Inquiry Cheshire West’s refusal for 315 dwellings on three different sites in a linked appeal by three different developers issues of 5yrHLS and Landscape (junior to Martin Carter).
Highways
Appearing in the County Court for a public highway declaration based on historical documentation. Involved related claims for damages arising out of trespass and a claim for an injunction.
Land to the East and West of Brickyard Lane, Melton Park; APP/E2001/A/13/2200981
Land South of Forest School Street, Rolleston on Dove; APP/B3410/A/13/2209697
R (on the application of Marton-cum-Grafton Parish Council) v North Yorkshire County Council [2013] EWHC 2406 (Admin)
Inner Temple
The Northern Circuit
The North Eastern Circuit
Planning and Environmental Bar Association
Contributor to the second editions of 'Judicial Review: Law & Practice' (Jordans: 2015) edited by the Hon Mrs Justice Patterson (formerly of Kings Chambers) and Sam Karim (Kings Chambers).
Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge University: BA Hons Geography - 2.1
Nottingham Law School: Graduate Diploma in Law – Commendation
Nottingham Law School: BPTC – Very Competent
Chambers UK 2023
"Grasps the points very quickly, and good at critical analysis."
"A fantastic junior who provides excellent and clear commercial advice."
"Freddie Humphreys is very pragmatic and really good at analysing the law and being decisive."
Chambers UK 2022
"He is a very good advocate. He really knows the strengths in his case and drives forward maximising those aspects."
Chambers UK 2021
"Very personable and a good advocate, who is clear, very experienced and knowledgeable in licensing law." "He has a great understanding of the issues and is great with clients."
"A great advocate."
Legal 500 2021
"Approachable and provides pragmatic and effective advice with expert licensing knowledge."
Chambers UK 2020
"You quickly feel comfortable working with him and he has an authority. He's impressive all round." "Extremely effective."
Chambers UK 2018
"We found him to be approachable and friendly. He is very clear and succinct in his advice and timely in his delivery." "Very enthusiastic. He impresses clients and provides very clear, unambiguous advice."
Chambers UK 2017
"A rising star, relatively recently called to the Bar, but who seems to understand what it is all about, and has a good grasp." "He is a good junior who is well prepared and personable."
Planning Magazine:
Freddie has been cited as one of the top planning barristers under the age of 35 in the 2014 and 2015 Surveys.
36 Young Street, Manchester, M3 3FT DX: 718188 MCH 3 Direct Dial: 0161 832 9082
5 Park Square, Leeds, LS1 2NE DX: 713113 LEEDS PARK SQ Direct Dial: 0113 242 1123
Embassy House, 60 Church Street, Birmingham, B3 2DJ DX: 13023 BIRMINGHAM Direct Dial: 0121 200 3570
Gary Smith
Mark Ronson
Jake Brooke
Ruth Stockley and Freddie Humphreys successfully resist application for 64 bed care home
What? A Nuisance?
Liverpool Law Society: 2023 Costs Conference (online)
Neurodiversity in the workplace and the Employment Tribunal
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