Ian Ponter | Manchester, Leeds & Birmingham

Profile

Ian enjoys an extensive national planning and public law practice. He is highly rated, consistently featuring in Planning’s list of top-rated junior barristers. He appears for both developers and local planning authorities at inquiries for housing, employment, retail, energy and waste schemes. He also appears at development plan examinations (both promoting and objecting to draft plans), and at CPO inquiries (as well as proceedings in the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) dealing with compensation issues arising out of compulsory purchase). On top of his busy inquiry practice, he appears in the High Court on judicial reviews, statutory planning challenges, and injunctive proceedings.

Planning Appeals

• Appeared for Story Homes in appeal against refusal of 67 dwellings in Thursby, Allerdale. The appeal was allowed – 2023
• Appeared for Greystoke Land in appeal against refusal of 100 dwellings in Badsey, Wychavon. The appeal was allowed – 2022
• Appeared for Greystoke Land in appeal against refusal of 43 homes in Hook Norton, Cherwell. The appeal was allowed – 2022
• Appeared for the LPA in an appeal against the refusal of planning permission for 255 houses and the restoration of an historic canal, all of which was proposed in the Green Belt – 2022
• Appeared for South Ribble Borough Council in appeal against the refusal of planning permission for over 1,000 houses on an allocated site in Lancashire. Issues included the impact of the proposal on the local highway – 2022.
• Appeared for Solihull Council in appeal against the refusal of planning permission for a residential care home. The case raised a series of heritage issues involving listed buildings, a conservation area, and a non-designated heritage asset – 2022
• Appeared for the Appellant at an appeal against the refusal of planning permission for a large residential scheme in a disused quarry in Mansfield. The case raised a large number of complex ecological issues -2022
• Appeared on behalf of the Manchester City Council at an appeal against the refusal of planning permission for a tall building (containing purpose built student accommodation) in central Manchester. The appeal gave rise to multiple issues (heritage, visual impact, student need, residential amenity, and wind micro-climate) – 2022
• Acted for Memoria Ltd opposing an appeal for a new crematorium in the open countryside. Our objection was successful and the appeal was dismissed – 2021
• Acted for Bolton Council at an appeal against an enforcement notice requiring demolition of 5 large houses built without planning permission in the Green Belt. The Council was successful and the notice upheld – 2021
• Acted for the Appellant, CB Collier Ltd seeking planning permission for more than 300 houses on a contaminated, brownfield site in Newark and Sherwood The appeal was successful - 2021
• Acted the Appellant, Greystoke Land, seeking planning permission for a residential development on the edge of a rural village, Alderton,in the Cotswolds. The appeal succeeded and planning permission was granted – 2021
• Acted for Chorley Council at an appeal against the refusal of planning permission for 2 significant housing schemes – 2021

Development Plans

• representing significant landowners promoting major residential and employment development in Cheshire   
• representing a significant landowner promoting a major strategic urban extension in North Northamptonshire.

Significant Reported Cases

• successfully quashing an Inspector’s decision granting planning permission in section 288 proceedings on behalf of Manchester City
• successfully resisting judicial review of a decision by Birmingham City Council to grant planning permission for significant residential 

Year of call: 1993

Areas of Expertise

Memberships

"PEBA, of which he is a member of the Committee".

Qualifications

BA(Hons), LLM (distinction)

Recommendations

Chambers UK 2023

"Ian provides very clear, no-nonsense, succinct advice."

"A very effective advocate."

Legal 500 2023

"Ian has in depth knowledge, is very approachable, provides thorough, understandable advice, responds quickly and is unflappable, cool, calm and collected."

Chambers UK 2022

"Ian is immensely experienced and dependable, as well as an absolute pleasure to deal with."

Chambers UK 2021

"He is calm, knowledgeable, clear and incisive." "He is a clear and pragmatic adviser, and a great team player."

Legal 500 2021

"He has a direct approach, cutting to the heart of the issue quickly and with ease."

Legal 500 2020

"His practice includes planning inquiries and judicial reviews of planning decisions."

Chambers UK 2020

 "He is a clear and pragmatic adviser." "He can turn his hand to anything. He's really good to deal with and is QC quality." "He is first rate – user-friendly and very practical."

Chambers UK 2019

"An excellent advocate. He is quick-thinking on his feet, very switched-on, very personable and enthusiastic. He gives you his time and focus."

Legal 500 2019

"A very quick thinker on his feet."

Chambers UK 2018

"Approachable, proactive and friendly in his approach. He always delivers in a timely manner." "A clear and pragmatic adviser. He is hands on and a great team player."

Legal 500 2018

"A very polished and accomplished advocate."

Chambers UK 2017

"He is quite formidable in his intellectual capacity and approach to jobs. The insight he brings reduces complex cases to quite simple points. Intellectually he is very good and he has an easy charm about him." "He is an excellent advocate who is quick-thinking on his feet."

Legal 500 2017

"Excellent at managing difficult issues and a strong team leader."

Chambers UK 2016

"A clear and pragmatic adviser who is a great team player." "An excellent advocate who thinks quickly on his feet."