Year of call: 1985
Gary Grant is a specialist practitioner in Planning and Environmental Law.
He has been consistently ranked within the legal directories for Planning Law. He is very experienced and his practice is split between court work, inquiries and work involving the support of plan making authorities, including at pre-submission stage.
Gary also has an extensive advisory practice within his fields of expertise including recent experience of complex points arising in the plan making context and pre-application advice on a full range of issues and forms of development including tall-building proposals.
Gary is an experienced trainer and has presented papers to specialist training events held by RTPI and many other organisations. He is a qualified Civil and Commercial Mediator.
Gary has a wide level of experience of central government work from working on the AG’s Regional Panel and has experience of highways, compulsory purchase, land, environmental, enforcement, contractual and regulatory matters associated with planning and environmental law.
Public law challenges emerging from planning disputes. Recently advised in respect of bringing or defending statutory claims or proceedings for judicial review in respect of a range of matters including land supply, highways and listed buildings
2025-26
Leading host authority case (NNC) in respect of major solar NSIP project across three host authority areas in midlands ( Green Hill Solar ).
2018/2019
Leading objection against Orders promoting Mixed Use Compulsory Purchase Order (including Student Housing) in Middlesborough Town Centre.
2016
Objection to the confirmation of a CPO under planning powers in respect of a leisure building at Seaton Carew seafront adjoining conservation area.
2015
Advising Manchester United Limited in respect of representations to the Manchester Metro extension Inquiry.
Advising upon and dealing with development proposals within a wide range of environmentally sensitive designations including National Parks, AONB, SACs, Ramsar sites and conservation areas, including cases involving issues of sensitive design.
Enforcement appeals giving rise to the full range of environmental issues including in respect of waste uses.
2025
Advising Applicant in respect of breach of conditions attached to planning permission for landfill site in northwest.
2024
Planning appeal for LPA in respect of 200 houses at Westbury (Storridge Road: APP/Y3940/24/3340811) giving rise to issues of bat protection (Bechstein’s ) and the acceptability of acoustic effects under the parameters of an outlline proposal.
2023
Advising Sheffield City Council in respect of issues arising in respect of a Clean Air Zone.
2023
Appeal for the Appellant in respect of a material change of use from a vehicle recovery depot to Waste Recycling in Macclesfield.
2022
Appeal for Appellant in respect of a material change of use from ‘sui generis’ to waste transfer use in Leighton Buzzard.
2017
Resisting proposals at a planning appeal into proposals for a new Care Village on the site of a disused Poultry Farm in Wychavon, opposed on grounds which included the impact of major development in the AONB.
2016
Planning appeal at Public Inquiry in Stratford for housing in rural village raising impact on county level grassland habitat and the evaluation of mitigation proposals.
2015
Great Heck: advising local planning authorities on nationally publicised environmental concerns and enforcement issues arising from storage and management of waste at site in Yorkshire.
Gary has expertise in Section 78, Call In and other Inquiries dealing with the full range of planning and environmental issues and covering a wide range of land uses. Recent inquiries include major logistics proposals,urban extensions (housing and mixed use), retail proposals, waste recycling proposals, general and specialist housing proposals.
Gary provides legal support for plan making authorities from inception of the plan to adoption. . Advising, drafting, and appearing in planning related litigation including injunctions.
Chambers UK 2026
“Gary Grant is very thoughtful, wise, calm, approachable and an excellent advocate.”
Legal 500 2026
Chambers UK 2025
“Gary Grant builds excellent rapport with clients and is always well prepared for inquiries with skilfully prepared arguments.”
Legal 500 2024
‘Gary has an eye for detail and thinks outside the box. He is a strong team player and really good at helping to manage client expectations.’
Legal 500 2023
“Gary provides calm, clear, and commercial advice, which is invaluable to clients. He can always be relied on to engage with clients sensitively, and to depose opponents’ arguments elegantly, but definitively.”
Chambers UK 2021
“He provides detailed and forensic advice and builds good rapport with clients.”
Legal 500 2021
“He combines a calm but effective advocacy style at planning inquiries with excellent written advice and a a good rapport with clients.”
Legal 500 2020
“A calm, considered and skilled advocate. ”
Chambers UK 2020
“He focuses on the main issues and is popular with clients.” “Really skilled, very calm and considered, really responsive and flexible.”
Chambers UK 2019
‘A sound and sensible operator.’
Legal 500 2018
‘A highly effective advocate.’
