Colette leads the national Winckworth Sherwood Planning team and has over 25 years experience specialising in complex mixed use development including tall buildings. She provides strategic planning advice and is known for her ability to lead on and deliver complex projects. Colette advises on some of the largest developments across the Country including the iconic Battersea Power Station for Wandsworth Council, Liverpool Waters for Peel and Barking Riverside Limited  for the joint venture between L& Q and the GLA. She is known for being solutions driven and having a  collaborative  approach to unlocking development.

Colette is ranked in the industry directories in the top tier planning lawyers for the North West. She was also ranked in the top five planning lawyers nationally by the industry in the Planning Resources Survey in 2021  and 2022

She specialises in all areas of planning law including compulsory purchase (powers under the Town and Country Planning Act as well as the Electricity Act and the Gas Act), judicial review, heritage issues, town and village greens and environmental impact assessment. She also has been involved in preparing and running major planning inquiry appeals and judicial reviews. She has particular expertise in drafting and advising on complex Section 106 agreements and other statutory planning and highway agreements and is one of the lead advisers on the effects of the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations.

Recent Experience

Some of the major projects that Colette continues to provide strategic advice on are:

• The master planning application for Liverpool Waters for Peel Holding Land & Property(UK) Ltd, comprising the regeneration of 60 hectares of historic former docks on the River Mersey and includes 9,000 homes, retail, leisure and commercial buildings, two clusters of towers and a new cruise liner terminal. Colette advised closely on the application and compliance with the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations; the Habitats Regulations and Appropriate Assessment, the conditions and negotiated the Section 106 Agreement. This involved negotiations with local stakeholders, the Council and statutory consultees such as English Nature and English Heritage. She continues to advise Peel on delivery of the permission including the interplay with other developments including the Isle of Man Ferry Terminal and the Everton Stadium.
• Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area Planning Framework. This is a planning framework that has been produced in collaboration with two councils (Wandsworth and Lambeth), Transport for London, English Heritage and the land owners. The framework sets the planning for 20,000 new homes; 20,000 new jobs; major extensive infrastructure including the Northern Line Extension; a new linear park; a cluster of tall buildings including a tall building strategy to support such a cluster; a new school; the creation of a combined cooling and heating tower network. The projects within this framework that Colette has led on for Wandsworth Council include Battersea Power Station; the redevelopment of the Covent Garden Market; the redevelopment of the former Royal Mail site; Embassy Gardens and the American Embassy.
• Thameside West Keystone & Partner this scheme will deliver 5000 homes,19,000 sqm workspace 7,000sqm of retail and leisure 5.7 acres of public open space (including a new 4 acres public park), a new Dockland Light Rail station and included advising  on the interplay with Silvertown Tunnel DCO (which follows the route of the Emirates Airline) to ensure the site is ready for development once the tunnel is completed.
• Barking Riverside development of the former Barking Power Station next to the Thames. It will deliver in excess of 10,000 new homes, 21 hectares of public open space and supporting infrastructure including a new over ground station.
• Advising on major estate regeneration including the Aylesbury Estate; York Winstanley, Alton and Graeme Park. These schemes are complex by their nature and require strategic planning advice including the interplay between planning compulsory acquisition  and for example the effect of the Thames Tideway DCO on delivery of the development.