Tom Barton

Tom advises on complex CPO and DCO matters, acting for both acquiring authorities and affected landowners, with experience in regeneration, infrastructure, energy schemes, compensation claims, and nationally significant development projects.

• Advised an affected landowner on all matters relating to the acquisition of their property by National Highways for the M25 Junction 28 improvement works including making a series of application for certificates of appropriate alternative development.
• Advised the former owners of the nationally significant Redcar steelworks in relation to the compulsory acquisition of the site ultimately negotiating and concluding a commercial settlement.
• Successfully promoted a compulsory purchase order to facilitate a major estate regeneration scheme on behalf of Slough Borough Council.
• Acted on behalf of a considerable agricultural landowner in objecting to the proposed Beacon Fen Energy Park DCO which would have required extensive cabling to be laid through their crop farm.
• Secured compensation for rights appropriated for planning purposes by a London council which materially reduced the client’s ability to develop their retained land for residential purposes.
• Promoted the compulsory purchase of large parts of Kingston town centre on behalf of the Council to facilitate a town-centre regeneration scheme.

Tom advises on planning enforcement matters, successfully defending enforcement notices for residential and commercial developments, including green belt sites and critical infrastructure, and securing retrospective consent for significant planning breaches through strategic negotiation.

• Successfully defended 21 enforcement notices issued in respect of a large mixed-use commercial development in the green belt, with permission ultimately granted for the entire development following a two-week public inquiry.
• Acted for Notting Hill Genesis and successfully defended an enforcement notice in respect of critical water infrastructure which, if required to be removed, would have disrupted the service of water to a south London estate which was home to more than 1,000 people.
• Devised a planning strategy to retrospectively regularise a considerable “Grand Designs”-style seafront residential property with a number of material departures from the approved plans including roof height.

Tom advises on complex s106 and highways agreements, with experience in large-scale regeneration, life sciences, heritage redevelopment, and residential schemes, including student accommodation, build-to-rent, and mixed-tenure housing projects nationwide.

• Drafted and negotiated a highly complex s106 agreement for a new £900m life science campus which will provide 1.6 million sq. ft of lab, office and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) facilities.
• Acted for Higgins Partnerships in relation to two linked estate regeneration schemes in Hillingdon to provide a total of 740 mixed-tenure new homes including advising on both s106 agreements and the associated commercial agreements.
• Secured planning permission and listed building consent for the iconic Grade II-listed Space House in Covent Garden to create 255,000 sq ft of workspace, flexible retail, and events space. Historic England stated: “Space House is one of the most important redevelopment projects of our time.”
• Negotiated and concluded a series of s106 agreements for student accommodation and build-to-rent schemes across the country.

Tom advises on high-value acquisitions, disposals, and financing across sectors including student housing, hospitality, logistics, and offices, with expertise in mezzanine finance, distressed assets, and assets with planning or heritage complexities.

• Advised on the disposal of a UK purpose-built student accommodation provider with over 23,000 beds trading under its existing brand including a number of properties with planning defects including those related to listed buildings.
• Advised on the proposed £4bn sale of the UK’s largest forest-based hotel and leisure group and assisted in identifying potential new sites and securing options.
• Advised on a series of real estate finance mezzanine financing deals across the residential, hotel, and office sectors.
• Advised on the financing of several last-mile distribution hubs on behalf of the world’s largest retail delivery services.
• Experienced in both the acquisition and disposal of distressed assets including acting for administrators.

Tom represents public- and private-sector clients at public inquiries, with experience in major infrastructure, education, and enforcement cases, including complex compulsory acquisition and green belt development matters, securing successful outcomes.

• Acted at a two-week public inquiry on behalf of the former owners of the nationally significant Redcar steelworks in relation its compulsory acquisition by the South Tees Development Corporation.
• Advised the Secretary of State for Education on a number of school building projects including attending a 5-day public inquiry into the expansion of the Bullers Wood School in Bromley, with permission ultimately being granted.
• Successfully defended 21 enforcement notices issued in respect of a large mixed-use commercial development in the green belt with permission ultimately granted for the entire development following a two-week public inquiry.

Tom advises on planning and listed building consent for significant heritage assets, including complex restorations, adaptive reuse, and diversification strategies for Grade II and II* properties across commercial, residential, and estate settings.

• Secured planning permission and listed building consent for the iconic Grade II-listed Space House in Covent Garden to create 255,000 sq ft of intelligently designed workspace, flexible retail and events space. Historic England stated: “Space House is one of the most important redevelopment projects of our time.”
• Advised on the total restoration and change of use back to residential purposes of a Grade II*-listed property in Kensington that had been built for the theatrical musician W.S. Gilbert of Gilbert & Sullivan.
• Advised on the diversification of a Grade II-listed estate to establish income-generating activities which would support the maintenance of the house including a solar farm, rented guest accommodation and spa.
• Provided advice on potential liabilities for failure to maintain a Grade II-listed hotel for a leading private equity house.

Tom advises on CIL strategy and liability reduction, including securing significant savings through reliefs, credits, and challenges to indexation for high-value hotel, office, and residential redevelopment projects across London.

• Provided advice on how best to structure the redevelopment of a 5* London landmark hotel.
• Gave strategic advice on the use of various credits and relief to reduce the total liability of an office-to-residential conversion by over £3.5 million.
• Successfully challenged Camden’s calculation of CIL indexation resulting in a material reduction for a major office development.

Tom advises on judicial review claims and defence, including quashing inspector decisions and defending major regeneration schemes, with a track record of early government consent to judgment to minimise cost and delay.

• Successfully quashed an inspector’s decision refusing consent for planning permission and listed building consent on the basis of the inspector’s material error in law.
• Defended a challenge to a client’s planning permission for a football stadium regeneration project with major community benefits, resulting in the project being able to proceed.
• Successfully secured on several occasions Government Legal Department consent to judgment – essentially accepting that an application for judicial review should be accepted at the earliest stage, and thereby saving considerable time and expense.

Tom has considerable experience on advising in relation to all elements of the office lifecycle including new building, extension and renovation, conversion, and upwards extension.

• Secured planning permission and listed building consent for the iconic Grade II-listed Space House in Covent Garden to create 255,000 sq ft of intelligently designed workspace, flexible retail and events space. Historic England stated: “Space House is one of the most important redevelopment projects of our time.”
• Acted for the lender in relation to a development finance deal to add two new storeys to an existing and tenanted office block.
• Advised on a wide number of office-to-residential conversion schemes done either under express planning permission or permitted development rights.

Tom has advised housebuilders or all sizes from single development schemes through to PLC developers carrying out major estate regeneration schemes.

• Acted for Higgins Partnerships in relation to two linked estate regeneration schemes in Hillingdon to provide a total of 740 mixed-tenure new homes including advising on both s106 agreements and the associated commercial agreements.
• Acted for an SME builder and successfully resolved a series of enforcement issues including making retrospective applications and making submissions on their behalf at planning committee.
• Advised both developers and funders on development schemes of all sizes including build to rent, purpose-built student accommodation and co-living schemes.

Tom regularly advises promoters, funders, and objectors in relation to all manner of infrastructure projects including road, rail, renewable power generation, and data centres, whether by development consent order or under the Town & Country Planning Act 1990.

• Advised on the sale of the former Britishvolt site at Blyth Power Station to QTS to create a 540,000 sqm to create a GDV £10bn artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing data centre.
• Advised a Swiss investment bank on its development of a global innovation campus including a 500,000 sq ft advanced manufacturing cluster in conjunction with a major pharmaceutical manufacturer which including delivering major highway upgrades.
• Advised promotors and funders on a wide range of renewable energy projects with a particular focus on solar and on-shore wind.

Recognised in Chambers and Partners as Band 6 for Planning

Recognised in The Legal 500 as a Next Generation Partner 2025–2026