Yohanna is a planning and environmental law expert with a focus on infrastructure, conventional and renewable energy development, major/mixed-use schemes and urban regeneration. She is also highly experienced in the promotion of development consent orders (DCOs), Transport and Works Act orders, major/multi-authority planning applications and compulsory purchase orders.
Yohanna is dual-qualified in England & Wales and Australia.
Expertise
- Planning law
- Environmental law
- Environmental impact assessments
- Development consent orders (DCOs)
- Compulsory purchase orders
- S106 agreements
- Development agreements
- Highways/rights of way agreements and orders
- Enforcement and operational/compliance issues
- Strategic advice and corporate/transactional support
- Energy and infrastructure projects
- Renewable energy development and clean technologies
- Mineral planning permissions
- Urban regeneration and strategic masterplans
Experience
Development Consent Orders
- Advised Wheelabrator Technologies on DCOs for two new energy-from-waste power generating stations with a combined capacity of 112MW in Kent.
- Advised Calon Energy on the implementation of a DCO and exercise of compulsory rights for a 28km cross-country gas pipeline to connect a new gas-fired power station to the national transmission grid.
- Advised National Grid Gas on a DCO for the replacement of a 6km tunnelled section of high-pressure gas transmission pipeline under the River Humber.
- Advised National Grid Electricity Transmission on a DCO for a new 2.8km 400kV overhead electricity transmission line in Norfolk.
- Advised Shell Pensions Trust on objections and asset protection for third-party DCO and CPO developments (including HS2) affecting their portfolio across the UK.
- Advised various private developers, landowners, statutory authorities and utilities companies on mitigation measures, asset protection and compensation in relation to over 20 DCOs.
Energy, Infrastructure & Natural Resources
- Advised National Grid Ventures on planning, compulsory purchase, marine licensing and environmental matters for:
- the 650km Viking Link Interconnector project linking the national grids of Denmark and the UK via 1400MW HVDC subsea cables
- the 700km NSN Interconnector project linking the national grids of Norway and the UK via 1400MW subsea cables.
- Advised ESB Solar on environmental aspects of the purchase of a 6.86MW grid-connected battery storage system from Anesco Limited at a site in Grantham.
- Advised Perenco UK on an application to the High Court for ancillary rights under the Mines (Working Facilities and Support) Act 1966 for petroleum exploration and development rights.
- Advised a start-up infrastructure trading platform on due diligence and transactional matters for the financing of energy-from-waste facilities in Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire.
- Advised a venture capital fund on the acquisition of the largest fine chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in the UK, including drafting complex indemnity and allocation of risk provisions for contaminated land.
- Advised Network Rail on a Transport and Works Act Order for the diversion of a section of railway tunnel running through a quarry in Derbyshire, to allow continued working of the quarry. The diversion also involved the negotiation of safe system of work and asset protection arrangements to safeguard the new alignment of the tunnel and minimise disruption to quarrying activities during construction.
- Advised New Covent Garden Market Authority on asset protection and development interface agreements with respect to TfL’s Northern Line Extension near its Nine Elms redevelopment, including preparation of its evidence for the examination of the TWA application.
- Advised Biffa Waste Services Ltd on the successfully resistance (at public inquiry) of the revocation of a stopping up order across its Roxby landfill site.
Strategic Development & Advice
- Advised Cala Homes on promoting various strategic mixed-use schemes including 600 dwellings at New Monks Farm, West Sussex and 3,500 dwellings at Long Marston Airfield, Stratford-on-Avon.
- Advised Dominvs Group on planning and s106 matters for major new hotel developments in Nine Elms and Hammersmith, including a dispute with UKPN.
- Acted for Dylon 2 on a statutory review of the Bromley Local Plan in the High Court.
- Advised the London Borough of Barnet on 3 compulsory purchase orders for the Brent Cross/Cricklewood Regeneration Scheme for the refurbishment of the Brent Cross shopping centre and the comprehensive regeneration of Cricklewood, including a new town centre and 7,500 homes.
- Advised AirBnb on planning and environmental compliance guidance for listed properties.
- Advised Barratt Developments plc on the s106 agreement for a mixed use scheme at Overstone Leys comprising up to 2,000 dwellings, nursery, medical centre, primary school, sports facilities, open space, retail, commercial and industrial uses and associated infrastructure.
- Advising a consortium on strategic planning issues and s106 agreement for the development of up to 2,700 dwellings at South East Coalville development including new primary school, public open space and ancillary transport, highways and drainage infrastructure.
- Advised Lloyds Bank on environmental and planning issues for the land assembly and development of a 15,000m2 data centre on a greenfield site in Northamptonshire.
- Advised Scottish Widows Investment Property Partnership Trust on planning and highways agreements for the regeneration of over 150,000sq feet of retail and public space in Sheffield’s main pedestrianised street, The Moor, in partnership with the Sheffield City Council.
- Advised the London Borough of Haringey on planning and compulsory purchase matters for re-development of the White Hart Lane stadium and comprehensive urban regeneration by Tottenham Hotspur Football Club including new 56,250-seat stadium, 200 residential units and 150-room hotel.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by Chambers UK 2025 for Planning
“She has a flair for understanding the details and the strategy simultaneously.” Chambers UK 2025
“She is extremely personable and builds trust with clients very quickly.” Chambers UK 2025
“Yohanna is a truly brilliant lawyer.” Chambers UK 2025
“She is one of my go-to lawyers for legal advice in the planning world.” Chambers UK 2025
“Her advice is extremely valuable and given in a comprehensive, clear way.“ Chambers UK 2025
“Yohanna is a pleasure to work with.“ Chambers UK 2025
Acknowledged by Chambers 2025 for exhibiting incredible knowledge of a wide range of planning matters including infrastructure, renewable energy projects and residential developments.She acts for developers, commercial property owners and energy companies.
Recognised by The Legal 500 (2020-2025) for Planning
“Yohanna Weber is very experienced in private and public sector. Very bright. Very diligent.” The Legal 500 2024
“I have worked with Yohanna Weber who was absolutely excellent, knowledgeable, organised, personable and had great judgment.” The Legal 500 2023
“Yohanna Weber is clever, knowledgeable and diligent. Past experience in a local authority gives her excellent insight and perspective into how local authorities approach matters.” The Legal 500 2023
“Yohanna Weber – experienced, very knowledgeable, highly efficient, an impressive planning solicitor.” The Legal 500 2022
“Yohanna is very responsive to clients requirements and quick to resolve and complete tasks. Yohanna has the ability to get straight to the heart of the issue and provide a good service to the client.” The Legal 500 2022
Member of the National Infrastructure Planning Association and Compulsory Purchase Association
Co-Chair of Planning Out, the UK’s largest planning networking group (LGBT+)
Career
Yohanna qualified as a solicitor in Australia in 2003 and in England & Wales in 2011. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2020, she worked at the following firms:
- Fieldfisher
- Eversheds Sutherland