Mark Harnett

I have been advising clients for over 30 years and joined Fladgate from Essex County Council more than 20 years ago. Planning has been in a state of constant change since I was a trainee solicitor, as has the expectation of clients. I make sure that I really understand what my clients are trying to achieve, what their priorities are and how they like to work (some clients prefer to read everything, others next to nothing). I draw on my experience in both the public sector and in private practice to give advice that is user friendly, commercial and practicable. My clients range from large house builders and commercial developers to private clients and public institutions.

• Advised Hodson Developments on planning applications, associated s106 and other infrastructure agreements for the development of 5,750 houses at Chilmington Green near Ashford.
• Advised client on a redevelopment in Aldgate to provide a new office building with 18,537 sqm with ground floor retail space, the change of use of existing offices to a hotel and a new residential building providing 87 flats. A new section 106 agreement was required to be entered into with the City of London Corporation to enable the 3 elements of the development to be delivered in separate phases. I also advised the client on an application for planning permission for a larger mixed use office building, including ground floor flexible retail/café/commercial uses and a public house (35,672sqm GEA) and an associated section 106 agreement.
• Advised on a successful appeal against the refusal of a planning application for a waste water treatment works which would service new housing.
• Advised Matterhorn Capital in connection with its successful application for a certificate of lawful development for a data centre development in Norfolk.
• Advised a high profile high net worth individual on a successful appeal against an enforcement notice requiring demolition of a guest house in the gardens of her house.