Lynsey is a Senior Associate in our Planning and Environment team. She has extensive expertise of advising on complex contentious and non-contentious planning and environmental matters.

This includes advising on consenting strategy, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) requirements, compulsory purchase, planning agreements, and public inquiries and hearings. She specialises in the consenting of large-scale energy and infrastructure developments across the UK, and advises developers on energy projects across a wide range of technologies. These include onshore and offshore wind, solar, pumped storage hydro, green hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage. She also frequently advises on residential developments within Scotland.

Areas of practice include:

Sector experience includes:

Admitted

2016: Scotland
2022: England and Wales

Relevant experience

Advising an energy developer on submission and examination of their successful Development Consent Order (DCO) application for a solar project, including representing the applicant during examination hearings, advising on application and examination strategy, EIA matters and compulsory acquisition, biodiversity net gain, and drafting and reviewing application documents and written submissions during examination.
Advising energy developers on s.36 application for a Scottish onshore wind farm, including carrying out EIA review and reviewing supporting application documents.
Advising an energy developer on the preparation of their DCO application for an offshore wind farm, including advising on application strategy, EIA and HRA matters, and compulsory acquisition, and drafting and reviewing application documents.
Advising an energy company on two successful s.36 applications for an extension to an existing pumped storage hydro station and upgrading of existing turbines, including advising on application strategy, advising on the associated request for Scottish Ministers to make an Acquisition of Water Rights Order, and carrying out EIA review.
Advising an energy company on their successful DCO application for a carbon capture and storage pipeline, including negotiating protective provisions with statutory utility undertakers and businesses within the vicinity of the proposed pipeline, and negotiating agreements with the local planning authorities to secure biodiversity net gain delivery.
Advising a roads authority on the promotion of various highways improvement schemes, involving Compulsory Purchase Orders and DCOs.
Carrying out EIA review for an energy company in relation to its application for planning permission for a green hydrogen production facility in Scotland.
Advising onshore wind developers on consenting strategy and EIA matters in relation to planning applications for onshore wind farms.
Advising energy developers on the use of compulsory purchase powers available under the Electricity Act 1989.
Advising onshore wind developers on legal agreements with local authorities in relation to various obligations, including restoration, and legal agreements with National Air Traffic Services and airport operators in relation to radar mitigation.
Advising housing developers in relation to appeals against the local authority’s refusal of planning for residential development.
Advising a fish farm operator in relation to appeals against Scottish Environment Protection Agency initiated variations of their Controlled Activities Regulations water use licences.

“Lynsey is technically very good, handling a good mix of contentious and non-contentious work.”

Chambers and Partners (2025)