NIPA Board

Robbie is a planning and infrastructure lawyer at Pinsent Masons.

He has over 25 years' experience of promoting and opposing a wide range of nationally significant and major transport and other infrastructure projects for public and private sector clients, including in the heavy and light rail, urban transit, roads, ports & harbours, water and waterways sectors. He is widely regarded as one of the leading infrastructure planning lawyers in the UK market and was recognised in Planning magazine's 'Planning Power 100' list in 2013.Since 2007 Robbie has been an active participant in the Planning Act regime, both advising clients on it and also governments on the creation, implementation and reform of the regime. He co-edited Butterworths Planning Law: A Practical Guide to National Infrastructure Projects, published in July 2009 and which remained the only textbook on the Planning Act regime for over four years.

Matt is a chartered town planner with 13 years’ experience in the private sector advising on large-scale regeneration and nationally significant infrastructure projects. He has worked throughout the key stages Olympic and Legacy development project, including the initial Bid stage, associated compulsory acquisition of the site and the work that has led to the planning permissions that will deliver the Olympic Legacy development. Matt has extensive experience in major infrastructure projects, including Hinkley Point C Development Consent Order, Thames Tideway Tunnel, Sizewell C and a range of rail projects on behalf of Transport for London.

Sarah is an Environmental Manager within the Wind Power department at Ørsted.

Sarah is an environmental professional with extensive experience in the areas of environmental impact assessment (EIA/ESIA), lender compliance and transboundary impacts/ESPOO. Prior to her current role, she worked as an environmental consultant on large-scale mixed-use regeneration developments across London as well as a wide range of major infrastructure projects. She has experience working within several consenting regimes across various sectors including energy, mining and oil and gas. Notable projects include Hornsea Three offshore wind farm, Nord Stream 2 offshore gas pipeline, Thorpe Marsh gas pipeline and Istanbul New Airport. She is currently an environment and consents specialist within Ørsted (previously Dong Energy), working on their offshore renewables portfolio.

Julian is a solicitor and partner with Burges Salmon LLP.

Julian has specialised in infrastructure consenting for over 20 years. He has advised on over 20 DCO schemes since 2009 mostly advising promoters, but also local authorities and affected parties. His experience covers transport, energy and major regeneration and housing schemes. He is regularly involved in complex EIA, Habitats Directive and compulsory acquisition issues, and appears as advocate at DCO hearings. He frequently speaks at industry conferences on infrastructure consenting. He is Chair of the RenewableUK Offshore Consents and Licensing Group.

Joint Chair of EYP

Ali is a planning and consents specialist at Arup, with seventeen years experience leading consents for major infrastructure projects. She has been involved in the DCO regime since its inception, being involved in the analysis of consultation responses on the Planning White Paper back in 2007. She has led DCO applications from project inception through the application, Examination and post consent stages. She is passionate about the delivery of high-quality infrastructure and improving the regime that supports its delivery. Ali also leads complex cross boundary major infrastructure projects consented through the Town and Country Planning Act and the Electricity Act.