About Stuart
Stuart is a partner and head of our Planning & Environment group. He has extensive knowledge and experience in the area of planning and environmental law including, advising on planning strategy, reviewing applications, EIARs and NISs, planning compliance and judicial reviews. He acts for clients across a number of sectors, including renewable energy, local authorities, semi-State companies, approved housing bodies, public bodies and private property developers.
Stuart commenced legal practice in 2010 having worked for over 15 years as a construction professional on a wide range of infrastructure and commercial property projects and consequently has an acute awareness and understanding of client's needs and requirements. He leverages this experience in delivering practical, targeted advice to our clients, not only in the area of planning and environmental law but also project structuring, energy regulation, wider statutory regulation and construction.
He is an active member of the planning and offshore consenting committees of Wind Energy Ireland and the planning committee of the Irish Solar Energy Association. He is frequently invited to contribute to industry publications and present to industry groups in the areas of planning and environmental law and is a lecturer in the school of civil engineering in UCD.
Relevant Experience
- Advising the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority on its legal obligations and duties under national and European law in the processing of maritime usage licence applications and the granting of maritime usage licences under the Maritime Area Planning Act, 2021.
- Advising EDF Renewables Ireland Limited in relation to its proposed Seskin Wind Farm in County Carlow (c.46 MW) and Lackereagh Wind Farm in County Clare; (c.46 MW) on the planning and consenting strategy including support with the new design flexibility opinion procedure under section 32I of the Planning and Development Act, and undertaking a detailed legal review of the application as well as the associated EIAR and NIS.
- Advising Mercury Renewables in relation their proposed 80MW co-located wind farm and hydrogen electrolyser in Mayo on all planning and environmental law matters including, working closely with the project team in the preparation of the planning application, undertaking a detailed legal review of the application and associated EIAR and NIS, and support, advice and advocacy for the an Bord Pleanála oral hearing.
- Advising Lens Media Limited in relation to its proposed development of a state of the are media park on a c.23-hectare site in Grange Castle, County Dublin including undertaking a detailed legal review of the application together with the associated EIAR and NIS, in particular the consideration of the periodic use of the development site by species protected under the North Bull Island SPA and the consideration of such ex-situ impacts under the Habitats Directive. The media park will comprise 6 studio buildings capable of facilitating major international film and TV productions and associated infrastructure.
- Advising The Platform ICAV in relation to environmental and planning law, construction law and wider development issues associated with its planned €1.6 billion industrial development in East Kildare at the site of the former Hewlett Packard plant including, advice in relation to the need for EIA and AA and complications associated with multiple development consent applications, a detailed legal review of the planning application, EIAR and AA screening report ahead of submission of the application to the planning authority, drafting and negotiating the EPC contract for the delivery of the energy infrastructure associated with the development.
- Advising Bord na Móna in relation to the proposed development of a 2-4MW green hydrogen electrolyser at ins Mount Lucas facility including the drafting and negotiation of the development agreements with their selected development partner and the EPC contract with the technology provider.
- Advising Siga Hydro on all aspects of the early-stage development of their proposed 360MW pumped hydroelectric power station in Silvermines, County Tipperary – a Project of Common Interest (PCI) – including, in relation to the specialist consenting procedures for PCI's, the procurement strategy for the procurement of engineering, environmental and the other design consultants required to progress the design of the project for submission for development consent through the PCI process and drafting and negotiating the professional appointments for the design and environmental consultants.
- Represented ABO Energy (as notice party) in judicial review proceedings seeking to quash the decision of an Bord Pleanála to grant permission for ABO's proposed c.40MW wind farm development in Ballymanus, Co Wicklow; the applicant's case was ultimately dismissed allowing ABO to proceed with the project.
- Advised Dublin City Council in relation to their mixed use neighbourhood scale redevelopment of a landmark site (c.4ha) at Emmet Road in Dublin 8 including liaising with the project team in relation to the preparation of an application to An Bord Pleanála for the approval of the development pursuant to section 175 of the Planning and Development Acts and undertaking a detailed legal review of the application and associated EIAR and AA Screening Report.
- Advised Respond on all planning law matters associated with its acquisition of a 725 unit residential development at Rathbourne Wharf, Ashtown, Dublin 15 in the course of development.
- Acted for ART Generation in the negotiation and establishment of a 50/50 joint venture for the development of a 12-turbine wind farm development in Ballynalacken, Co Kilkenny with Ecopower Developments Limited.