Will Thomas

Practice Areas

Will has experience acting for a variety of clients in the private and public sector. He provides general strategic and site specific planning advice. Will has also handled a number of planning appeals and High Court challenges and is known for his calm, considered and client-centric approach.

Recent experience includes:

• Drafting and negotiating complex Section 106/infrastructure agreements, including a recent agreement in respect of a large urban extension scheme comprising of over 4000 dwellings;

• Acting for a landowner appealing a planning enforcement notice in respect of a site used for temporary stadium parking;

• Defending a judicial review challenge brought against a local planning authority which alleged, amongst other things, that the authority had failed to take into account information required by the environmental impact assessment regulations;

• Advising a landowner in respect of an appeal against a s.215 Notice;

• Advising applicants and local authorities in respect of applications for certificates of lawful use and development;

• Advising a community group in relation to the listing of a building as an asset of community value (ACV);

• Advising developers and landowners in relation to permitted development rights;

• Advising developers and landowners in relation to the application of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) regulations on new development; and

• Drafting and negotiating Section 38/278 Agreements, Section 104 Agreements and Section 111 Agreements.

Will joined Shoosmiths in 2019 and is based in the firm's Nottingham office.

Will is the secretary of the East Midlands group of the UK Environmental Lawyers Association and is a regular attendee at local planning and environmental sector events. Will also contributes legal articles to various publications.