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James O'Connor

Partner
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James advises infrastructure owners and operators on the consenting, delivery and operation of major infrastructure developments in key sectors including Transport and Energy.

James is a Partner in our National Infrastructure & Consenting Planning team in our London office. James is also enrolled by the UK Parliament authorities as a Roll A Parliamentary Agent and, as such, is qualified to promote and oppose Private and Hybrid Bills in the UK Parliament. He was previously a member of the Rees & Freres Parliamentary team.

James has experience advising the owners and operators of major infrastructure in the Transport and Energy sectors on all aspects of the development and delivery of their strategies to consent to new infrastructure projects. In particular, James' role focuses on helping such owners and operators design and deliver their strategies for securing consent for new major infrastructure projects through the preparation and promotion of TWA Orders, Harbours Orders, Development Consent Orders and Hybrid Bills including advising on the preparation and delivery of cases in support of such developments at public hearings.

In this role, James leads in advising on all aspects issues that are key to consenting major infrastructure projects including compulsory purchase and compensation, environmental issues, highway law, carrying out operational development with the benefit of permitted development rights, listed building and related town and country planning consent issues, open space and other issues affecting the implementation of Transport and Energy infrastructure projects.

James also supports clients on the delivery of secured consents for new major infrastructure projects, therefore, supporting clients through the entire process of designing and delivering these infrastructure projects. James' support continues by helping clients use the statutory powers they have secured in the day-to-day operation of their infrastructure.

In this role, James has acted for major infrastructure operators across the UK including those involved in the development and operation of rail, metro and tramway systems, Port operations and energy generation and transmission systems.

James has advised:

  • Network Rail on the promotion and implementation of TWA Orders to deliver major rail improvements across the UK including the Transpennine Route Upgrade, Northern Hub upgrades to mainline routes and East West Rail Phase 2
  • Network Rail on the promotion of a Development Consent Order to authorize the Metrowest scheme
  • Chiltern Railways and Network Rail on the promotion and implementation of a TWA Order to upgrade the Oxford to Bicester railway for services between London and Oxford known as East West Rail Phase 1
  • DfT and HS2 Limited on all aspects of the Parliamentary promotion of the Hybrid Bills to authorise Phases 1, 2A and 2B of the HS2 network and the implementation of Phases 1 and 2A of HS2
  • TfL, Crossrail and LUL on the Parliamentary promotion of the Hybrid Bill for Crossrail and the subsequent implementation of powers to deliver the Crossrail project
  • LUL on the promotion of a TWA Order to authorize the Bank Station Upgrade project
  • DLR on the promotion of TWA Orders to authorize upgrades to the DLR network including upgrades for the 2012 Olympics
  • Statutory harbor authorities across the UK on the operation of their statutory harbor powers and to advise on the consenting of harbor developments through Harbour Orders
  • EDF Energy on the promotion of Harbour and TWA Orders and marine licenses for preliminary works for the Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station including advising on the relationship between the preliminary works and the nuclear power station DCO
  • Forewind Limited and RWE Npower Renewables on the promotion of DCOs to authorize the construction of two major offshore wind farms (400 turbines each) and two onshore windfarms (28-32 turbines) in Wales
  • James is Ranked in Chambers UK 2022 for Parliamentary and Public Affairs
  • James is Ranked as Leading Individual in The Legal 500 UK 2022 for Infrastructure (Parliamentary)
  • Ranked in Chambers UK 2019
  • Enrolled by the UK Parliament authorities as a Roll A Parliamentary Agent
  • Qualified in September 2006
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Law, London Metropolitan University 2003
  • BA History, Royal Holloway University of London 1999-2002
james-oconnor
James O'Connor

Partner

james-oconnor
James O'Connor

Partner

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