Senor Legal Counsel (Planning) - Major transport hub

This is a unique opportunity to play a leading role in the delivery of one of the UK's most complex and significant infrastructure programmes. Working alongside the Head of Legal (Planning) in leading the legal planning strategy, securing complex planning consents and influencing planning policy at local and national levels. This role will be required to work closely as a trusted advisor with wider legal, property and operational functions. The Senior Legal Counsel will be responsible for day-to-day legal consenting (and other) issues, including advising directly and procuring external legal advice where required.

Responsibilities:

• Leading the planning consents and approvals strategy for major infrastructure, expansion and investment programmes, including DCOs, planning applications, appeals, consultations and statutory processes, ensuring successful delivery of complex projects.
• Representing the organisation's interests in planning and infrastructure policy discussions, consultations, studies and reforms, influencing decision-making at local, regional and national levels.
• Building, managing and influencing relationships with key stakeholders, including government departments, consenting authorities, regulatory bodies, industry partners and external organisations.
• Providing leadership and specialist expertise within the legal function, developing team capability, managing budgets and overseeing the delivery of high-quality outcomes.
• Collaborating with internal teams and external partners to align legal consenting activity with business priorities and deliver strategic objectives.
• Acting as a key interface between major programme teams and legal specialists, ensuring legal planning and consenting considerations are effectively integrated into project development and delivery.

This is a Hybrid role, requiring office attendance 3 days per week on average over the course of each month.

The Successful Applicant

The Senior Legal Counsel will have Development Consent Order (DCO) experience from pre-application through to post consent, including advising on compulsory acquisition; landowners and statutory undertakers; consenting/engagement strategies; environmental impact assessment and Habitats Regulations; DCO application documents and examination strategies; and DCO implementation.

Mandatory: The successful candidate will be a qualified Solicitor with significant post‑qualification experience (typically six years or more), including a strong track record of leading complex planning and infrastructure consenting matters through the Development Consent Order (DCO) process.

They will have:

• In‑depth knowledge of the Planning Act 2008, the DCO regime, and the wider planning and consenting framework for major infrastructure projects.
• Experience representing organisations in external forums and engaging effectively with stakeholders, including committees, public bodies, industry groups, and community representatives.
• Strong negotiation, influencing, and relationship‑management skills, with the ability to build effective partnerships across a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage external legal advisers, consultants, and technical specialists, combined with excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.

Desirable skills:

• In-house experience, preferably in a regulated organisation.
• Experience presenting to Executive Committees, Boards or other senior leadership stakeholder groups.
• Knowledge of planning and infrastructure related issues, particularly those affecting ports, major airports and rail stations (or nationally significant infrastructure projects).
• Experience working on large-scale infrastructure or transport developments within a complex stakeholder environment.

What's on Offer

This key strategic hire comes with a salary commensurate with the level and complexity of the role, car allowance, bonus beyond market norms, and other benefits including healthcare.

To find out more about this role either apply to this advert or contact David Taylor at Michael Page Legal (London) for further information.