Heritage Trust for the North West is a thriving building preservation trust whose focus is as much on the people using heritage buildings as the properties themselves.The quality and composition of our heritage projects start from the earlier stages of archaeology, conservation architecture, investigative work, sympathetic building conservation and restoration work. We co-create with communities to establish how our buildings can be run sustainably in the future.We are often… Show more Heritage Trust for the North West is a thriving building preservation trust whose focus is as much on the people using heritage buildings as the properties themselves.The quality and composition of our heritage projects start from the earlier stages of archaeology, conservation architecture, investigative work, sympathetic building conservation and restoration work. We co-create with communities to establish how our buildings can be run sustainably in the future.We are often approached by organisations asking HTNW to be custodians of properties that have laid empty for generations, and to find new purposes for these buildings in the 21st century. We work with imagineers, project managers, conservatores, academics, archaeologists, and conservation trade skilled individuals and organisations and funders to restore and reimagine properties in a sensitive and sustainable manner. Our conservation to work to date is a testament to our approach, from its origins at Parkhill Barn/Pendle Heritage Centre to the Georgian Mansion House and Estate of Lytham Hall, to industrial terraced houses and grand Victorian mills. Our latest success has been at Bank Hall, Bretherton (near Chorley).Having painstakingly restored these properties we open our doors to members of the public and to residents who can live their contemporary lives within these fabulously reinstated historic environments. Show less

HTN is a membership organisation run by people who have delivered amazing heritage projects across the UK and our mission is to help others do the same by offering peer to peer professional support. Since I joined the membership has doubled and we have been successfully awarded further grant support of over £1m.

• Principal advisor on all legal and governance matters for the organisation including regularly for Board (which I attend) and the Chief Executive. • Chair of the senior leadership team (Strategy and Performance Group consisting of all other directors and heads of teams) for two years. We lead on the rollout of a new 10 year strategy, workforce and investment planning, new business, staff engagement, communications and marketing and a multitude of other operational… Show more • Principal advisor on all legal and governance matters for the organisation including regularly for Board (which I attend) and the Chief Executive. • Chair of the senior leadership team (Strategy and Performance Group consisting of all other directors and heads of teams) for two years. We lead on the rollout of a new 10 year strategy, workforce and investment planning, new business, staff engagement, communications and marketing and a multitude of other operational matters.• Responsibility for all legal, governance and information/data request processes and procedures in relation to the delivery of over £300m of lottery funding for the heritage sector per annum in addition to approximately £200m of extra Covid support funding.• Frequent Stakeholder engagement including with grantees, other grant funding organisations and government such as the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Defra.• Mediated a successful solution over the course of a year on a multimillion pound grant dispute between a devolved government and a national museum. • Managed a team of ten people and a budget of just over £1.5m. The team won the Women In Governance, Risk and Compliance Team of the Year award in 2021 and were shortlist for In house Team of the Year by the Law Society. Show less

As Head of Legal for English Heritage I ensured the charity received high quality legal advice on a range of subjects from property transactions, commercial contracts, charity regulatory matters, governance and information rights to name but a few. This included advising on the Development Consent Order at Stonehenge for the tunnelling of the A303 and the acquisition of a Roman fort on Hadrian's wall.At the same time I continued with my Historic England heritage at risk work and advised… Show more As Head of Legal for English Heritage I ensured the charity received high quality legal advice on a range of subjects from property transactions, commercial contracts, charity regulatory matters, governance and information rights to name but a few. This included advising on the Development Consent Order at Stonehenge for the tunnelling of the A303 and the acquisition of a Roman fort on Hadrian's wall.At the same time I continued with my Historic England heritage at risk work and advised on major grant projects such as the £100m + High Street Heritage Action Zones and the Shrewsbury Flaxmill Malting, a £25m property regeneration direct development project involving a Compulsory Purchase Order. Show less

I provide the national lead on legal advice for Heritage at Risk cases across the country. This is a high priority objective of Historic England's work with partners to reduce the number of assets on the Heritage at Risk list for positive reasons. It encompasses grant funding, enforcement, compulsory purchase, regeneration, planning, construction and procurement issues.There are Heritage at Risk teams in every region and my principal responsibilities are to support them in their day to… Show more I provide the national lead on legal advice for Heritage at Risk cases across the country. This is a high priority objective of Historic England's work with partners to reduce the number of assets on the Heritage at Risk list for positive reasons. It encompasses grant funding, enforcement, compulsory purchase, regeneration, planning, construction and procurement issues.There are Heritage at Risk teams in every region and my principal responsibilities are to support them in their day to day cases. I also provide a training and development role both internally and externally to local authorities and others in the heritage sector. The aim is to engage and encourage them to take action to tackle Heritage at Risk.I provide project advice on two major redevelopments of significant listed buildings being Baguley Hall and Ditherington Flax Mill as well as general legal work in support of the wider organisation and one of my additional responsibilities is to support colleagues tackling Heritage Crime. Show less

I was appointed to this position as a result of a statutory transfer from the NWDA and have continued to work on some of the same major project work which was transferred from NWDA. Combined with this has been a variety of new technical commercial, property and regulation advice as set out below. I have been given responsibility for the corporate entities that have transferred from the former regional development agencies to the HCA along with co-ordinating the transfer and transition… Show more I was appointed to this position as a result of a statutory transfer from the NWDA and have continued to work on some of the same major project work which was transferred from NWDA. Combined with this has been a variety of new technical commercial, property and regulation advice as set out below. I have been given responsibility for the corporate entities that have transferred from the former regional development agencies to the HCA along with co-ordinating the transfer and transition arrangements on multiple commercial contracts, property consents and licences. I am now company secretary for four companies. I lead on a number of litigation and dispute resolution cases, including a £13m claim and report on these matters directly to the Audit and Risk Committee and Directors’ Group.New challenges include being given principal responsibility for Freedom of Information Act review responses and investigations from the Information Commissioner’s Office and Social Housing economic regulation work which transferred to HCA from the Tenant Services Authority on 1st April 2012. Since then I have advised on registrations of Housing Associations, intra group agreements, consumer regulation (tenant) enquires and complaints and new funding and financing models in the housing sector. As a national organisation the HCA is a step up from the NWDA in terms of in house legal advice and I have already been given responsibility to advise on a number of national programmes in addition to the continuation of my North West project work. Show less

• Major Projects - I provide and procure legal advice on major projects involving long term strategic planning for their successful delivery and ensuring the achievement of corporate objectives.• Management - I have managed two legal contracts officers, mentored and supervised our property solicitor on certain projects, deputised for the Head of Legal as required on team management and administration team issues, recruited and supervised four trainee solicitor and solicitor secondees and… Show more • Major Projects - I provide and procure legal advice on major projects involving long term strategic planning for their successful delivery and ensuring the achievement of corporate objectives.• Management - I have managed two legal contracts officers, mentored and supervised our property solicitor on certain projects, deputised for the Head of Legal as required on team management and administration team issues, recruited and supervised four trainee solicitor and solicitor secondees and co-ordinated and managed a group of NWDA staff of varying levels of experience and knowledge who have been allocated to assist the legal team during the transition and closure of the Agency.• Corporate governance - I provide legal advice to senior management up to Chair, Chief Executive and Board level on sensitive issues to mitigate risks and minimise liabilities.• Government Reporting and Consent - I lead on the process for securing Secretary of State Consent for establishing new legal entities in accordance with statutory requirements and provide information and advice to auditors and government reporting.• External Legal Panel - I instruct, monitor and control all external legal work carried out on projects driving efficiencies and best value and procuring a full panel of services across all specialisms.• Commercial Advice - I act as the lead lawyer to the Agency in relation to commercial matters, providing innovative solutions and mitigating risks.• Commercial Drafting - I take the lead responsibility for the drafting of contracts in particular grant funding agreements.• Processes and Procedures - I work with the Head of and Director of Legal in reviewing Agency activities making recommendations in respect of best practice, efficiency and statutory compliance.• Training - I advise and train the Agency's staff and external partner organisations on changes in the law or on particular areas requiring updates on compliance and best practice. Show less

• I represent the Agency on the steering group on the Kingsway project, a 420 acre mixed-use business park. Similarly, on Ancoats, a compulsory purchase regeneration scheme, I lead on the legal advice at Board level. I also achieved a break through on a difficult compensation case which had been deadlocked for a number of years. • Litigation expertise was demonstrated on a complex construction dispute. The High Court case on quasi-contractual equitable restitution involved 5 public body… Show more • I represent the Agency on the steering group on the Kingsway project, a 420 acre mixed-use business park. Similarly, on Ancoats, a compulsory purchase regeneration scheme, I lead on the legal advice at Board level. I also achieved a break through on a difficult compensation case which had been deadlocked for a number of years. • Litigation expertise was demonstrated on a complex construction dispute. The High Court case on quasi-contractual equitable restitution involved 5 public body defendants and 4 claimants. Prompt and proactive action saved a substantial amount of public money resulting in a successful mediation. Show less

• Assisting on the Housing Market Renewal Initiative at Sefton with extensive work on two compulsory purchase orders including going to inquiry and dealing with a statutory challenge.• Drafting, negotiating and completing planning obligations such as one for Ellesmere Port and Neston BC for a new Audi centre including highways contributions and landscaping schemes.• Providing advice and taking enforcement action on consent issues and breaches of conditions.• Assisting on an… Show more • Assisting on the Housing Market Renewal Initiative at Sefton with extensive work on two compulsory purchase orders including going to inquiry and dealing with a statutory challenge.• Drafting, negotiating and completing planning obligations such as one for Ellesmere Port and Neston BC for a new Audi centre including highways contributions and landscaping schemes.• Providing advice and taking enforcement action on consent issues and breaches of conditions.• Assisting on an Enforcement Notice Appeal and planning application for a metal sheer plant.• Strategic Planning Advice provided for developer clients at Ashton Moss in Tameside and Thornfield Properties on the Rock in Bury.• Road closure and footpath orders under the Town and Country Planning Act and the Highways Act.• Drafting and completing further infrastructure agreements and s278 agreements.• London Olympics Compulsory Purchase Order, working long hours to meet the London Development Agency's requests for information on property rights affected, numerous direct telephone queries and the service of over 2000 notices to a strict deadline. This team effort was a great success and possibly the most important job our firm was involved in. Show less

• Planning• Technology (Commercial IT, Contentious and Non Contentious IP)• Commercial Litigation • Environment

Real Estate (Investor Occupier Team)