Michael Dempsey

Michael specialises in planning, highways and compulsory purchase law and has over 20 years’ experience of acting for developers, public sector bodies and third parties on a wide range of schemes, including nationally significant infrastructure projects in the energy, transport and water sectors.

Michael advises on all aspects and stages of town and country planning and DCO regimes. As well as providing strategic and technical advice, including in the context of EIA, the Habitat Regulations and Biodiversity Net Gain, Michael is an experienced negotiator of statutory planning, highways and utilities agreements.

Michael’s contentious experience includes both public inquiry and High Court work, having acted for various parties in a number of planning appeals/call-ins and judicial reviews/statutory challenges. As well as promoting compulsory purchase orders for a range of different projects, Michael has also acted in various statutory compensation claims associated with compulsory purchase schemes.

Prior to working in private practice, Michael gained local government experience working for the City of London Corporation and Surrey County Council. He also gained experience at central government level whilst seconded to the Planning Litigation Team of the Treasury Solicitor’s Department.

Michael is a member of the National Infrastructure Planning Association (NIPA) and the Law Society.