Legislation designed to protect our environment and govern the way in which operators, councils and business deal with environmental issues is becoming ever more stringent. Regulators, such as the Environment Agency, now have greater powers to enforce the legislation, and ensure that heavy penalties are meted out to those who disregard the law. Recent changes to the way environmental crime is enforced will affect many businesses, occupiers and the public sector.
Greenwoods Solicitors' team is experienced in all areas of environmental law, both contentious and non-contentious:
- Environmental Permitting Regulations;
- Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act;
- Strict liability offences;
- Regulatory enforcement and intervention;
- Judicial review;
- Contaminated land and brownfield redevelopment;
- Water and waste management;
- Planning issues - Section 106, EIAs, applications and appeals;
- Statutory nuisance issues - odour, dust and noise;
- Civil and criminal penalties and sanctions for environmental offences.
Greenwoods can assist your business at both ends of the environmental legal spectrum. The first is of course the preferred end; providing environmental legal advice before any issues arise in order to protect you from falling foul of the law. We can advise on any of the issues above, and as much of our work also ties in with Property and Construction matters we work closely with both of these teams at Greenwoods. Legal advice can also be provided on planning issues and planning law.
If, however, you are in the unfortunate position of requiring assistance and advice as a result of an environmental crime or offence that may have been committed, and are facing intervention and / or enforcement by a Regulatory Body, we can also provide advice regarding litigation and how to deal with it. Our Business Defence team has extensive experience of both civil and criminal litigation and dealing with Regulatory bodies, and we can assist and support you with other tailor made services that may be required. Environmental litigation usually requires very specific expert witness services, and we are able to advise and recommend.