Steven Bell has around 20 years’ experience of advising on all aspects of planning and highways law (mainly for local planning authorities).
He is a Solicitor Advocate with Higher Rights (Civil) and has been ranked one of the highest-rated planning solicitors in the country for 2024 and 2025 on planning resource. He has also held the role of Monitoring Officer.
Steven advises on large scale complex planning matters including data centres, garden cities, bypasses and major infrastructure, music festivals, and airports amongst many large developments.
Steven has significant experience working in-house for a County Council. He has advised planning committees in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex for around 20 years and provides annual training to planning committee members. He advises on highways matters as well as planning enforcement work.
Steven has appeared for local planning authorities as advocate at planning/enforcement appeal hearings and inquiries. His knowledge of working in-house with local planning authorities has proved invaluable.
Recent work highlights
Acted for two local planning authority to secure s.106 obligations in connection with three google data centres in Essex.
Acted for a local planning authority to secure the expansion of Stansted Airport including advising at planning committee and the resulting s.106 agreement.
Acted for a London Borough to secure the planning permission for a music festival in London.
Experience & education
2021 Achieved Higher Rights (Civil)
2018 Joined Birketts
2003 – 2018 Norfolk County Council in-house Senior Solicitor
2006 Qualified as Solicitor
2004 Qualified as Legal Executive
Areas of Expertise
Accreditations
Higher Rights
Civil
Insights
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Planning and Infrastructure Bill 2025: New proposals for planning committeeslegal updatePlanning and Infrastructure Bill 2025: New proposals for planning committees
Steven Bell13 Mar 2025 -
Costs award in planning appeals – how much can I actually claim?legal updateCosts award in planning appeals – how much can I actually claim?
Steven Bell, Tom Newcombe8 Jan 2024 -
Probity in planning – the guidance we have been waiting forlegal updateProbity in planning – the guidance we have been waiting for
Steven Bell, Tom Newcombe31 Jan 2020
