Caroline Stares
Senior Associate Corporate & Finance
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Overview
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Experience
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Credentials
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Insights and events
Legal 500 UK 2022Always go[es] above and beyond
Described in Legal 500 UK as "always go[ing] above and beyond", Caroline enjoys delving into all types of planning law. She has a particular interest in how planning policy and law interact, and helping developers navigate this dynamic landscape, whilst addressing ESG concerns, to shape the UK and London skyline.
Caroline has extensive experience spanning the whole development and procurement cycle, from securing planning permission to assessing planning issues and identifying areas of risk on sales, purchases and financings. Her experience applies across a range of schemes, including mixed-use developments, industrial parks, and build to rent and student accommodation, meaning she can provide strategic advice to clients whatever their portfolio of sites. She regularly negotiates complex section 106 agreements, deeds of variation and highway agreements, as well as reviews planning applications, for a variety of clients.
Caroline has been involved in multiple planning appeals covering complex issues including heritage, residential, retail and the Green Belt. She also grapples with a number of other tricky topics, including complex scheme amendments, CIL issues, and advising claimants affected by compulsory purchase orders on matters ranging from removing land from the clutches of a CPO to securing appropriate compensation.
Legal 500 UK 2022Always go[es] above and beyond
Representative experience
Advising Bonnar Allan Limited on its three week planning inquiry for a mixed-use development providing up to 1,024 homes in the Surrey Green Belt.
Advising on a complex AH-related S106 deed of variation, multiple highways agreements, the Court of Appeal case, planning applications and financings for Braeburn Estates' Shell Centre development.
Advising Berkeley Homes on the application documents, planning/highway obligations and JR challenge regarding its West End Gate masterplan scheme, the biggest residential development in Westminster.
Advising Minerva regarding its claims for advance payment and full compensation relating to the compulsory acquisition of its land holdings in Croydon.
Advising St George on a number of its major development projects across London, including One Blackfriars, Silk Park, Royal Exchange and Grand Union.
Advising abrdn, M&G Real Estate, Prudential and Coal Pension Properties on various residential including BTR and student housing, office and industrial developments and forward fundings across the UK.
Advising Argent Related on aspects of the large scale, mixed-use regeneration of Brent Cross Town, together with the development and ongoing operation of its comprehensive King’s Cross project.
Advising Shaftesbury on multiple S106 agreements for its Carnaby, Charlotte Street and Seven Dials portfolios in Camden and Westminster.
Credentials
- LPC, BPP University, 2014
- GDL, BPP University, 2013
- BSc Physical Geography, University of Exeter, 2012
- The Compulsory Purchase Association Future Steering Committee
- Editorial Board of the Journal of Planning and Environmental Law