Kevin is a Senior Counsel (partner equivalent) in the award-winning planning and infrastructure team. He is a dual-qualified chartered town planner and solicitor with 25 years' experience in planning, highways and compulsory purchase law.
He is particularly active in advising on regeneration and infrastructure schemes including the making and implementation of Compulsory Purchase Orders, promoting Development Consent Orders particularly for railway and road schemes and advising on Transport and Works Act Orders, Harbour Revision Orders and Local Development Orders. He sits on various business stakeholder groups promoting infrastructure in the West of England.
Experience
Examples of experience include advising:
- Four Somerset Councils on regulating construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, Europe's largest construction project, including advising on changes to the DCO mechanisms for controlling the authorised development
- West of England local authorities on MetroWest Phase 1Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project to link Portishead to Bristol and Bath. This is the UK's largest 3rd party funded rail DCO project
- Greater Cambridge Partnership on two Transport and Works Act Orders for rapid transit schemes to the west (Cambridge to Cambourne) and to the south east (Cambridge South East Transit) of Cambridge including advising on TWAO procedures and overall legal project management for the schemes
- Sedgemoor District Council on a link road CPO to access a 257 hectare site on Junction 23 of the M5 for a national energy and commercial development linked to the Hinkley Point C
- Homes England on developments in Fareham, East Devon and Plymouth including completing its 1,500 dwelling mixed use project with St Modwen for the re-use of the RAF Locking site in Somerset including S 106 and other infrastructure agreements, viability assessments and scheme for implementation of the project including advice on a Community Interest Company.
- Maldon District Council on its submissions for the Bradwell B Nuclear Power Station DCO
- This is Gravity and Sedgemoor District Council on the proposed Local Development Order for an exemplar smart campus and community for 616 acre site at junction 23 of the M5
- Bristol and Leeds Bradford Airports on capital infrastructure schemes including new terminal buildings, hotels, multi stored car parking, fuel depots, office buildings and new aircraft aprons, piers and satellites.
"Kevin Gibbs has a fine appreciation of strategic objectives and client requirements."
The Legal 500 2023
"He provides good practical solutions to deal with legal complexities."
Chambers and Partners 2020
"Kevin has excellent working relationships with our team. He is personable and has been highly responsive and engaged in progressing the matter."
Chambers and Partners 2021
"... and Kevin Gibbs are very impressive."
The Legal 500 2021
Top 20 national planning solicitors
Planning 2020
“He is praised for his practical approach to complex work, with sources calling him ‘good and efficient - he engages with the matter in hand’"
Chambers Directory 2015 identifies Kevin as a leader in the field of planning for South West and comments:
