London—Dentons has been named one of the highest rated law firms in the 23rd edition of Planning's 2020 Planning Law Survey. The Firm's UK Planning team was ranked fourth overall, rising four places from 2019. In addition to the firm ranking, UK Planning partners Stephen Ashworth and Roy Pinnock were ranked third and eighth place, respectively, in the individual solicitors rankings.

Dentons has been ranked in the top ten every year since the Planning Law Survey began. Now in its twenty-third year, the survey reveals which law firms and individual solicitors are most highly rated by their clients. 

According to the survey, Dentons was recognised for combining “excellent service” with an ability “to ensure clients’ needs are met in an efficient and detailed manner”, and providing "a very reliable 360-degree service…work[ing] in total collaboration with the client". The firm’s current cases, if permitted, are due to deliver more than 100,000 new homes. These include acting for Tide Construction on a modular housing tower in Lewisham and advising Peabody on its proposals for the Holloway prison site. 

Stephen was awarded third place in the individual solicitors ranking for his work advising Taylor Wimpey and Wandsworth Borough Council on the regeneration of the Winstanley and York Road estates, Chelmsford City Council on a 5,000-home garden community project in North East Chelmsford, and Auriens, a retirement living provider, on an appeal over plans for a 150-apartment extra care facility in Kensington. A local authority planner said his knowledge of planning law is "second to none" and praised his ability to "challenge traditional ways of doing things".

Roy was recognised for his current work with the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the plans for nearly 16,000 homes at Greenwich Peninsula. One consultant said, “Roy takes complex legal points and breaks them down into simple statements with clear advice on what to do next". 

Last year, Dentons' UK Planning team won Planning Law Firm of the Year at the Planning Awards 2019. This is the second time that the Firm has been awarded the top prize in recent years, having won in 2016 and been Highly Commended in 2017.

You can access Planning's 2020 Planning Law Survey here.

For industry insights from the team, visit here.

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