Birketts has appointed Nicola Gooch as partner in its planning and environmental team, further strengthening its capabilities in complex regeneration and development projects. Nicola brings extensive experience advising national housebuilders, land promoters, and investment funds, as well as clients in retail, leisure, and care sectors.
Known for her practical approach and deep expertise in planning law, Nicola regularly advises on the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), helping clients navigate its complexities. She is a recognised figure in the industry, ranked joint fourth in this year’s Planning Law Survey and acknowledged by both Chambers and The Legal 500. Nicola is also a columnist for The Planner and a frequent contributor to the trade press.
Tom Newcombe, head of planning and environmental at Birketts, said: ‘We are absolutely delighted to welcome Nicola to our team. She is very well known in the industry as being a fantastic lawyer… and has a wealth of experience in acting in the south-east on some of the most high-profile schemes.’ He added that her arrival coincides with Birketts’ rise to third place in the UK’s top 20 planning law firms.
Nicola said she was ‘delighted to be joining Birketts at such an exciting time’, praising the team as ‘innovative, client focused and technically excellent’. Her appointment brings the firm’s total partner count to 139 and reflects Birketts’ continued investment in top-tier talent to support its growing national and regional client base.
