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Nick Harding

Nick Harding

Senior Associate

London

T: +44 (0) 20 3400 4136

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Biography

Nick is a senior associate based in BCLP's London office, specialising in environmental and planning law.

Nick has several years of experience of advising clients on environmental regulatory matters such as waste management, environmental permits, chemicals regulation and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as providing environmental support to real estate, corporate and projects transactions, including specific experience in advising on the contaminated land regime. Nick is also involved in contentious matters, including defending clients against judicial review and advising clients regarding Environment Agency and Police investigations.

Nick also draws on his experience of planning law to advise real estate clients on environmental and planning issues such as environmental impact assessments, biodiversity net gain and nutrient neutrality, as well as advising clients on obtaining consents, permits and licences for developments.

Nick is an active participant in the firm's sustainability team and has experience of advising clients in relation to corporate reporting obligations on environmental risks and other sustainability and ESG-related advice. Nick regularly gives talks to clients and externally (recently to the Law Society of Scotland) on ESG and sustainability issues.

Civic involvement & honors

  • Whilst at Nick's previous firm he was noted by the Legal 500 as a "key lawyer" in the Environment team.

Professional affiliations

  • UK Environmental Law Association (UKELA)
Nick Harding provides great client support.

The Legal 500, 2026

Admissions

  • England and Wales

Related capabilities

  • Planning & Zoning

  • Real Estate

  • ESG & Energy Transition

  • ESG Governance, Compliance and Reporting

  • Environment

  • Mass Torts & Product Liability

  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution

  • Mining

  • Nuclear

  • Oil, Gas & Sustainable Fuels

  • Power

  • Renewables & Storage

  • Water & Utilities

  • Logistics & Industrial

  • Electric Vehicles & Charging Infrastructure

  • PFAS

  • Sustainable Real Estate

Experience

  • Advised a US-headquartered car manufacturer regarding the remediation of a heavily contaminated site, prior to sale and redevelopment of the site, including the negotiation of a lengthy Remediation and Demolition Service Agreement with the buyer.*
  • Advising developers regarding off-site solutions to meeting the UK's new mandatory biodiversity net gain requirement on new development, including negotiating agreements with landowners and habitat banks for the purchase of off-site biodiversity units.*
  • Advised an infrastructure investor on the acquisition of a recently-consented solar farm, which once constructed will be the largest in the UK. Advice included reporting to the client on the Development Consent Order, other consents required and in respect of the Environment Agency's powers.*
  • Advised the operator of a data centre, regarding breaches of the Environmental Permitting Regulations relating to the back-up generator at the project, including liaising with the Environment Agency to remedy the breach.*
  • Advising corporate clients regarding their obligations to report environmental impacts of the company's operations under such regimes as the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR), Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Non-Financial and Sustainability Information (NFSI), among others. *

*Experience prior to joining BCLP. 

Related insights

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Sep 09, 2026

Government consultation on modernising corporate reporting

The government has published a consultation setting out what it describes as a once-in-a-generation overhaul of the UK’s corporate reporting framework. The proposals are wide-ranging and ambitious. A central theme is a reaffirmation that the annual report and accounts should primarily serve investors and creditors, with a decisive shift away from lengthy "tick-box" disclosures towards reporting focused on financially material information. Companies could ultimately produce shorter and more tailored annual reports, but boards may need to exercise considerably more judgement about what is material and what can legitimately be omitted.Responses are due by 30 November 2026, and the government aims to publish a consultation outcome within six months (mid 2027).
Insights
Aug 19, 2026

CSRD reporting for non-EU groups: what changed on 3 July, and why 2029 is closer than it looks

For many large US or UK groups, mandatory CSRD reporting has likely been on the back burner, even where ESG reporting is already conducted voluntarily. Indeed, the first group-level report for non-EU groups under the ESRS-40a is not due until 2029, comprising figures from the 2028 financial year.  However, on 3 July 2026 the Commission adopted a revised set of European Sustainability Reporting Standards (“ESRS”), the detailed rules that sit under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. These revised standards capture EU companies, and may include a non-EU group’s EU subsidiaries. The revised ESRS standards sit separately from the Article 40a global reporting mechanism, which is expected to operate as a separate third-country regime and is currently evolving. 
Insights
Aug 17, 2026

New EU Packaging Rules Are Now in Force — Is Your Business Compliant?

An August compliance deadline always presents challenges and the entry into force of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) 2025/40 on 12 August 2026 will require significant process changes, starting now, to enable businesses to meet the EU’s new compliance metrics for packaging and packaging waste. Whilst some of the compliance deadlines in the PPWR may feel distant, packaging redesign, supply chain adjustments, and regulatory approvals take time. Now is the moment to act. This briefing addresses some of the questions we are most commonly asked by our clients who sell packaged goods in and into the EU (including via retail and e-commerce channels), whether or not the business itself is based in the EU. It is intended as a general overview only. As the PPWR is detailed and fact-specific, please contact your usual BCLP contact for more advice on your particular packaging and supply chain arrangements.
Insights
Jun 18, 2026

Publication of Biodiversity Gain Statements confirms BNG details for NSIPs

Clarification of the framework and requirements for calculating, delivering and reporting on BNG for NSIPs has finally been provided with the publication and laying before Parliament in early June 2026 of a suite of ten biodiversity gain statements covering every NSIP category, including NSIPs where no NPS has effect. This marks a significant milestone for the NSIP regime and is a welcome step for DCO applicants.  In this Insight we explain how the new NSIP BNG requirements which will take effect from 2 November 2026 will work in practice.
Insights
Feb 06, 2026

PFAS Plan 2026 – Pillars to Curate Change

The UK Government published the PFAS Plan on the 3 February 2026, as promised in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025. The Plan sets out a framework for understanding PFAS’s effects on the environment, implementing targeted restrictions, and developing regulatory guidance which we explore in more detail in this Insight.
Insights
Feb 02, 2026

On your radar? 10 real estate risk areas to watch in 2026

In this report, we have outlined ten areas of real estate risk to have on your radar in 2026. Dispute activity is being driven by factors such as regulatory and legislative changes, ongoing financial pressures, environmental liability risks and infrastructure constraints around connectivity and power. Policy detail continues to shift in several key areas, creating considerable uncertainty for those in the sector. While outcomes will turn on the facts in each case, the areas identified below are primed for an increase in disputes, as those in the property sector seek to navigate a more demanding, contentious and scrutinised operating environment. This report translates these areas of change into practical risk signals, so stakeholders can stress test projects and contracts, prioritise mitigation measures and approach 2026 with better visibility of potential risks.
Insights
Nov 28, 2025

Regulatory and ESG challenges in the data centre sector: Building a sustainable future

The United Kingdom’s data centre sector is undergoing a profound transformation. Having established itself as a cornerstone of the nation's economy, the industry now faces its most complex challenge: adapting to an increasingly demanding regulatory and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) landscape. The sector's exponential growth, driven by the insatiable demand for data, has placed it under an intense spotlight. Its high power and water consumption, and the physical impact of large-scale facilities, have brought questions of sustainability and community impact to the forefront. Today, a data centre’s success is no longer measured solely by uptime or tenant covenant strength, but by its ability to maintain a social licence to operate. And this is granted not just by regulators, but by investors, tenants and local communities. These issues are central to risk management, value creation and long-term commercial strategy. Neglecting them can jeopardise financing, erode asset value and cause operational and reputational damage. This instalment of our Insight Series looks beyond individual transactions to the frameworks that shape the entire data centre lifecycle. We explore how leading developers and investors can turn regulatory and ESG pressures into opportunities to build more resilient, responsible and valuable assets.

Related insights

Insights
Sep 09, 2026
Government consultation on modernising corporate reporting
The government has published a consultation setting out what it describes as a once-in-a-generation overhaul of the UK’s corporate reporting framework. The proposals are wide-ranging and ambitious. A central theme is a reaffirmation that the annual report and accounts should primarily serve investors and creditors, with a decisive shift away from lengthy "tick-box" disclosures towards reporting focused on financially material information. Companies could ultimately produce shorter and more tailored annual reports, but boards may need to exercise considerably more judgement about what is material and what can legitimately be omitted.Responses are due by 30 November 2026, and the government aims to publish a consultation outcome within six months (mid 2027).
Insights
Aug 19, 2026
CSRD reporting for non-EU groups: what changed on 3 July, and why 2029 is closer than it looks
For many large US or UK groups, mandatory CSRD reporting has likely been on the back burner, even where ESG reporting is already conducted voluntarily. Indeed, the first group-level report for non-EU groups under the ESRS-40a is not due until 2029, comprising figures from the 2028 financial year.  However, on 3 July 2026 the Commission adopted a revised set of European Sustainability Reporting Standards (“ESRS”), the detailed rules that sit under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. These revised standards capture EU companies, and may include a non-EU group’s EU subsidiaries. The revised ESRS standards sit separately from the Article 40a global reporting mechanism, which is expected to operate as a separate third-country regime and is currently evolving. 
Insights
Aug 17, 2026
New EU Packaging Rules Are Now in Force — Is Your Business Compliant?
An August compliance deadline always presents challenges and the entry into force of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) 2025/40 on 12 August 2026 will require significant process changes, starting now, to enable businesses to meet the EU’s new compliance metrics for packaging and packaging waste. Whilst some of the compliance deadlines in the PPWR may feel distant, packaging redesign, supply chain adjustments, and regulatory approvals take time. Now is the moment to act. This briefing addresses some of the questions we are most commonly asked by our clients who sell packaged goods in and into the EU (including via retail and e-commerce channels), whether or not the business itself is based in the EU. It is intended as a general overview only. As the PPWR is detailed and fact-specific, please contact your usual BCLP contact for more advice on your particular packaging and supply chain arrangements.
Insights
Jun 18, 2026
Publication of Biodiversity Gain Statements confirms BNG details for NSIPs
Clarification of the framework and requirements for calculating, delivering and reporting on BNG for NSIPs has finally been provided with the publication and laying before Parliament in early June 2026 of a suite of ten biodiversity gain statements covering every NSIP category, including NSIPs where no NPS has effect. This marks a significant milestone for the NSIP regime and is a welcome step for DCO applicants.  In this Insight we explain how the new NSIP BNG requirements which will take effect from 2 November 2026 will work in practice.
Insights
May 20, 2026
Preparing for UK SRS: what companies need to do now
Insights
Feb 06, 2026
PFAS Plan 2026 – Pillars to Curate Change
The UK Government published the PFAS Plan on the 3 February 2026, as promised in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025. The Plan sets out a framework for understanding PFAS’s effects on the environment, implementing targeted restrictions, and developing regulatory guidance which we explore in more detail in this Insight.
Insights
Feb 02, 2026
On your radar? 10 real estate risk areas to watch in 2026
In this report, we have outlined ten areas of real estate risk to have on your radar in 2026. Dispute activity is being driven by factors such as regulatory and legislative changes, ongoing financial pressures, environmental liability risks and infrastructure constraints around connectivity and power. Policy detail continues to shift in several key areas, creating considerable uncertainty for those in the sector. While outcomes will turn on the facts in each case, the areas identified below are primed for an increase in disputes, as those in the property sector seek to navigate a more demanding, contentious and scrutinised operating environment. This report translates these areas of change into practical risk signals, so stakeholders can stress test projects and contracts, prioritise mitigation measures and approach 2026 with better visibility of potential risks.
Insights
Nov 28, 2025
Regulatory and ESG challenges in the data centre sector: Building a sustainable future
The United Kingdom’s data centre sector is undergoing a profound transformation. Having established itself as a cornerstone of the nation's economy, the industry now faces its most complex challenge: adapting to an increasingly demanding regulatory and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) landscape. The sector's exponential growth, driven by the insatiable demand for data, has placed it under an intense spotlight. Its high power and water consumption, and the physical impact of large-scale facilities, have brought questions of sustainability and community impact to the forefront. Today, a data centre’s success is no longer measured solely by uptime or tenant covenant strength, but by its ability to maintain a social licence to operate. And this is granted not just by regulators, but by investors, tenants and local communities. These issues are central to risk management, value creation and long-term commercial strategy. Neglecting them can jeopardise financing, erode asset value and cause operational and reputational damage. This instalment of our Insight Series looks beyond individual transactions to the frameworks that shape the entire data centre lifecycle. We explore how leading developers and investors can turn regulatory and ESG pressures into opportunities to build more resilient, responsible and valuable assets.
News
Nov 26, 2025
BCLP advises Lone Star on multi-asset real estate portfolio acquisition from St. James’s Place