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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.

Areas of Focus

Environment Environment

Energy Transition Energy Transition

Planning & Zoning Planning & Zoning

  • Environment

  • Energy Transition

  • Planning & Zoning

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)

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. 

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