John Hobson QC

Date of call: 1980 Inner Temple
Year of silk: 2000

Full CV

John Hobson QC (PDF 143 kb)

John’s principal areas of practice are in the fields of planning, environmental, compulsory purchase and highway law, together with a broad range of local government and public law cases.

He appears in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, as well as public inquiries throughout the country, representing a wide variety of clients including developers, local and other public authorities.

John’s recent cases include: representing the Mayor of London at an inquiry in respect of proposals for two tall tower buildings at the Ram Brewery site in Wandsworth; appearing on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the House of Lords (Supreme Court) in a case concerning the scope of possession orders and injunctions against travellers occupying Forestry Commission land; successfully promoting a compulsory purchase order for Birmingham City Council to secure the regeneration of Birmingham New Street Station; representing English Heritage on an appeal in respect of proposals for a new visitor centre at Stonehenge; appearing on behalf of Dorset County Council in the Court of Appeal in a case concerning village greens; and also acting on behalf of Nottingham City Council and Worcestershire County Councils at inquiries concerning proposals for waste to energy incinerators.

John is ranked as a recommended leader by Chambers and Partners, 2010 in Planning Law: “charming advocate” (2008), “commanding presence in court… adept at winning over planning inspectors” (2009) and an extremely effective and client-friendly approach… [he has] a commanding presence [and] a manner that immediately secures peoples trust”(2010): Local Government Law: “[his] thoroughly agreeable nature inspired a wealth of compliments from interviewees”(2008), anything [he] says on the subject of local government has to be taken seriously such is the depth of his knowledge”(2009) and “a firm favourite when it comes to planning and cpo matters” (2010); and also in Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

In Legal 500 , 2009 he is a recommended leader in Environment Law: “first rate … a good strategic thinker who instils confidence in a team” (2009) and Planning Law: “particularly good with paperwork, lethal in cross examination and has a commanding presence with a manner calculated to secure the trust of Inspectors” (2008)

JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS
Recorder

OTHER APPOINTMENTS
Hon. Standing Counsel CPRE

AFFILIATIONS
PEBA
ALBA
Compulsory Purchase Association
Parliamentary Bar

EDUCATION
St John's College, Cambridge, LLM

CIRCUITS
Western

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