Joanna joined Russell-Cooke in May 2025.  

She advises on a wide range of contentious and non-contentious planning matters. Joanna has a varied client base having acted primarily for property developers (including all the national housebuilders) but also for landowners, charities, management companies and individuals. 

On the contentious side she acts on planning appeals, Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) appeals, enforcement appeals, judicial reviews and high court challenges.

On the non-contentious side, Joanna advises on s106 agreements, infrastructure agreements (drainage and highways), affordable housing, CIL and all aspects of planning in the context of acquisitions and sales, option and promotion agreements. She also advises on strategy in terms of planning applications and legal risk, including objecting to planning applications as well as prior approvals including for office to residential conversions, biodiversity net gain, nutrient neutrality, water neutrality and associated credit agreements for same, environmental impact assessments, listed buildings, town and village greens, public rights of way and assets of community value. 

With a background in property, cross qualified in Australia and England, Joanna recognises the importance of planning in the commercial context of the real estate asset(s) to which it relates.