Fuller Long are delighted to welcome and introduce Keith Hargest to our co-operative of property professionals.
As both a chartered town planner and surveyor, Keith brings over 30 years of experience in the property sector covering schemes throughout the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man and Ireland.
His experience covers all aspects of town planning, with experience in sectors including commercial, residential, transport and other related developments, as well as being an acknowledged and respected expert in retail and leisure planning. Keith’s expertise encompasses the preparation of planning applications, provision of evidence at appeals, retail and leisure impact assessments, sequential appraisals, submissions for development plans, strategic retail and retail capacity studies. He also undertakes short and long-term market reviews for planning authorities as supporting information for development plan preparation.
Over the past 15 years, Keith has advised on over 200 retail and leisure development projects and planning applications, reviewed in excess of 50 retail applications for planning authorities and undertaken 40 retail studies, market reviews or similar assessments. This work has been undertaken for both private and public sector clients.
Private clients seeking Keith’s advice in relation to promoting new developments and protecting existing investments include retail and leisure operators (including Lidl, Asda, Gala Clubs, J Sainsbury, M&S, Farmfoods and Shoprite); specialist retail developers/owners (such as Hammerson plc, Ocean Terminal Ltd, Euro Garages); and other developers (for example London & Scottish and I&H Brown). Planning authorities recognise his expertise and seek advice in reviewing planning applications, planning appeals, undertaking retail studies, town centre regenerations and in the preparation of development plans (for example Aberdeen City, Moray Council and South Ayrshire, among others).
Keith has also undertaken major research for the Scottish Government on town centre and retail planning methods and techniques which was published by the Scottish Government (https://www.gov.scot/Publications/2007/12/24105030/2) and he regularly leads seminars and speaks at conferences on the topics of retailing and planning. Keith has also provided advice and information used in support of cases at court, the most significant of which was the challenge by Tesco against Dundee City’s decision to grant planning permission for an Asda superstore (Tesco Stores Ltd v Dundee City Council) which went to the Supreme Court in 2012 where Keith’s assessment was upheld as the correct approach, in law, for undertaking the sequential approach for retail development. Subsequent legal cases have confirmed that, although the subject of this case was a development in Dundee in Scotland, the principles apply to all sequential assessments throughout the UK.
We pride ourselves on providing our clients with the highest quality of advice and so are excited that Keith has joined our team of property professionals. If you are in need of planning advice and would like to speak to Keith about a prospective or ongoing development, please contact us on 0808 164 1288 for a no-obligation conversation.
