I have over 40 years experience since qualification and have acted for a complete variety of clients over the years including businesses operating throughout the country such as Liquor Licensing Pub Chains, Ten Pin Bowling Centres, Betting Office Licences, and also clients with individual requirements to secure valuable Planning Consents for their properties.
My specialism include advocacy in a wide range of tribunal and court appearances for planning and enforcement appeals, compulsory purchase and other planning related cases. I have a busy practice dealing with a variety of planning enforcement cases often under threat of criminal proceedings and associated claims for monetary penalties under the Proceeds of Crime Act Legislation. I am also regularly involved in High Court Challenges and Judicial Review proceedings in the now established Planning Court.
As an affiliate member of the the Institute of Acoustics, I am regularly consulted on noise related matters and undertakes the conduct of noise abatement cases both as civil claims and statutory proceedings in the Magistrates Court.
I have been featured in the Planning Magazines’ Guide to Planning Lawyers as being amongst the 50 top rated solicitors in planning matters. I am also an Affiliate of the Institute of Acoustics.
“leading individual” and a “wonderfully eloquent advocate” Legal 500
Areas of Expertise
Case Study
- Working with a Garden Centre client who had, himself, applied for and obtained a Planning Refusal for a supermarket at Appeal when he came to me and wanted to achieve that supermarket. The application proceeded by a number of steps over years which involved High Court proceedings, proceedings in what was then the Landlord Tribunal, and also County Court and other Planning Proceedings and eventually resulted in consent for a supermarket which enabled the client to lease his site out to a major supermarket operator.
- I was acting for a client with a major shooting school who was unable to comply with a Planning Condition relating to noise emanating from the site and who was served with an Enforcement Notice in respect of it which was duly upheld and brought into effect. I took steps to have the Enforcement Decision quashed in the High Court and then successfully negotiated for an entirely new Planning Consent with different workable conditions imposed which enabled the business to continue operating instead of being closed down.
What others say
“I have known Mr Fynn for more than two decades and consider him without equal in the legal world regarding all planning matters. Suffice it to say Mr Fynn has been the prime legal advisor in a number of landmark planning cases including one of my own. I would take the advice of Mr Fynn over that of any QC or Judge on planning matters.”
Michael .A. R. Wiggins F.C.A, Formally Senior Partner Country Fare Garden Centre
“Lionel is my ‘go-to-guy’ on any complicated planning matter – I always receive expert impartial advice for clients from him and his team, presenting the options that the client has in an uncomplicated fashion, allowing the client to decide what is the best course of action which suits them.”
Andrew Monro, Symonds and Sampson LLP
Away from the office
I am a member of Rotary International and a trustee of the Myelin Trust which sponsors and pays for medical research into childhood metabolic diseases and in particular the Leukodystrophies.
I also have an enthusiastic interest in historical transport including aviation, shipping and railways and producing videos on the subject. I also produce instructional audio tapes and videos on legal subjects including many endorsed by the Law Society.
