Energy & Infrastructure

Water & Waste

Expert lawyers in the water & waste sector.

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At the forefront of change

As part of the global push towards sustainability and decarbonisation, companies must reduce carbon footprint through innovation and investment. Alongside this, companies are focused on meeting the challenges of ESG (environmental, social and governance), maintaining public health and shifting towards a towards a more circular economy.

Businesses in these sectors are facing resource management challenges and are rightly seeking to build resilience across their operations and supply chains, and to maintain and improve customer service. To address this wide variety of issues and challenges, a forward-thinking, modern approach is necessary.

Utilities & Infrastructure Horizon Scanner

Our horizon scanner provides clarity on what legal and regulatory changes lie ahead for utility and infrastructure companies so that you can plot your course with confidence.

Visit the scanner to see what’s upcoming that could impact your business.

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Legal 500’s green recommendation

Our Energy team has been recommended in the Legal 500’s Green Guide, a guide dedicated entirely to exploring the legal sector’s engagement with a green transition.

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Our focus areas

At Foot Anstey, we understand the complexities of operating in a heavily regulated industry. We have considerable experience of working with clients in the Waste and Water sectors, helping them to achieve their ambitions and supporting them across a variety of issues and business challenges.

Our energy team is at the forefront of renewable energy project delivery, having advised on innovative generation, optimisation and Demand Side response projects across all technologies, including emerging technologies such as green hydrogen and how these may be incorporated into more traditional industries. We have advised many clients on possible renewable energy solutions for their operations. This includes Pennon on an Energy Recovery Facility which encompasses a specific plastics recycling operation, plus the wastewater treatment works run by South West Water to improve the environmental impact of pollution across beaches and coastal areas in Devon and Cornwall.

We have strong relationships with The Chancery Lane Project and similar industry bodies that facilitate sustainability led provisions in contracts. We have a cross-sector Net Zero Group which understands the requirements of investors/funders in respect of CDP (carbon reporting) and due diligence, the emphasis now placed on bio-diversity net gain, and we are also focused on technology & innovation-led products and platforms in respect of carbon capture and storage (CCS)/off-sets.

We regularly advise on issues relating to pollution and water quality. We have been heavily involved in the nitrates issue affecting development in the Solent and phosphates in Kent. We were at the vanguard of addressing the issue in the Solent holding four Solent Stakeholder Forums on Nitrates. Developers must mitigate their effects and maintain a nutrient-neutral environment. Our experts are closely monitoring the separation of the UK from the EU and considering the implications that this divergence may bring.

As landfill space is rapidly reducing, we are steering waste clients though the consenting and regulation required develop, operate and maintain new facilities or to adapt existing projects to boost sustainability.

We can help you cut through the constantly changing and often unclear policy and regulation which prevents effective collaboration on this sector.

Our services

Our team strives to help clients achieve their strategic objectives, with our collaborative values making our team an extension of yours.

How we can help:

  • Local authority contracts – acting for both local authorities and private sector bidders.
  • MRF operators
  • Feedstock agreements
  • Haulage agreements
  • Waste broker agreements
  • Landfill – acting for operators and contractors
  • Contracts with the Third Sector
  • O&M contracts
  • Environmental permits and similar authorisations
  • Contamination of soil or water
  • Odour, noise and dust abatement
  • Packaging waste, WEEE and waste batteries
  • Waste Regulation and Environmental Permitting
  • End-of-waste and circular economy
  • Waste planning appeals and inquiries
  • Environmental Risk Assessments / Health and Safety Issues and legal audits

Related services

Related services

Commercial

Whether or not your company has an in-house legal function, running a business today presents many complex challenges.

We think it’s important that we genuinely get to know our clients businesses – that’s how we can deliver value that goes beyond just the monetary.

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Corporate

Corporate projects demand legal advice at the speed of business.

Whatever your needs, goals or ambitions our team work hard to tailor services which help deliver our clients’ ambitions at every stage of a company’s journey.

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Dispute Resolution

Disputes are an inevitable part of any business, introducing unwanted risk and high stress. They also create a distraction that takes you away from what you do best and where you need to be.

Let us help your business get the results it needs.

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Employment

Having the right people in the right place, displaying the right behaviours through the right processes can be just as hard as it sounds. In challenging times we know that having access to actionable, commercial advice is the best way to achieve the right outcome and in doing so, help your business to succeed

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Environmental Issues

Climate change presents some of the toughest questions for business.

Our edge as environmental lawyers is our experience of feeding into policymaking in Parliament, government and local authorities.

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Planning

Planning law is the gateway to property development. It’s the vital first step for building projects no matter what size.

Working with decision-makers at the key levels, we use our years of experience in planning law to seek out answers which work for you.

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Projects, Infrastructure and Construction

All business ventures and activities are risky but none more so than in the fields of major projects, infrastructure and construction.

We get to know you, inside and out, so that together we can assess, manage and navigate the path through risk to success.

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Real Estate

The world of real estate is changing fast. The way we construct, operate, invest in and use property has been transformed.

At Foot Anstey, we have the in-depth understanding to help you navigate this rapidly changing market.

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Why choose Foot Anstey?

Our experience is full-service, and our team covers a broad range of legal disciplines including corporate, commercial, technology, data security, procurement, dispute resolution, employment, real estate, planning and environmental advice.

We have extensive experience advising water, waste, and waste to energy companies. We have a growing list of clients including numerous major utilities and waste businesses in the UK. We have worked on a number of the UK’s largest and most high-profile waste management projects (such as the Greater Manchester Waste Project with the Viridor-Laing JV) and tertiary projects such as energy-from-waste, hydro-electric and combined heat and power projects and waste management services at Hinkley Point C.

We have acted on matters of interest to all major UK water companies including a significant, high value, large scale group litigation on the application of the Environmental Information Regulations across the sector, preparation of framework construction agreements and provision of a root cause analysis of Health & Safety risk for client’s such as Welsh Water, South West Water, Pennon Group, including Bristol Water and South Staffs Water.

It is here that our solutions-focused approach, such as our experience in climate aligned contracting (in the commercial context) puts us in a good position to support businesses in achieving their net zero commitments.

As a firm, we have particular strengths in procurement and construction projects, real estate, planning, environmental, dispute resolution and data security advice and services.

For almost a decade, Foot Anstey has grown its reputation for specialist advice on EPC contracts, O&M contracts and ancillary documents for development of solar, storage and other low carbon energy projects. Our “big picture” view and internal team collaborations can assist businesses in analysing trends, risks and issues over a complex, changeable market with supply chain issues.

Key contacts

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What our clients say?

(Foot Anstey has a) strong offering in environmental energy, waste and regulation and represents a wide variety of clients including financiers, manufacturers and waste companies. They have always provided very good advice.

Chambers & Partners UK 2023

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