Energy and Resources

Overview

Our London office at Holborn Gate, 330 High Holborn, sits at the centre of work advising on the energy and resources sector across England and Wales. The sector is in transition: decarbonisation policy, security of supply priorities and evolving commercial models for renewables, hydrogen, carbon capture, storage and traditional oil & gas require integrated legal, regulatory and commercial advice. Clients include project developers, financiers, utilities, operators and governments seeking targeted support on transactions, permits, contracts and disputes.

Core services

We advise on all stages of project and asset lifecycles. Typical workstreams include:

• Project development and joint ventures — structuring development and offtake arrangements, land rights and grid connection agreements.
• Regulatory compliance and permitting — navigating environmental permits, planning consents, network codes and sector-specific licences.
• Project and acquisition finance — debt and equity arrangements, security packages and sponsoring documentation.
• Commercial contracting — EPC, O&M, power purchase agreements (PPAs), hydrogen and biomethane offtakes, and supply chain risk allocation.
• Decommissioning and abandonment — liabilities, cost sharing, and compliance with asset retirement regimes.
• Dispute avoidance and resolution — negotiation, adjudication, arbitration and litigation strategies.

Practical checklist for developers and investors

1. Confirm land rights and surface/subsurface access, including any Crown or seabed interests.
2. Map consenting pathway early: planning, environmental permits and any industry-specific licences (e.g. electricity/gas).
3. Assess grid and network connection options and allocation of curtailment risk in contracts.
4. Build robust commercial agreements for construction, operations and offtake with clear risk allocation.
5. Model decommissioning costs and secure appropriate financial assurances where required.
6. Embed ESG and supply chain due diligence into procurement and financing documentation.

Jurisdiction and sources

Primary legal and regulatory frameworks differ by activity and location. For projects in England and Wales key official sources include:

• UK Government (gov.uk) — policy, planning and sector-specific guidance.
• Ofgem — electricity and gas market regulation and network codes.
• Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) — energy strategy and policy.
• Environment Agency — environmental permitting and compliance.
• Health and Safety Executive (HSE) — onshore/upstream safety regulation.
• The Crown Estate — rights over the seabed and relevant leasing regimes (offshore).

Note: consenting regimes and devolved competences differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland and should be considered separately where relevant.

General information only; not legal advice and not a substitute for advice on a particular matter.