John Clayton
Clayton Utz
Special Counsel
Sydney
Overview
John is a recognised expert in all aspects of environment, planning and government law, with over two decades' experience. With significant experience collaborating with government authorities and private developers, John's practice encompasses a wide spectrum of matters, including federal and state planning, environmental impact assessment, compulsory acquisition, land valuation, administrative law, and government decision-making.
Notable Work
- Australian Rail Track Corporation: assisting on planning, environmental and land acquisition issues associated with the Inland Rail Program.
- Environmental enforcement litigation: acting in litigation, including prosecutions for Government and industry clients.
- Transgrid: advising on a broad range of planning, biodiversity and compliance issues for Project EnergyConnect, which involves the construction of an interconnector between the power grids of South Australia and New South Wales to facilitate the energy transition.
- Western Sydney Airport: advised on all environment and planning issues related to the project.
- Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport: advised on all key environmental and planning issues associated with the project.
- Barangaroo Delivery Authority: advised on environment and planning matters for this major urban renewal project, including third-party judicial review challenges and contractual disputes.
- Sydney Metro Northwest: advising on all planning and environmental aspects of the project, including land acquisitions issues, legislative amendments and EIS documentation.
- Sydney Gateway: advised on the planning and environmental aspects of the project, addressing the interaction between state and Commonwealth planning processes and strategic planning pathways.
- Newcastle Integrated Services: advised Transport for NSW on the urban renewal project, including land acquisition, infrastructure agreements, litigation involving the Newcastle railway line, and property and roads acquisition strategy development.
Insights
Quick fix for State significant development? New legislation responds to Court of Appeal case on enabling infrastructure
5 Dec 2024 | Article
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Pre-acquisition negotiations with minor interests: some good news from the Land and Environment Court
18 May 2023 | Article
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Changes for public and private sector developments in proposed new Planning Regulations in New South Wales
2 Sep 2021 | Article
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Changes for major project assessments and approvals in NSW, as Rapid Assessment Framework rolls out
22 Jul 2021 | Article
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Radical changes to NSW planning and local government laws to help with COVID-19
25 Mar 2020 | Article
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Another claim bites the dust: NSW Court of Appeal curtails claims for loss of future profit in land acquisition
8 Mar 2019 | Article
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NSW biodiversity offsets to be recognised in amended bilateral agreement
7 Feb 2019 | Article
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Whose objection is it anyway? New local resident group can inherit right to challenge development consent on its merits
26 Oct 2017 | Article
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Evolution, not revolution: reforms proposed for the NSW planning system
16 Jan 2017 | Article
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