Giving evidence in Public Inquiries is a demanding task. Expert witnesses have to be clear, precise and confident when presenting arguments on the significance of heritage assets as well as the perceived impacts. Ultimately it requires a very high level of experience and professional skill. At Headland we have a substantial portfolio of inquiry work led by a select team of consultants who can deliver and meet these communication challenges.
Headland’s expert witness service is overseen by Dr Stephen Carter. Dr Carter has a substantial portfolio of inquiry work to his name on a variety of developments throughout the UK. Over the past 15 years, we have represented our clients at over 40 public inquiries and hearings. Most of our expert witness experience relates to wind farm developments but Dr Carter and our senior consultants have also provided evidence in connection with projects concerning solar PV and energy-from-waste schemes, as well as housing and mixed residential and commercial developments.
Our expert witness service, like our consultancy work in general, has largely developed as a result of our experience of the renewables sector. The issue of how the settings of heritage assets will be affected by development has been a key topic on which we have been asked to present evidence at inquiry. We have provided expert witness work across the UK and Ireland, and we are familiar therefore with the planning framework concerning cultural heritage throughout the UK and Ireland.
Much of our expert witness work comes as a result of referrals from our regular clients and their various agents.