Setfords Solicitors is to meet the growing need for specialist planning lawyers by creating a team headed by new consultant Ifath Nawaz.
Ifath deals with a broad range of town and country planning matters, acting for developers, private clients and local authorities. Ifath has been involved in a number of town centre regeneration projects and other major infrastructure projects including advising a number of local authorities on the High Speed 2 rail-link project.
Ifath has extensive experience in section 106 agreements on behalf of local authorities and developers, as well as detailed knowledge in dealing with planning enforcement and appeals. She has also provided strategic advice to private developers and local authorities on affordable housing, green belt and community infrastructure issues.
Ifath has recently led on a number of issues through the parliamentary process for Phase One of the HS2 project on behalf of a number of authorities as well as leading on community issues, engagement and representation.
Ifath said: “I’m very pleased to be joining Setfords who I know are keen to set up a planning team that represents local authorities, developers and all those affected by the planning system. There is great potential to grow a strong department and I’m looking forward to getting started.”
CEO Chris Setford said: “We feel very lucky to have secured Ifath as a consultant, with her extensive knowledge of the issues facing both private clients and local authorities in regards to planning.
“As a full-service law firm we pride ourselves on offering a wide range of legal experts and when Ifath approached us about setting up a specialist team to focus on planning law we immediately saw the potential.”
Fellow CEO Guy Setford added: “We pride ourselves on the support we offer our lawyers and when we meet someone like Ifath, who has ambition and vision, we do everything we can to help them achieve their goals. We can’t wait to see what she achieves for her clients.”
Ifath is also a major figure within the British Muslim community. A founding member and former President and later Vice President of the Association of Muslim Lawyers, Ifath now engages on interfaith matters through a number of platforms.