Legal updates
Nuclear specific DCO reforms: Working towards a more standardised delivery model
3 June 2026 • 10 min read
About
Paula is a Partner in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase team. She is an experienced planning, highways and CPO lawyer. She brings a combination of strategic insight and the ability to manage detailed issues to secure a buildable and fundable consent.
Her experience includes advising on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) including drafting and advising on development consent orders; consenting for onshore generating stations, offshore generating stations (wind and tidal) and connected onshore facilities; pipelines; highways water infrastructure and storage. She has over a decade of experience in advising on NSIP projects and has acted for numerous DCO promoters including first of a kind and novel DCOs.
Paula also advises on projects under the section 36 regime in Scotland, including offshore wind, and projects within the DNS regime in Wales.
Experience
- Progressive Energy: Advising on consenting the HyNet DCO for a carbon dioxide pipeline cross-border between England and Wales.
- RWE Five Estuaries offshore wind: Advising on the DCO application including onshore collaboration with another extension project, national landscape issues, marine impact mitigation and offsite habitats compensation provision.
- RWE Awel y Môr offshore wind DCO: Advising on all aspects of this project including consenting strategy, alignment with marine licencing, EIA and HRA.
- Statera Energy: Advising on s36 for pumped storage in Scotland.
- Isle of Anglesey County Council: Advising on the Wylfa Newydd New Nuclear Build NSIP project in their role as host authority for the DCO in relation to Wylfa new nuclear proposals.
Credentials
- Admitted as a solicitor: Scotland (2007), England & Wales (2016)
Areas of expertise
Sector focus
Office
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