Natasha is a highly experienced litigator and expert environment and planning lawyer.
Prior to joining Bick & Steele, Natasha had a sea change, moving from Sydney to the Coffs Harbour area and working with a local firm where she continued to focus upon environment and planning law.
She now calls Coffs Harbour home and loves going to the beach and enjoying the natural beauty of the area.
Natasha has over 15 years’ experience specialising in environment and planning law. She realised this would be her passion in law while working at a mid-tier firm in Sydney where the mix of work involved acting for local councils and developers.
From there, Natasha continued to develop her expertise while working for 10 years at “Top Tier” law firms Herbert Smith Freehills and Clayton Utz where she conducted a range of environmental and planning litigation and advised clients on compulsory acquisition and issues relating to contamination of land and urban development.
Natasha’s advisory and strategic work in the area of environment and planning law is diverse. She has recently acted for a number of companies and individuals seeking to develop land where the development is subject to complex constraints including in relation to biodiversity and cultural heritage, loss of views, and risks relating to bush fire prone land.
She also acts for individuals whose land has been acquired compulsorily and she advises major corporations on environmental risks.
Natasha is an experienced litigator having acted for clients in environment and planning law disputes in the NSW Land and Environment Court, NSW Supreme Court, Federal Court of Australia, the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal and the High Court of Australia.
She has broad experience in other areas of the law that can arise in the context environment and planning litigation.
For example, Natasha has acted for a local council commencing contempt proceedings in the Land and Environment Court, acted for a client defending allegations of misleading and deceptive conduct and breach of contract, and been involved in a number of nuisance and negligence claims.
Natasha environment and planning law practice includes:
conducting environment and planning litigation including planning appeals and compulsory acquisition hearings in the Land and Environment Court
providing planning advice such as advice on modifications of consents, advising on whether developments have ‘physically commenced’, drafting voluntary planning agreements and strategic advice on approval pathways for the granting of development consents
advising clients on all aspects of compulsory acquisition and conducting negotiations with the acquiring authority
advising on environment protection licences including making applications to vary licences, preparing submissions to the regulator (EPA) and taking action in the Land and Environment Court challenging the EPA’s decisions
advising on waste issues, including resource recovery orders
advising on compliance issues such as clean up notices and other responses to regulatory notices (notices to produce records and information, development control orders issued by local councils), attending regulatory interviews and advising on environmental offences
advising on the management of contaminated land
conducting judicial review proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia
conducting mediations and arbitrations involving contractual disputes
Coffs Harbour NSW 2450