Rebecca is a specialist planning lawyer who provides advice on all areas of planning, highways and compulsory purchase. She has acted for a diverse portfolio of clients including developers, registered providers, universities, local authorities, institutional investors and landowners to help projects move forward with confidence through an often complex planning system.
Rebecca advises on a wide spectrum of complex planning matters across both the private and public sectors from site acquisition through to determination, delivery and challenge. Her experience includes residential and mixed-use developments, commercial schemes and infrastructure projects. She regularly negotiates Section 106 agreements and other infrastructure and planning agreements as well as advising on certificates of lawfulness, community infrastructure levy appeals, enforcement issues, compulsary purchase and judicial review. Rebecca has also been involved in advising landowners affected by HS2 in relation to their compensation claims.
Client's value Rebecca's approach to understanding their requirements and finding a solution that is legally robust and commercially realistic. She is approachable and responsive, providing clear guidance in high-pressure situations and is committed to supporting sustainable, deliverable development throughout the UK. Rebecca builds strong working relationships with planning officers, consultants and other advisers to help keep projects on track.
Rebecca is ranked as a leading individual in Legal 500 as well as an Associate to watch in the Chambers Directory. Before joining Weightmans in 2026 she headed up the planning team at a Midlands Law firm.
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Rebecca is a pleasure to work with, always helpful, professional and knowledgeable.
Chambers and Partners, 2026 -
Rebecca Mushing has consistently performed and has very good all-round experience, she is very focused on client service and is a rising star. Rebecca is very personable and knows her law.
Legal 500, 2026 -
Having worked with Rebecca Mushing on three occasions, she has given extremely sound advice and guidance. She has been quick to understand the complexities of individual planning issues and I have found her to be approachable and understanding.
Legal 500, 2025
Experience and notable cases:
• Strategic redevelopment: Advising a landowner on the multimillion-pound redevelopment of a large brewery site in Staffordshire (280+ dwellings, 154-bed hotel, commercial and leisure uses), dealing with complex Section 106 negotiations, CIL liability, Hillside issues, and incompatible permissions, including listed building considerations.
• University infrastructure project: Leading a regionally significant infrastructure project for a major University, coordinating multiple stakeholders and experts to deliver Section 106 and highways agreements on time. The project included a bespoke framework planning agreement supporting future supplementary planning guidance and enabling strategic infrastructure delivery across multiple Local Planning Authorities.
• NSIP solar case: Successfully acting for a landowner on a High Court declaration regarding the NSIP status of a 32MW solar farm. Despite Local Planning Authority assertions, we secured a widely reported ruling that our client's scheme was not an extension of an adjacent 50MW farm and did not constitute an NSIP.
• Judicial review success: Advising on two rounds of judicial review against a local authority, securing concession of judgment due to procedural failings. Both matters resulted in full cost recovery for the client.
• Retail due diligence: Providing rapid-turnaround due diligence advice on the planning status and authorised use of a £5.2 million retail asset for an investor client, navigating a complex planning history under tight commercial deadlines.
• Lender enforcement risk mitigation: Advising a lending institution facing enforcement proceedings following repossession of a site with a £2 million charge. Rebecca's advice enabled negotiation with the Council, an extension of time for compliance, and ultimately protected the lender’s ability to recover its investment.