Alex Minhinick
Alex is a partner in the planning and compulsory purchase team, having trained and qualified with the firm in 2010.
Alex is a partner within the Planning and Compulsory Purchase team and a specialist consenting lawyer, advising on the management and delivery of planning permissions and other consents for large scale energy and infrastructure projects.
He advises on all elements of projects in England and Wales under planning, highways and compulsory purchase law, and regularly promotes Development Consent Order (DCO) applications for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs).
Alex acts on a wide range of projects for developers, landowners and local authority clients. Especially significant examples include:
◾ RWE Renewables UK Solar and Storage: Advising and appearing as advocate for the Byers Gill Solar DCO, the first application made by RWE for an onshore solar farm DCO.
◾ National Highways: Advising and appearing as advocate for the A417 Missing Link DCO application, which won the National Infrastructure Planning Association's "Project of the Year" award 2023.
◾Cardiff Parkway Developments Limited: Advising on its promotion of the Cardiff Parkway scheme for a new railway station and business park between Cardiff and Newport.
◾ Vattenfall: Advising on obtaining section 36 consent for the Pen y Cymoedd onshore windfarm, which remains the largest consented onshore wind scheme in England and Wales.
◾ Associated Petroleum Terminals: Advising on the Immingham Eastern Ro-Ro Terminal and Immingham Green Energy Terminal DCO applications.
Practice Area
Panel
- Contributing Author
Qualified Year
- 2010
Experience
- Burges Salmon LLP (2008 - Present)
Membership
- Legal Associate of the Royal Town Planning Institute
- Member of the Compulsory Purchase Association
- Representative for Burges Salmon LLP at the Mineral Products Association
Qualifications
- Legal Practice Certificate (2008)
- Graduate Diploma in Law (2007)
- BSc (Hons) Politics and Philosophy (2006)
Education
- University of West England (2006 - 2008)
- University of Bristol (2003 - 2006)
1 Contributions by Alex Minhinick
PRACTICE NOTES
Planning and consenting regime for nuclear fission and fusion projects in England and Wales: NPS EN‑7/EN‑1, NSIP/DCO, SMRs, GDA, EIA, associated development, judicial review, Brexit/Euratom
This Practice Note centres on the planning regime for new nuclear build facilities. It outlines the policy foundations for consenting new nuclear plants, the routes for appeal and judicial review, and the effects of the UK’s departure from the EU on nuclear planning. For general information on nuclear licensing and regulation, see: Nuclear licensing and regulation—overview. Further consents, including licensing from the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), are covered in Practice Note: Operating under a nuclear site licence.
Planning policy
Energy National Policy Statements
The government’s policy on major infrastructure is expressed through National Policy Statements (NPSs), which are statutory documents made under the Planning Act 2008 (PA 2008). NPSs guide the Secretary of State when determining development consent applications for energy infrastructure of national significance.
Between late 2009 and early 2010, the government issued six draft NPSs for consultation. These included:
an Overarching National Policy Statement for energy NPS (EN-1) (updated in 2025 and in force from 6 January 2026), and
an NPS setting out matters specific to development consent order (DCO) applications for new nuclear power stations (EN-6)...
Planning
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