Whether you are in the public sector or private sector, applying green outcomes to your own organisation or setting policy for others, we support our clients to achieve their green commitments both in their business as usual work as well as with new, leading green projects. As legal advisers, we help clients deliver projects with the “how” - how can it be done?
But we can also help clients with the “what” - what can and should you be doing to achieve green objectives?

Our commitment to our clients
A key focus and commitment for us is to support our public sector clients in the critical role that they play in addressing the climate change crisis at both national and local level. We will be providing information and support to those seeking to do more, starting with how to truly embed “green” practices into everyday business as usual activities across all practice areas.
How do we achieve this?
Green obligations for Central Government
We are on hand to assist central government bodies do their part in reaching Net Zero, including advising on:
- the requirements under PPN 06/21 when undertaking procurements for major government contracts;
- how environmental considerations can be addressed throughout the procurement lifecycle; and
- ensuring contracts entered into as a result of procurement exercises can be effectively enforced after the procurement exercise has concluded.
Construction
The construction sector is playing a central role in the shift to a low-carbon economy. The sector’s greenhouse gas emissions are significant; but re-mapping the Built Environment is a key part of the Green Industrial Revolution and our construction lawyers are here to help.
Read moreGreen Contracts
When entering into agreements with providers, contracting authorities can include “green” provisions, which:
- include contractual obligations to work towards an organisation’s carbon footprint reduction target;
- stipulate the environmentally-friendly materials, processes etc which must be used to deliver the contract; and
- include incentives/penalties for delivery/failure to meet targets; and
- remain proportionate to the subject matter of the contract.
Infrastructure
The development of “green” infrastructure is a critical part of meeting the UK’s net zero commitments and we have advised on numerous environmentally-focused projects involving water resilience, renewable energy, and electric vehicles. We can assist with the wide-ranging implications of green projects, including planning, subsidy control, procurement and regulation.
Read morePlanning
Our Planning team are able to help clients to understand and comply with national and local planning policies including:
- Assisting LPAs with regards to plan-making and developing policies designed to meet environmental objectives
- Advising clients during the decision-making process and applying green policies to applications e.g. carbon offsetting;
- Advising developers to design planning applications which comply with relevant policies; and
Green Procurement
We are able to advise contracting authorities seeking to incorporate social value into their procurements by advising on:
- whether the authority maximised the potential environmental benefits that can be obtained from the procurement;
- the appropriate weighting to allocate to environmental considerations; and
- how to fairly evaluate tender submissions which provide environmentally based solutions.
Real Estate
Our real estate team can assist local authorities and developers with achieving sustainable projects, whether it be incorporating ‘green’ infrastructure such as electric vehicle charging points or renewable energy options into redevelopment schemes, or advising on provisions to include within estate portfolio leases to support environmentally-friendly objectives.
Read moreGreen obligations for Waste
We are on hand to advise local authorities on the new obligations introduced under the Environment Act 2021 in relation to waste procurements, including allowing built-in contract flexibility to create a robust solution which also allows for future changes introduced by regulations under the Act.
Read moreFree Feasibility Support:
Get your Green Project off the ground with 10 hours free local legal advice
We are committed to helping local authorities to meet their green goals and achieve their Net Zero targets.
As part of this commitment, we are offering 10 hours of pro bono legal advice to one local authority each quarter on green projects in the feasibility phase.

Our ‘Green Steves’ series
As part of our commitment to helping local authorities innovate in the green space, our infrastructure and energy partner, Steve Gummer has teamed up with Steve Cirell to produce a series of thought pieces about what local authorities could be doing to further the green agenda.
Read moreRetro-fit Series
Retrofitting represents the single biggest environmental challenge as the UK seeks to keep its net zero commitments. This series aims to provide legal and policy ideas for retrofit.
Read more
Green News
Each week we will highlight a green news story from the public or private sector
Sharpe Pritchard ranked once again in Legal 500 Green Guide
Leading environmental and clean energy experts, Sharpe Pritchard LLP, is proud to announce it has again been recognised for a second consecutive year in the prestigious Legal 500 Green Guide, solidifying its position as a leader in environmental law. The ranking underscores the firm’s commitment to sustainability through environmental advocacy and innovative projects and initiatives….
Read moreThe way wind works
What are the new topic areas for the Green Steves? This Autumn and moving into the Spring of next year, the Green Steves papers are going to take a different route. Having covered a wide range of climate change and energy issues in the preceding publications, this time we are going to take a deeper…
Read moreThe Energy Act 2023 – Heat Network Zoning: implications and opportunities for local authorities
The Energy Act 2023 (the “Act”) received royal assent on 26 October 2023. Part 2 of Chapter 8 of the Act introduces powers for the Secretary of State to introduce a framework via regulations to establish ‘heat network zoning’ in England. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (“DESNZ”) describes heat network zoning as…
Read moreGreen Events
Hydrogen
15 June@ 10:00 am – 11:00 am Hydrogen is working its way ever further up the agenda for local authority renewable projects. Whether in transport – where we are seeing hydrogen bus projects. Or as a substitute for gas. There are huge opportunities at present in the hydrogen space and it is important to leverage…
Read moreEnergy Efficiency
16 March @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am Many local authorities are rolling out frameworks, approved lists and grant schemes for energy efficiency works to homes – everything from insulation to heat pumps. There are lots of approaches out there in the market and we will talk through some of the opportunities and some of…
Read moreBiodiversity
20 April @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am All too often local authority energy projects focus on renewable infrastructure. However very little is done in respect of biodiversity projects. By this we mean rewilding areas or exploring carbon neutral crops. We have seen some truly innovative ideas emerging from the private sector and consider that…
Read more