Emily is a Partner specialising in planning, highways and environmental law. She has experience in both private practice and on secondment within local authorities, statutory bodies and central government.
Having trained and qualified at Sharpe Pritchard, Emily has developed extensive expertise advising on a broad range of planning and public law matters. Emily advises both local planning authorities and developers, giving her a valuable understanding of the priorities, challenges and objectives of all parties involved in the development process. She provides specialist advice on all aspects of planning law, as well as related public law issues.
Emily advises on a wide range of planning matters, including Green Belt development, assets of community value, the Community Infrastructure Levy and planning policy compliance. She has significant experience negotiating complex planning and highways agreements in connection with nationally and locally significant development projects.
Her experience spans a diverse range of sectors and projects, including estate regeneration schemes, garden communities, urban extensions, sports and leisure facilities, reservoir developments and major transport infrastructure projects.
Emily is known for her approachable and collaborative style. She delivers clear, pragmatic and commercially focused advice, translating complex legal issues into straightforward and practical guidance. Clients value her ability to provide robust and timely advice that is tailored to their objectives, budgets and project timescales.
Emily Knowles is very approachable, knowledgeable and firm with opposing sides when the need arises. Emily sticks to agreed deadlines and works very hard to deliver agreed outcomes
Legal 500 2024
Rachel Lee and Emily Knowles – Both of these solicitors are extremely knowledgeable in their chosen field and I have utmost confidence in their ability to negotiate the best outcomes for borough residents. Both Rachel and Emily are a pleasure to work with and I’d highly recommend them to other local planning authorities.-
Legal 500 2023
We approached Sharpe Pritchard seeking advice and representation regarding an application for a 4G/5G telecoms installation, less than 30m from our front door. Emily & Rebecca were extremely approachable, informative and relatable. They understood our position, and researched and reviewed the situation as appropriate. They helped us achieve the best position possible, and, in our opinion, their input certainly added expertise and gravitas to our representations presented to Planners, and subsequently, PINS. Both the application and subsequent appeal made by the telecoms company were refused. Should we require further assistance in the future, we would not hesitate to consult with Emily & Rebecca – an honest and forthright team.
Private Client
Just to say a massive thank you to you all at Sharpe Pritchard for helping us out with the estates Outline Planning Applications for the last couple of days. We really appreciated you pitching in and supporting this.
London Borough client contact to Emily following crucial stage in negotiations on major regeneration project.
Emily Knowles is noted for her practice advising clients across both the public and private sectors on a broad range of planning matters. She has particular expertise in planning and highway agreements as well as the planning aspects of residential developments, garden and urban villages, sports facilities and more.
Chambers 2025
26 August 2026
26 August 2026
24 August 2026
28 March 2025
On 11 March 2025, the Government introduced the Planning and Infrastructure Bill into Parliament with a promise to speed up planning decisions and ‘get Britain building’. Sharpe Pritchard’s Planning and Parliamentary team have been analysing the likely implications of the Bill in recent weeks. In the latest article of this series, we focus on Spatial…
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