About

• Planning and Environment (Development) 
• Local Government 

We believe in fighting hard for our clients while providing accurate and timely advice to achieve practical and successful outcomes.   

Thomas McKeown, director of McKeown Solicitors, has wide-ranging experience, representing his clients with respect to all forms of development (from residential developments to larger commercial, retail, extractive industry and industrial developments) and all manner of environmental and heritage matters (consequential to development, and standalone). 

Thomas is an experienced advocate and routinely appears in the Planning and Environment Court, mediations and ADR conferences. 

We pride ourselves on providing advice of the highest quality with a special focus on representing clients in the Planning and Environment Court, including appeals, enforcement proceedings, declaratory proceedings, prosecutions and dispute resolution. 

Some examples:

1. Acting for various private sector clients in the Planning and Environment Court with respect to obtaining approvals for multiple dwellings, mixed use, office park, office, service station, power station, shopping centre, intensive animal industry, boarding kennel, sport and recreation, quarry, extractive industry, hotel, aged care, industrial, car park, workers’ camp, heritage and character sensitive developments, and large-scale subdivisions across Queensland;
2. Acting for various local Governments in the Planning and Environment Court in merits and conditions appeals;
3. Acting for local Governments and private sector clients in all manner of Originating Applications and declaratory proceedings (e.g. "minor" changes, extensions of time and dealing with non-compliances); 
4. Acting for various private sector clients in the Queensland Court of Appeal;
5. Providing all forms of advice to various local Governments and private sector clients with respect to all forms of development, prosecution and enforcement matters, interpretation of planning schemes and legislation, litigation and strategic legal advice more generally;
6. Acting for submitters in Court proceedings objecting to various forms of development, from small scale multiple dwelling developments to larger residential and commercial developments, intensive animal industries and childcare centres;
7. Prosecution and enforcement proceedings on behalf of various local Governments across Queensland, in both the Magistrates Court and Planning and Environment Court, including environmental matters; 
8. Advising local Governments on enforcement matters and assisting in the process, including the issuing of notices and gathering of evidence; and
9. Defending prosecution and enforcement proceedings on behalf of private sector clients across Queensland, in both the Magistrates Court and Planning and Environment Court.

Some recent Court of Appeal cases:

1. Abeleda & Anor v Brisbane City Council & Silverstone Developments Pty Ltd [2020] QCA 257 (acting for the successful Second Respondent) - https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2020/QCA20-257.pdf
2. Gold Coast City Council v K&K (GC) Pty Ltd [2019] QCA 132 (acting for the successful Respondent) - https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2019/QCA19-132.pdf
3. Bell v Brisbane City Council & Sunland Developments No 8 Pty Ltd & Anor [2018] QCA 84 (acting for the successful Applicant) - https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2018/QCA18-084.pdf

Some recent Planning and Environment Court cases:

1. Clermont Quarries Pty Ltd v Isaac Regional Council [2020] QPEC 18 (acting for the successful Appellant) - https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2020/QPEC20-018.pdf
2. Abeleda & Anor v Brisbane City Council & Silverstone Developments Pty Ltd [2019] QPEC 58 (acting for the successful Co-Respondent) - https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2019/QPEC19-058.pdf
3. Development Watch Inc & Anor v Sunshine Coast Regional Council & Yakola Parade Pty Ltd [2018] QPEC 6 (acting for the successful Co-Respondent) - https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2018/QPEC18-006.pdf
4. K&K (GC) Pty Ltd v Gold Coast City Council [2018] QPEC 9 (acting for the successful Appellant) - https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2018/QPEC18-009.pdf
5. Bell v Brisbane City Council & Sunland Developments No 8 Pty Ltd & Anor [2017] QPEC 26 (acting for the Appellant, who was ultimately successful on appeal) - https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2017/QPEC17-026.pdf