Emily Marson

Expertise

Emily Marson is a Special Counsel in Holding Redlich’s Planning, Environment & Sustainability team in Melbourne. With over 10 years’ experience, Emily advises private and public sector clients on planning and environment law, including disputes, enforcement and compliance matters, and compulsory acquisition.

Emily has extensive experience in planning matters in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), Planning Panels and Ministerial Advisory Committees and in planning and environment enforcement and compliance proceedings in the Magistrates’ Court and VCAT.

Emily assists developers and statutory authorities in respect to residential, industrial, mixed use and commercial developments, subdivisions, planning scheme amendments, precinct structure plans, cultural heritage management plans and existing use rights matters.

Emily regularly advises in respect to licences, notices, directions and orders issued under the Environment Protection Act 2017. Emily has a particular interest in complex development projects and land use applications in metropolitan and rural contexts involving environmental and contamination issues.

Emily was named by Best Lawyers as ‘One to Watch’ in planning and environmental law in 2024, 2025 and 2026 and was awarded a Rising Star by Doyles Guide in planning and environmental law in 2025.

Experience

Emily’s experience includes:

• advising landfills, abattoirs, quarries and other intensive land users on environmental risk, compliance and investigations by the Environment Protection Authority
• acting for private and public sector clients in planning appeals before VCAT, the Supreme Court of Victoria and Planning Panels Victoria, including instructing counsel and appearing as advocate
• acting for local government authorities, landowners and developers in Planning Panels and Ministerial Advisory Committee hearings concerning planning scheme amendments and site-specific development applications
• representing landowners in compulsory acquisition matters involving easements, land acquisition and loss on sale claims
• acting for a local government authority in drafting a works-in-kind agreement under section 173 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 for the delivery of public infrastructure by a developer
• acting for the proponent of a combined planning scheme amendment and planning permit application in Wangaratta to facilitate a large residential subdivision and delivery of infrastructure including an integrated wastewater treatment facility.

Membership

• Committee Member - Bendigo Chapter, Urban Development Institute of Australia
• Member - Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association
• Member - Law Institute of Victoria