About Felicity Rourke
Felicity specialises in all aspects of environment and planning practice, including appearing in Court in planning appeals, challenges to statutory approvals and land acquisition compensation claims, as well as advising on and defending clients threatened with environmental prosecution.
Felicity has guided teams and overseen the planning and environmental aspects of complex projects from conceptual design to site rezoning, planning and ultimately construction, across a range of sectors including transport, infrastructure and mining, and in the real estate sector across retail, residential, seniors living and logistics developments.
Her experience includes advising on:
- voluntary planning agreements involving the provision of complex public domain works and community facilities, at both State and local government levels
- contaminated land issues and environmental licensing
- planning and associated regulatory approvals
- threatened species, heritage and environmental protection legislation
- compulsory land acquisition
- rezonings, particularly for large urban renewal projects.
Felicity is acknowledged in the Chambers Asia-Pacific Guide (where she has been listed since 2012) as a leading lawyer in Environmental Law. Chambers notes that Felicity attracts extensive client praise as a 'resoundingly good' planning and environment approvals lawyer who combines 'expert knowledge and experience' with 'refined tactical sensibilities and an eye for the right pressure points to press'.
Felicity is also recognised in Best Lawyers for planning and environmental law.
Doyle's Guide – Australia's Leading Planning and Environment Lawyers lists Felicity as a 'preeminent' planning and environment lawyer in Australia. She is the only NSW practitioner ranked by Doyles as preeminent in both Environment and Planning & Development.
Felicity is involved in key industry organisations and since 2012 has been a member of Urban Taskforce Australia's steering committee, and in this capacity she has advocated at senior government levels for policy reform in NSW planning law. She is President of the NSW Environment and Planning Law Association (Inc).