Norton Rose Fulbright advises leading UK plumbing merchant on planning and health and safety in Jersey

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Wolseley Plumb and Parts (Wolseley) on its continued operation and trade in relation to health and safety, and planning permissions, in the Channel Island of Jersey.

Wolseley is one of the UK’s leading merchants in plumbing, heating, cooling and infrastructure. It has 560 branches in the UK and has been supporting a variety of trades for decades.

The merchant has been trading from its unit in La Collette for several years and before taking occupancy had received assurance from the Regulation Directorate in Jersey that they could trade from this unit. However, Wolseley was recently informed by the Regulation Directorate that it was obliged to apply for planning permission, with the Health and Safety Inspectorate advising against this being granted due to La Collette being a dockland area with a fuel terminal which they considered posed a danger to the public.

Norton Rose Fulbright assisted Wolseley in providing a counter health and safety report to the Health and Safety Inspectorate, as well as securing the planning permission, for its trade counter at its La Collette branch in St Hellier, Jersey.

The multi-disciplinary team from Norton Rose Fulbright included Head of Planning Sarah Fitzpatrick, who advised on the planning application and conditions within it; Head of Health and Safety, Europe, Middle East and Asia Caroline May; and senior associate Andrew Swarbrick, who prepared the counter health and safety report.

Sarah Fitzpatrick commented:

"We are incredibly proud of our work with Wolseley, which will enable it to continue to trade in La Collette. This case was complex in nature due to the different bodies involved but, through our collaborative efforts, we were able to secure an outcome which will benefit the local team employed by Wolseley, securing their jobs on the Channel Island, as well as Wolseley’s local customers in Jersey.”

The lawyers which comprise Norton Rose Fulbright’s global planning team have extensive experience of guiding clients through sometimes complex and costly planning regimes, along with advising on legal risks.