David Cooper

Spear’s Review

David Cooper’s profile as the ‘king of planning’ was enhanced in late 2018 when he won a landmark case in the Supreme Court (S Franses Limited v The Cavendish Hotel (London) Ltd). The 5-0 ruling means that landlords’ ability to use redevelopment proposals to oppose lease renewals has been substantially lessened. ‘Hopefully, this case will shake the system,’ he said to Spear’s at the time.

Cooper launched his firm in 2002, and curated a client book of notable billionaires while developing strong connections with the major London estates, including The Grosvenor Estate and The Crown Estate. He is passionate about saving the ‘artistic soul’ of the St James’s area of London, often defending the rights of art dealers to stay put and pay a reasonable rent.