Taylor Wessing has hired a senior associate from CMS Cameron McKenna to head its planning and environment practice in London, as Camerons reshuffles its team in preparation for the retirement of practice head Tony Kitson.

Alistair Watson will lead Taylor Wessing's City planning team, which has not had a dedicated partner since December, when former practice head Brian Greenwood left for Osborne Clarke.

Watson is due to join the Anglo-German firm next week (22 February) as a partner, taking the headcount in the group, which sits within the wider real estate practice, to four lawyers. He spent 15 years with Camerons, qualifying in 1999.

Taylor Wessing real estate head Keith Barnett said: "Having expertise in this particular field has always been an important part of the full service we offer our real estate clients. Alistair is a particularly strong lawyer in this area and will be a great asset in the further development of our service to real estate clients, as well as in the progression of our sustainability and climate change initiatives."

The hire comes as Camerons prepares to lose planning head Kitson, who is to retire on 1 April. He will hand over responsibility for leading the group to Chris Williams, who is the only other planning partner in the firm.

Camerons, in addition to Williams, has four associates in the planning area following the departure of the two lawyers, and has no plans to replace them.

Earlier this year it emerged that Herbert Smith's planning team had won a mandate to advise longstanding Camerons client BAA on all aspects of the multibillion-pound redevelopment of Heathrow Airport and the controversial third runway project.

Other major planning clients for Camerons include Sainsbury's and Barclays.

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