Pinsent Masons wins at the Legal Business Awards 2026

The winning Pinsent Masons team, led by partner and energy transition specialist Stacey Collins, was recognised for supporting Heidelberg Materials UK (Heidelberg) with its world-leading development of a carbon capture and storage plant at its Padeswood cement works in North Wales.

Set to become the world’s first fully decarbonised cement manufacturing facility, the project will capture around 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually from the Padeswood works and transport it via the HyNet pipeline system for permanent storage beneath Liverpool Bay.

The pioneering scheme will enable the large-scale production of evoZero, the world’s first carbon-captured net-zero cement. It will also provide a global blueprint for decarbonising hard-to-abate industries and represents one of the most significant industrial decarbonisation projects ever undertaken in the UK.

The core Pinsent Masons team was led by partner and energy transition specialist Stacey Collins, supported by partner Jeremy Chang, legal director Sheena Bryson, managing senior associate Remi Ahmed, and associates Lizzi Leather and Marti Sikora. Stacey and his team have also drawn on the expertise of colleagues from the firm’s projects, regulatory and infrastructure practices.

The team advised on the project's complex legal and commercial framework, including the negotiation and execution of the landmark Industrial Carbon Capture Contract, grant funding arrangements and the application of the UK CCS Network Code.

By helping shape new contractual and regulatory structures for carbon capture and storage, the team established legal frameworks that will support future industrial decarbonisation projects across the UK. Stacey and the team are continuing to advise on the project as it progresses through its construction phase towards commissioning and operation.

Stacey commented, “It’s fantastic for our team to win such a prestigious award, in recognition of us being market-leaders in carbon capture & storage. The Padeswood CCS project is truly a world first, in terms of both the project’s purpose and the legal and regulatory framework we’ve helped develop around it.

“It’s been both a challenging and rewarding journey to have supported Heidelberg Materials on the project for many years. Now we have the completed government contracts, our involvement continues as we help ensure the successful construction, commissioning and operation of this iconic carbon capture facility.”

The firm was also recognised for its work with Heidelberg at this year’s FT Innovative Lawyers Europe Awards, winning in the Innovative Lawyers in Sustainability category.