RTPI NI Annual Review

We responded to the following consultations:

• Housing Supply Strategy (February)
• Energy Issues paper (February)
• Inconsiderate Pavement Parking (March)
• The draft Planning Fees (Deemed Planning Applications and Appeal) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 (December)
• Review of permitted development rights for installation of domestic microgeneration equipment and reverse vending machines (December)
• Planning Application Validation Checklists (January 2023)

Research

We jointly commissioned research into Rural Planning in the 2020s, as part of a UK and Ireland-wide study. Rural Planning in the 2020s details the changing face of rural areas across the UK and Ireland. It identifies key challenges rural communities are facing in the 2020s, from COVID-19, to Brexit, to climate change. It also identifies the potential for the countryside to be a site for adaptation.

Northern Ireland Assembly

We published Asks following the Stormont 2022 elections:

• Invest in planning as an essential service
• Undertake a systems review to identify causes
• Ensure resourcing is allocated in right way & right level
• Promote training & skills development to improve performance
• Take climate action through planning decisions & policy
• Strengthen links between policy, implementation & delivery
• Promote & support collaborative working between stakeholders
• Support community engagement & grow confidence
• Support LDPs to come forward
• Holistic approach to design and placemaking

Advisory Groups

We participate in various advisory groups to promote planning issues. During 2022, these have included:

• Community Engagement Partnership
• Historic Environment Group
• Climate NI Infrastructure and Built Environment Network

 

Events

In March we held a Climate Change webinar. Planning for climate is a key priority of our time. Ensuring we plan places which help mitigate climate change and are also resilient to the effect of the changing climate which we are already facing, is an important responsibility of the planning profession. By planning for climate change we also build in other benefits including healthy places, addressing inequality and poverty, creating jobs, reducing economic costs and making business more sustainable. This webinar shared key learning from how planners are building in climate change to policy and places.  We welcomed Nichola Hughes, Director of Sustainable Northern Ireland, Christine Doherty, Biodiversity Officer, Derry and Strabane District Council and Helen Lucocq MSc MRTPI, Strategy and Policy Manager, Brecon Beacons National Park Authority 

Then in May 2022 we had the Placeshaping Webinar. Shaping the places we use now and for the future is the role of planning and planners. What makes a good place which is sustainable for all who use it? This webinar will discuss the different ingredients of positive place shaping and how to build the places we all want to see across Northern Ireland which deliver positively for all our communities.  We heard from Kim Weir, Strategic Planning and Performance Manager, Fermanagh & Omagh District Council, Sinead Collins, Head of Place Shaping South and Louise Clarke, Head of Place Shaping North, NI Housing Executive and Jen Heal, Design Advisor, Design Commission for Wales

In September we held the Northern Ireland Annual Conference, sponsored by FTB. It was our first in-person conference since the pandemic with over 100 delegates attending. Reflecting on the Chair's theme for the year – Delivering Climate Outcomes – the Conference was designed to provide an opportunity to reflect as a profession and on our priorities moving forward – this was split into four Plenary Sessions.

The Conference offered a day of discussion and debate on these topics to reflect on positioning the role of planning and the profession

And finally wrapping up the year we had the Annual Planning Law event with William Orbinson KC, Andrew Ryan, TLT Solicitors and Andrea Kells and Helen Fitzsimons from the PAC.

Northern Ireland Young Planners

The Young Planners NI Committee met on a number of occasions to discuss potential events.

Communications

PlaNIt

Two editions of the RTPI NI journal plaNIt have been published in 2022 and distributed online. We have also sent members more regular updates in our e-plaNIt bulletin.

Media

The Director spoke on BBC NI Newsline (March) and on a panel on BBC Radio Ulster’s Inside Business show on 1st April, discussing planning in Northern Ireland in the light of the Public Accounts Committee’s Report.

In 2022 we have seen continued coverage of Northern Ireland issues and RTPI NI activity in The Planner magazine.

Wider Engagement

The Director was a member of the Belfast Telegraph’s Property Awards Judging Panel in 2022.

University Engagement

NI Policy Officer spoke to 300 Year 1 Ulster University students across disciplines about the value of belonging to a professional institution and what the RTPI can offer.

RTPI NI awarded Jonathan Pollock and Andrew Mitchell of QUB the Hugh McKay Award and Conor Campbell at Ulster University was awarded RTPI NI Student Project Prize.

New Chartered Members

We are delighted to welcome new members to RTPI Northern Ireland and now have just over 700 members in Northern Ireland working across sectors, organisations and roles. We held a Welcome Event at W5 in June for all newly Chartered members.

Congratulations to the following who became Chartered Members of RTPI in the year:

• Emma Aldridge
• Hannah Brown
• Ciaran Devlin
• Erin Donaldson
• Kyle Elder
• Chelsea Johnston
• Jonathan Martin
• Natasha McCann
• James McDermott
• Mark BG McEvoy
• Marie McNamee
• Laura Mellon
• Catriona Morgan

 

The Northern Ireland Executive Committee is represented on the RTPI's General Assembly, committees and panels. The members who sat on the Committee in 2022 are:

Office Bearers

• Mura Quigley, Chair (pictured)
• Catharine McWhirter, Senior Vice Chair
• Chris Bryson, Junior Vice Chair
• Gemma Jobling, Immediate Past Chair

Corporate Members

• Alistair Beggs
• Sharon Mossman
• Emma Walker
• Erin Donaldson
• Cathy McKeary

Student/ Licentiate Representatives

• Justin McHenry
• Adam Trafford
• Lisa Curran
• Leo Kilkenny (co-opted)

RTPI General Assembly Members

• Carol Ramsey

Policy and Research Forum

The NI Executive Committee has a Policy and Research Sub-Forum which has met regularly across the year. The 2022 members were:

• Jonathan Bell
• David Brown
• Seamus Cleary
• Stephen McKay
• Mura Quigley
  
• Gavan Rafferty
  
• Martyn Smithson
  
• Emma Kelly
  
• David Worthington

Staff

• Director: Roisin Willmott
• Policy Officer: Joanna Drennan
• Administrator: Julie Sullivan
• Policy Officer - Maternity Cover: Rhian Brimble