RTPI NI Annual Review

We responded to the following consultations:

• Planning Application Validation Checklist (January)
• Draft Planning Fees (January)
• Changes to Permitted Development (January)
• Housing Supply Strategy (February)
• Energy Issues paper (February)
• Inconsiderate Pavement Parking (March)
• Offshore Action Plan (March)
• Footways - Prohibition of Waiting (March)
• Design Consideration for Renewable Energy (April)
• DfI Resource Budget (June)
• Revised RSPP on Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Response (July)
• Fire Safety Changes (September)
• Carbon Budget and Path to Net Zero (October)
• Eastern Transport Plan (October)

Research

Research into 'Post-Brexit Biodiversity Protection in Planning in Northern Ireland’

Interim Regional Planning Commission

We provide Secretariat for the Interim Regional Planning Commission and in 2023 attended 3 meetings and a workshop

Advisory Groups

We participate in various advisory groups to promote planning issues. During 2023, these have included:

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

Events

In March we held the Community Engagement webinar where speakers offered their views on effectively involving the public in planning their communities.  Most communities are not aware of how to be effectively involved and residents and communities are usually engaged too late in the process to make a difference.  We heard from Dr Louise O'Kane, Community Places, Eamon Scullion, Jacobs, Brendan Gallagher, Faithful & Gould and Hannah Dineen, Grasshopper Communications.

In June we held a webinar on Introducing Renewable Energy in Historic Settings. Adapting and mitigating to climate change is a priority for us all but how can renewable energy, as part of the response, be incorporated sensitively.  We heard from Keith Jones, National Trust and Alistair Shaw, Max Fordham LLP.  This webinar was part of Conservation in Common, a cross disciplinary series of events for professionals works in the built heritage sector. 

In September we held the Northern Ireland Annual Conference, sponsored by FTB looking at Embracing the Plan-led system in Northern Ireland.  Designed to provide an opportunity to reflect as a profession and on our priorities moving forward and how decision-making is affected – this was split into four Plenary Sessions.

The Conference offered a day of discussion and debate on these topics.

And finally, wrapping up the year we had the Annual Planning Law webinar in November with William Orbinson KC, Brendan Martyn, Cleaver Fulton Rankin Solicitors and Andrea Kells and Mark Watson from the PAC.

Northern Ireland Young Planners

The Young Planners NI Committee met on a number of occasions to discuss potential events.  They held a social event in September and a webinar on AI in Planning in November.

Communications

PlaNIt

Two editions of the RTPI NI journal plaNIt have been published in 2023 and distributed online. We have also sent members more regular updates in our e-plaNIt bulletin.

The Big Conversation

In November we published the findings from the Big Conversation NI survey.  The survey set out to gauge the wellbeing of planners in Northern Ireland and to explore the issues, impacts, causes and potential solutions to support the profession deliver the planning system.

Wider Engagement

The Director was a member of the Belfast Telegraph’s Property Awards Judging Panel in 2023.

University Engagement

The Director spoke to QUB Masters students on the APC accreditation process to prepare students for the process following their graduation and spoke to UU students in November.

RTPI NI awarded Tom Weir of QUB the Hugh McKay Award, Aoife Byrne at Ulster University was awarded RTPI NI Student Project Prize and Brett Graham was awarded the RTPI Prize.

School Engagement

The Director ran a planning for real exercise with 6th formers at Bangor Academy and spoke to Y10 pupils at Ulidia College, Carrickfergus on planning as a career

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 Ulster Museum in June for all newly Chartered members.

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

• Sophie Burch
• Edwar Calderon
• Patrick Marks
• Mark McLaughlin
• Maire McNamee
• Michael Vladeanu

The Northern Ireland Executive Committee is represented on the RTPI's General Assembly, committees and panels. The members who sat on the Committee in 2023 are:

Office Bearers

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

Corporate Members

• Emma Aldridge
• Alistair Beggs
• Chris Blair
• Erin Donaldson
• Diane O'Neill
• Nick Salt

Student/ Licentiate Representatives

• Justin McHenry
• Lisa Curran

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 2023 members were:

• Jonathan Bell
• Karen Blair
• David Brown
• Neil Galway
• Charlotte Irwin
• Martyn Smithson
  
• Claire Williamson
  
• David Worthington

NI Executive Committee representatives who sit on the Forum:

• Catharine McWhirter
• Lisa Curran
• Mura Quigley

Staff

• Director: Roisin Willmott
• Policy Officer: Joanna Drennan
• Member Services Officer: Julie Sullivan