Making Planning Work: Working with developers, meeting communities' great expectations

It’s now two years since Northern Ireland adopted a two-tier planning system. The new system is now well-established. However, councillors and developers still have many questions about precisely how they should work together.

How, for instance, can councillors deliver on their communities’ vision, while still ensuring compliance with the Code of Conduct? What obstacles have been overcome in council-led planning applications elsewhere? And how should Developer Contributions under section 76 of the Planning Act 2011 work in practice? We must answer these questions, and others, if we’re to deliver for our communities and ensure a prosperous future.

On May 17, these questions will be addressed at a major seminar organised by NILGA and Eye on the Hill Events. The seminar, the first in a collaborative series of three events, is a must-attend for councillors, planners and developers alike. Chairman Seamus McKee of BBC Radio Ulster will ensure a constructive discussion within the impressive surroundings of Riddel Hall. With contributions from Departmental officials, council officers, major developers and local and overseas experts, the seminar promises unrivalled insight into the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in the planning system.

We hope you’ll take this opportunity to attend, and put forward you views on how to get the best outcomes for our local communities and our region.