Administrative Law or Judicial Review
Planning
Public Inquiries
I am a King’s Counsel specialising for the past 30 years in development planning, energy, waste management, environmental law, and judicial review. Based mainly in Belfast, I provide commercially-aware advocacy and advice to the development industry, my clients including major renewable energy and infrastructure developers, retail, commercial, and industrial interests, airports, ports, waste operators, and house builders. Areas of work include Renewables, Retail, Industrial, Commercial, Aviation, Transport, Waste, Environment and Public Inquiries.
1987; Bachelor of Laws (1st Class Honours), Queen’s University Belfast
1988; Barrister-at-Law
1998; Law Society/Royal Town Planning Institute Planning Examination
2000; Called to the Bar of Ireland
2006; Queen’s Counsel
2011; SLS Dispute Resolution and Mediation Training
Tutor, Planning Law, Queen’s University, Belfast
Legal Associate of the Royal Town Planning Institute
Affiliate of the Irish Planning Institute
Associate of the Planning & Environment Bar Association, the Specialist Bar Association for Planning, Environment & Local Government
Associate Member and Member of the Planning & Environment Group Committee, NI Renewables Industry Group/Irish Wind Energy
Association Founder Member, Chair and Committee Member, Environmental and Planning Law Association for Northern Ireland
Chair, Planning Appeals Commission Users Group
Chair, Northern Ireland Planning Bar Association
Judicial Review Group Member, UK Environmental Law Association
Commercially-aware, specialist advocacy and advice in development planning, energy, waste management and environmental law. Renewable energy development. Energy, infrastructure, aviation, retail, industrial, commercial and residential development. Strategic environmental assessment. Environmental impact assessment. Habitats Directive assessment. Judicial Review. Planning inquiries. Planning appeals. Enforcement appeals. Defending prosecutions. Planning policy analysis. Strategic project direction. Waste management. Environmental licensing and permitting. Regulatory and licensing appeals. Brownfield development and contaminated land. Comprehensive development schemes and urban regeneration. Compulsory purchase and compensation. Recent projects include the all-Ireland North-South Interconnector, wind turbine planning appeals, and multiple planning judicial reviews.
‘Planning Judicial Review in Northern Ireland’, Planning Online 2024 (with Judge Fionnuala Anne Connolly, Royal Court of Guernsey)
‘Planning Appeals Principles’, Planning Online 5th Edition, 2020 (new edition pending)
‘Safeguarding Assets: Understanding the Planning Appeals Commission’s approach to planning enforcement’, Planning Online 2010
‘Planning and Judicial Review’, SLS Legal Publications (NI) 2009
‘Housing, the Regional Development Strategy and Prematurity: The Commission’s Approach’, SLS Legal Publications (NI) 2004
‘Northern Ireland Planning Policy’, SLS Legal Publications (NI) 2003
‘Index to Northern Ireland Planning Policy’, SLS Legal Publications (NI) 2003
‘The Planning Appeals Commission: Principles of Decision-Making in Appeals, Inquiries and Hearings’, SLS Legal Publications (NI) 1999