The Planning & Environmental team at Cleaver Fulton Rankin has vast local experience advising throughout the planning application and Environmental Impact Assessment process and representation at planning appeals and public inquiries. We also provide proactive advice on environmental issues, including issues of on site contamination, process changes as a result of changes in operation or changes in law and general environmental regulatory issues which may arise either as part of a construction project or a manufacturing operation. Our team currently advises prominent local manufacturers and food processors, electricity generators, waste operators, developers, public bodies, funders and others within the construction industry. This includes advice on all environmental and regulatory consents.

We believe that proactive and practical advice at the outset helps to ensure timely delivery and avoid the delays from Judicial Review. The team also works with our commercial property and corporate colleagues to provide environmental and planning due diligence in property and corporate transactions.

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Areas of Expertise

  • Strategic advice on planning application strategy
  • Advice on requirements of Environmental Impact Assessment
  • Representation at public inquiry and planning appeals
  • Advice and representation on planning enforcement issues
  • General advice on environmental consent and regulatory issues
  • Advice on PPC applications and variation applications
  • Advice on waste management licensing requirements and landfill regulations
  • Advice on engagement with Northern Ireland Environment Agency and attending interviews under caution
  • Defending environmental proceedings in the Magistrate’s and Crown Courts
  • Planning and environmental due diligence in respect of property and corporate transactions

Our Experience

Cleaver Fulton Rankin’s Planning and Environmental team is proud to have been involved in many major development schemes in Northern Ireland including:

  • The iconic £90 million Titanic Belfast
  • The Giant’s Causeway Visitors’Centre
  • The award winning Lyric Theatre
  • The landmark Belfast Metropolitan College
  • Key clients also include a number of agri-food operators, energy companies and waste operators.

Why Us?

The depth and breadth of the team’s experience provides an unrivalled offer in the Northern Ireland market, a specialism which is recognised by all the legal directories. The Chambers Legal Directory 2015 has recognised our experience in this area for many years and currently describes the team as ‘professional and extremely high quality – they provide a strategic steer and handle the nuts and bolt of the work involved.” “They’re flexible, professional, confident, clear and precise.”

Karen Blair, who heads the Planning and Environmental team, is particularly recommended and she is described as having ‘a wealth of experience’, ‘detailed understanding of the law and great communication skills’, for being ‘highly competent, detailed and very incisive’ and generally for her ‘straightforward and client focused approach’.

Legal 500 have also recognised our planning and environmental team noting that, “Cleaver Fulton Rankin houses ‘exceptionally hardworking’ lawyers, who ‘deliver clear advice to clients and always bring added value to a case’.