Some of the UK’s most senior planners visited County Clare this week as part of a “5 Administrations” visit to the Mid West Region.
The Heads of Planning in each of the 4 UK administrations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and their counterpart in Ireland meet twice yearly to discuss issues of mutual concern and share experiences on planning matters including in relation to EU Directives.
As part of their visit to the Region, the group met with senior planning officials from Clare County Council to hear about planning and development in the County.
The group received a briefing from Clare County Council Senior Planner, Gordon Daly and Senior Executive Planner, Brian McCarthy including on plans and strategies underway in relation to the Shannon Estuary, Renewable Energy, the Shannon Free Zone and Shannon Airport.
Commenting on the visit, Jim MacKinnon, Director of the Built Environment and Chief Planner in the Scottish Executive said: “Clare County Council clearly has a compelling vision for the future of the County based not just on Clare’s natural assets such as the Shannon Estuary, but also a willingness to embrace and share the future through harnessing the potential of renewables.”
Mr. MacKinnon added: “Too often planning is about numbers and procedures. In Clare, however, the County seems to me to be on the front foot not just in relation to planning for the future, but also ensuring that planning plays its full part in delivering that future.”
The group of planners also visited the Cliffs of Moher where they met with Director, Katherine Webster.
Commenting on the visit, Senior Planner with Clare County Council, Gordon Daly said: “It was a great opportunity to showcase the County to this high level group and to hear their perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing Clare. The group appeared particularly impressed as to how sensitively the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre has been integrated into the landscape and that a project of this scale was delivered by the local authority”.
The Heads of Planning in each of the 4 UK administrations of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and their counterpart in Ireland meet twice yearly to discuss issues of mutual concern and share experiences on planning matters including in relation to EU Directives.
As part of their visit to the Region, the group met with senior planning officials from Clare County Council to hear about planning and development in the County.
The group received a briefing from Clare County Council Senior Planner, Gordon Daly and Senior Executive Planner, Brian McCarthy including on plans and strategies underway in relation to the Shannon Estuary, Renewable Energy, the Shannon Free Zone and Shannon Airport.
Commenting on the visit, Jim MacKinnon, Director of the Built Environment and Chief Planner in the Scottish Executive said: “Clare County Council clearly has a compelling vision for the future of the County based not just on Clare’s natural assets such as the Shannon Estuary, but also a willingness to embrace and share the future through harnessing the potential of renewables.”
Mr. MacKinnon added: “Too often planning is about numbers and procedures. In Clare, however, the County seems to me to be on the front foot not just in relation to planning for the future, but also ensuring that planning plays its full part in delivering that future.”
The group of planners also visited the Cliffs of Moher where they met with Director, Katherine Webster.
Commenting on the visit, Senior Planner with Clare County Council, Gordon Daly said: “It was a great opportunity to showcase the County to this high level group and to hear their perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing Clare. The group appeared particularly impressed as to how sensitively the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre has been integrated into the landscape and that a project of this scale was delivered by the local authority”.
