The emerging need for specialised planning advice to the industrial sector was one of the motivating factors in the firm’s establishment in 2003. Since then we have grown our involvement in this area considerably.
The distinctive needs of industrial clients are significantly different from other commercial interests. The sheer scale of developments, coupled with the needs for complex supporting infrastructure means our engineering and design backgrounds are of significant benefit. The longer timeframe of these projects, and typically the need for EIA and other assessments including Natura Impact Statements, and other related consents – such as discharge and IPPC licences, ensure this unique insight is invaluable to our clients.
In addition to the complexity of many of these developments, the process of actually making an application has been changed by the introduction of the Strategic Infrastructure Developments (SID) legislation. Many of our industrial projects have fallen into the SID category – therefore changing the pre-application and application process as well as introduction (typically) of the need for an oral hearing, where previously this may not have taken place even at appeal stage.
Our inputs to industrial projects typically include:
• Site selection / suitability / due diligence studies;
• Inputs to project team selection;
• Coordination of consultation with statutory bodies, Planning Authority / An Bord Pleanála;
• Scoping and co-ordination of application documentation;
• Specialist inputs to EIS;
• Compilation and assessment of 3rd Party submissions and preparation for any oral hearing (where required)
• Assessment of, and advice on, emerging decision;
• Compliance support
