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McHenry
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Planning & development consultancy · Northern Ireland

Planning clarity.
Development insight.
Better places.

A team-based planning consultancy providing strategic planning advice, development support, public consultation and geospatial insight — helping landowners, developers, investors and project teams understand opportunity, manage risk and move projects forward with confidence.

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Indicative site appraisal

From site sourcing and pre-acquisition appraisal to planning applications, policy representations, community consultation and post-consent delivery.

Our approach

Planning advice built around your project

Planning decisions are influenced by policy, place, design, evidence, stakeholders and delivery considerations. Our role is to bring these elements together into a clear strategy.

We work with clients from the earliest stages of site identification and feasibility through to planning approval, implementation and longer-term asset strategy.

Our advice is proportionate to the decision being made. This may involve an initial planning opinion, a detailed site appraisal, a full planning application or a wider portfolio and development strategy.

What we do

Six areas of practice, one planning strategy

Services can be commissioned individually or combined into an integrated project scope.

Planning strategy and applications

Planning appraisals, pre-application advice, planning applications, planning statements, appeals, conditions and post-consent support.

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Strategic land and policy

Local development plan consultations, representations, call-for-sites submissions, land promotion and policy papers.

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Public consultation and communications

Traditional and digital consultation, community engagement, stakeholder strategy, elected-member engagement and strategic communications.

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Site sourcing and development advice

Pre-acquisition appraisals, site searches, masterplanning support, development feasibility and delivery strategy.

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Geospatial and portfolio insight

GIS mapping, planning-history analysis, land and property intelligence, portfolio risk reviews and opportunity mapping.

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Research and training

Academic and professional research, policy analysis, workshops, masterclasses and tailored training for planning and development teams.

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From site identification to delivery

How a commission runs

Four stages, in sequence, whatever the scale of the instruction.

  1. 01

    Understand

    We establish the client’s objectives, the planning question and the decision that needs to be made.

  2. 02

    Investigate

    We review policy, site history, ownership, constraints, surrounding development, stakeholder context and delivery considerations.

  3. 03

    Strategise

    We identify the principal risks and opportunities and establish a clear route forward.

  4. 04

    Deliver

    We prepare and coordinate applications, representations, consultation, evidence and post-consent work.

Consultation

Consultation that supports better outcomes

Public and community consultation should be more than a procedural requirement.

We design engagement processes that help communities and stakeholders understand proposals, raise concerns and contribute meaningfully to project development — aligned with the planning, design and communications strategy so feedback can be considered and responded to effectively.

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Delivered through

  • Public exhibitions
  • Community workshops
  • Stakeholder meetings
  • Digital consultation platforms
  • Interactive mapping
  • Online surveys
  • Webinars
  • Elected-member briefings
  • Clear consultation reporting

Geospatial

Spatial intelligence for development decisions

Planning is inherently spatial.

A site cannot be fully understood without considering its relationship to policy designations, infrastructure, ownership, neighbouring development, environmental constraints and wider market activity. We combine GIS and planning judgement to turn data into practical development intelligence.

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Our geospatial work helps clients

  • Identify potential sites
  • Compare opportunities
  • Understand planning history
  • Map constraints and designations
  • Review development activity
  • Assess property portfolios
  • Strengthen planning submissions
  • Communicate complex evidence clearly

Selected project experience

Experience applied to real decisions

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Strategic land promotion

Planning appraisal, development plan representations, call-for-sites submission and geospatial evidence.

Major mixed-use development

Planning strategy, pre-application engagement, consultation and multidisciplinary coordination.

Property portfolio review

Planning, land and spatial analysis used to identify development risks and opportunities across multiple assets.

Renewable-energy estate assessment

Site screening, planning appraisal, portfolio mapping and coordination with specialist delivery partners.

Why work with us

Five things clients rely on

Team-based expertise

Access to planning, consultation, communications, geospatial and development expertise.

Clear advice

Straightforward recommendations focused on the decisions that matter.

Commercial awareness

Planning advice informed by programme, cost, viability and delivery.

Integrated support

Access to trusted design, technical, renewable-energy and delivery specialists.

Evidence-led strategy

Advice grounded in policy, research, site context and professional judgement.

Start with the right evidence

Understand the planning position before you commit.

Whether you are assessing a single property, promoting land, preparing an application or reviewing a wider portfolio, we can help you understand the planning position and identify the most appropriate route forward.

Speak to our team