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Consultants call for Executive to ‘catch up’ on development policy
Four of Northern Ireland’s leading consultancies involved in the development sector have called on the Executive to ‘catch up’ with Great Britain by speeding up the introduction of measures to encourage more development on brownfield land.
 Senior Representatives from Strategic Planning, Geodelft Environmental, Carson McDowell and Grant Thornton, were addressing delegates from the development and construction industry at a conference in the Ramada Hotel in Belfast
Professor Bill Morrison from Strategic Planning explained: “Brownfield land is traditionally defined here as abandoned or derelict land which may be complicated by environmental issues, but nonetheless it has a development history or use. There are many obstacles in planning policy terms here which frustrate and delay planning application for development of brown-field sites. What is needed in Northern Ireland is a more streamlined system to help fast-track brown-field sites which are lying derelict and providing no meaningful benefit in social or economic terms.”
Referring to the Government’s plans to encourage urban regeneration Grant Thornton’s Senior Tax Consultant, Peter Legge, added: “Measures were introduced in 2001 to encourage the reclamation and remediation of contaminated land as part of the effort to promote the re-development of brownfield sites. Broadly, enhanced tax relief at 150% on qualifying land remediation expenditure is available to a company that carries on either a trade or a property business. Furthermore, changes introduced in the 2008 Budget confirmed that the current landfill tax exemption will be phased out by April 2012, and legislation will be introduced to extend the enhanced tax relief to expenditure on derelict land and to the removal of Japanese Knotweed from 1 April 2009. These are valuable relief’s, which could have a positive impact upon cash flows, if the current uncertainty surrounding brownfield sites can be removed.”
Senior Environmental Lawyer at Carson McDowell Andrew Ryan explained: “One of the most difficult issues facing developers for brownfield sites is contaminated land or the risk of contaminated land. The failure by the Northern Ireland Executive to implement contaminated land legislation that has sat on the statute books for over ten years and bring in NI-specific planning policy on the same, leads to uncertainty and frustration for developers and further delays in gaining valuable planning approval.”
Peter Papafio, a Director with environmental consultants Geodelft Environmental commented: “Developers considering the acquisition and development of brownfield land should seek specialist advice from an experienced environmental consultant at an early stage. Although there are potentially many environmental risks associated with such land there are well established frameworks for their assessment and with an understanding of the environmental risks steps can be taken to transform derelict and contaminated land into an asset. However it is vital that the Government and regulators ensure that there is clear and consistent guidance regarding the assessment of environmental risks as planning applications often face lengthy delays when brownfield land is involved.“
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