Committees and Forums

Emma is a Senior Planner within Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. She has 10 years professional planning experience, having worked across both the public sector and private sector across the UK and Ireland. Emma has significant experience in dealing with complex major planning applications and working within large multidisciplinary project teams on high profile developments. Emma has sat on the RTPI General Assembly and is currently Chair of the RTPI NI Executive Committee. In her year as Chair, she hopes to promote the planning profession as a career choice to students, resulting in greater diversity entering the profession in the future. 

Nick Salt is a Senior Planner with Turley and has been based in their Belfast office since joining in January 2022.  In that time, he has worked on several major projects in throughout the UK and Ireland, including significant urban regeneration schemes, major logistics proposals and residential schemes.

Nick graduated from Queens University Belfast in 2017 with a Planning and Development MSc, having made the switch from a short career in politics.  He has previously worked in development management for the Isle of Man Government, and more recently with local planning authorities throughout England during a spell with Capita.

Nick was awarded NI Young Planner of the Year in 2024

Diane has been engaged in planning practice for over 20 years having started her career in the Department of the Environment Planning Service holding various posts in development management and development plan. Diane also worked for the Department for Regional Development Regional Planning in the implementation of the Regional Development Strategy. In 2012, Diane attained a PhD from Queen's University, Belfast on the topic of collaborative planning and equality in Northern Ireland. Having worked at the Planning Appeals Commission since 2006, Diane has conducted numerous planning appeals, been involved in a public inquiry into a major road scheme and has just completed her second examination of a local development plan.

Chris Bryson is Director of Planning with Gravis Planning, a consultancy with offices in Belfast and Dublin, and leads a team of planners on large-scale development schemes. A graduate of Queens University Belfast, he has over 18 years’ experience working on a wide range of projects throughout Northern Ireland. Prior to joining Gravis Planning, Chris worked for the Planning Service (DoE) in the Belfast office, as part of the Development Control city centre team.

Chris is currently the Acting Service Unit Manager (Principal Planner) for the Planning Enforcement team at Ards and North Down Borough Council in Northern Ireland, where he has worked for seven years.

After Chris gained a BSc (Hons) degree in Town and Regional Planning from the University of Dundee he worked for the Department of Environment for Northern Ireland’s Planning Service from August 2002 to March 2015 in both Development Management and Planning Enforcement roles across several Area Planning offices.

Chris is the NI Representative for the NAPE Executive Committee, which he has been since February 2017.

Sophie is a Senior  Planner working for Capita Local Public Services to provide development management support to Local Authorities across England and Wales. Sophie has significant experience in working on complex major schemes, including residential schemes and urban regeneration schemes. Prior to this, Sophie worked within the development management team at Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.

Sophie graduated from Queens University Belfast in 2019 with a City Planning and Design MSc, after achieving a first class BSc degree in Environmental Planning. 

Sophie is Chair of the NI Young Planner Committee.

Julie recently joined the Planning Inspectorate as an Examining Inspector considering applications for Development Consent Orders for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects across England and Wales. For the previous 19 years she was a member of the Planning Appeals Commission and undertook a range of planning appeals, referred work, including the North-South Electricity Interconnector, and was most recently involved in independent examination of the Belfast City Council and Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council LDPs.  

Julie’s 35 year work experience also includes posts with various public sector bodies in N Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and England in development management, enforcement, development plan, economic development and promotion of countryside access.

She is a graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester University and the Open University.

Mark is an associate planner with Gravis Planning and has previously worked in development management for Planning Service (DOE), Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council and Ards & North Down Borough Council with over 20 years experience.
Having studied at Queens University Belfast, Mark obtained a BSc Honours degree in Environmental Planning and a Postgraduate diploma in Town and Country Planning

Catherine is a senior planner in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. During her 30-year public sector career, she has spent the last 15 years working on securing the transformation of planning and local government in Northern Ireland. She worked on the making of the Planning Act 2011, and led the introduction of community planning to Northern Ireland, developing cross-sector relationships and overseeing a significant capacity building programme.

To embed the new planning system, Catherine worked with the Welsh Government to assist with establishing regional oversight of the new local development plan system, and project managed the Planning Engagement Partnership collaboratively working with public, private and third sector organisations across Northern Ireland, to produce a report ‘Planning Your Place: Getting Involved’ containing recommendations on how to improve community engagement in the planning process. Catherine is now working on good relations and planning issues in The Executive Office.

Catherine is the Nations Trustee on the RTPI Board of Trustees and is a Member of the RTPI Northern Ireland Executive Committee. She is committed to harnessing the value of planning, to produce positive societal outcomes at local, regional and national levels. She is also enthusiastic in her pursuit of self development along with professional development. She works with colleagues to provide a Women’s Mentoring Programme for women across the Northern Ireland Civil Service, and is also an active member of the ‘More to Life’ Foundation which is a global community of people committed to transforming their lives and communities through their own personal development.

Robbie is an Associate Director at AECOM leading on consenting for major infrastructure projects across Ireland.  He has over 15 years experience working in planning across Scotland, England and Ireland.  Prior to joining AECOM Robbie was Head of Development Management and Planning Enforcement at the London Borough of Haringey; the 2024 London RTPI Planning Authority of the year. 

Robbie graduated from the University of Dundee in 2007 with a degree in Town and Regional Planning.  He spent 3 years working in Development Management in East Dunbartonshire on the outskirts of Glasgow followed by Runnymede in Surrey before joining Haringey in 2013.     

Robbie has extensive experience working on complex major planning applications for high profile regeneration projects and service improvement in Development Management

Catharine is the Community Planning Manager for Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council and is responsible for managing and facilitating collaboration between a number of statutory partners delivering services to improve the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of local people. She has been a town planner for over 30 years having previously worked in Wyre Borough Council and Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council before returning to Northern Ireland to work in the voluntary sector on planning projects with community groups. A graduate of Birmingham Polytechnic, Catharine strongly believes in the importance of involving communities in making decisions which ultimately impact on their lives.

Catharine was RTPI NI Chair in 2023.

Emily is currently a Planning Assistant at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council. She is also in the final stages of completing her PhD at Queens University Belfast. Her research investigates the 10 year legacy of Derry/ Londonderry hosting the inaugural UK City of Culture in 2013.

Prior to this, Emily graduated from Queen's University Belfast in 2019 with a MSc in City Planning and Design, following her achievement of a first class BSc in Environmental Planning. 

Emily is Vice Chair of the NI Young Planners Committee.

Rob is studying part-time for an MSc in City Planning and Design at Queen's University Belfast and working as a Civil Servant in Health Policy. He has worked for multiple government departments and was previously on the Civil Service Fast-Stream Graduate Programme.

Before this Rob graduated from The University of Sheffield in 2018 with a degree in Geography and Planning and while there was a Royal Geographical Society Student Ambassador.

Victoria is a Graduate Planner at JUNO Planning and Environmental Ltd. Before transitioning into planning, she spent five years immersed in the world of government and lobbying in California.

This diverse background has endowed her with an understanding of governance and public engagement, skills she now leverages to be more impactful with planning initiatives in Northern Ireland.

Victoria holds an MSc in Planning and Development from Queen's University, where she concentrated her research on renewable energy. At JUNO, she thrives on tackling major developments and renewable energy projects, always with a keen focus on community engagement.

Passionate about fostering positive change and environmental stewardship, Victoria is committed to making a meaningful impact through her work.