Applied Through: Experienced Practitioner Route

Commended: Whole submission

Experiences

At the start of my career I took up a role as an administrator with Planning Service, an Agency of the Department of the Environment (DOE). This time provided me with an invaluable insight which made me want to become a planner. I took up a role as Planning Assistant within the Planning Service, Newry & Mourne Development Management Team. During this time the applications I dealt with evolved from minor applications to include a variety of application types from residential schemes, retail applications, industrial applications, tourist schemes and renewable energy applications.

Subsequently I moved to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council to a Planning Assistant role in development management. As such I have had the opportunity to work within two planning systems (central and local government) and new legislative frameworks.

I was successful in gaining a promotion to Planning Officer within the development management team of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, where I currently work. I deal with are a lot more urban based applications including large scale residential schemes, retail and industrial schemes with a wide range of complex issues and increasing levels of complexity and controversy.

APC Tips

• Make notes throughout your career on projects that you felt you delivered well or could have improved. Having these at hand will make it easier when choosing appropriate case studies. I found it useful to tick off competencies as I meet them when working through my case studies.

• Give thoughtful and honest consideration to your PDP, this is a beneficial tool that helps to highlight areas which you find challenging and in turn requires you to address these areas through the most appropriate training avenues.

• Your PES, PCS and PDP are one submission and as such should interlink and be reflective of each other.