About

Planning Energy Environment

Specialising in planning, energy, and related environmental law issues, William Orbinson QC spends his time providing success-focused planning advice, and pursuing that focus in local development plan examinations, major project inquiries and hearings, appeals, enforcement appeals, judicial reviews and prosecutions

A Northern Ireland Associate of PEBA: The Specialist Bar Association for Planning, the Environment and Local Government, Mr Orbinson QC has qualified as a Legal Associate of the Royal Town Planning Institute, and is an Affiliate of the Irish Planning Institute

Chair of the Northern Ireland Planning Bar Association, founding member, past Chair and Committee Member of the Environmental and Planning Law Association for Northern Ireland, and Chair of the Planning Appeals Commission Users Group, Mr Orbinson QC taught planning at Queen’s University Belfast, and is a regular speaker at planning and environmental conferences throughout these islands

With more than a quarter of a century’s experience, he combines keen commercial instinct, close analysis, sound judgement, persuasion, and a deep understanding of planning and environmental law and policy to deliver success

  • Planning, Energy, Environment

  • Specialism – specialism in planning, energy and related environmental issues

  • Success - Success-focused strategy, advice, and advocacy

The Importance of Being Local

Local skills, local nous, local clients

Theoretical grasp of how Northern Ireland’s planning system may work, based on what happens in GB, is not enough. Central to William Orbinson QC’s commercial and client-focussed approach is a deep understanding of how local planning policy and guidance are interpreted and applied by our planning authorities, the PAC and the Courts, drawn from his decades of working within the local planning system, evidenced by the many developments in Northern Ireland bearing his fingerprints, and by his numerous publications on the local planning system over those years. Central too is having his finger on the pulse of the local property market, understanding what NI clients expect and need – now and in the years to come – and using local skills and local nous to meet – and surpass – those expectations and needs

Experience, expertise, application

  • Commercial instinct, commercial understanding, commercial success

  • More than 25 years’ experience in planning, energy and related environmental issues

  • Joint Law Society/Bar Council Planning Examination 1998, and Legal Associate of the Royal Town Planning Institute

  • Deep understanding of domestic and European planning and environmental law

  • Success-focused strategic vision, expertise, application

  • Access, experience, knowledge, judgment, persuasion, success

Qualifications, positions and memberships

  • Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours), Queen’s University Belfast, 1987

  • Joint Law Society/Bar Council Planning Examination, 1998

  • Legal Associate, Royal Town Planning Institute, 1998

  • Called to the Dublin Bar, 2000, and qualified to practise throughout the island of Ireland

  • Affiliate of the Irish Planning Institute

  • Northern Ireland Associate of PEBA: The Specialist Bar Association for Planning, the Environment and Local Government

  • Founding Member, Committee Member and past Chair of the Environmental and Planning Law Association for Northern Ireland (EPLANI)

  • Chair of the Northern Ireland Planning Bar Association

  • Chair of the Planning Appeals Commission Users Group

  • Associate of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects

  • Member of the United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (UKELA)

  • Qualified Mediator

Services

Specialising in planning, energy, and related environmental law issues

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