RSUA met today with the Minister for Infrastructure (DfI), Liz Kimmins, to discuss a range of issues affecting architecture in Northern Ireland. RSUA was represented by its President, John Lavery, and Director, Ciarán Fox.
This meeting followed a previous discussion held in December 2024 with Minister Kimmins’ predecessor, John O’Dowd. You can read more about that meeting here.
NI Water – Funding
At our previous meeting, RSUA encouraged DfI to consider future co-operative models for NI Water that would not involve domestic water charges.
The Minister confirmed that DfI has now ruled out household water charges as a means of funding NI Water in the future.
RSUA is committed to supporting the development of alternative funding models, and the Minister welcomed further discussion on the matter.
NI Water – Reuse Upgrades
RSUA stressed the need for DfI to enable small-scale property upgrades with respect to water infrastructure. Currently, if a building becomes disused and NI Water classifies it as no longer contributing to the system, its connection is removed.
We highlighted that disconnection could hinder the potential for such buildings to be brought back into use, thereby impeding regeneration efforts in towns, villages, and city centres across Northern Ireland.
RSUA proposed that DfI adopt new standing advice for such upgrades based on the de minimis principle – treating minor developments as not requiring detailed scrutiny from NI Water.
We look forward to ongoing engagement with the Department on this issue.
Brownfield Land Commission
RSUA expressed its desire for a cross-departmental approach to establish a commission tasked with making recommendations on how to incentivise development within the existing development footprint (i.e. brownfield land), and to disincentivise greenfield development unless it is the only remaining option.
The Minister stated that she had not previously been aware of this type of proposal but was open to further discussion.
Biodiversity Net Gain
Following RSUA’s meeting with DAERA Minister Andrew Muir in December 2024, Minister Muir contacted the then-Minister for Infrastructure, John O’Dowd, to seek clarification on the DfI’s position regarding Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) – a development approach that ensures a measurable positive impact on biodiversity.
While DfI confirmed there is currently no requirement within local planning policy to secure BNG, RSUA followed up with Minister Kimmins to outline how it could be implemented effectively and efficiently, without introducing unnecessary bureaucracy.
The Minister was receptive, and RSUA looks forward to further discussion with the Department.
Planning Performance
RSUA informed the Minister that the performance of planning across Northern Ireland is causing real difficulties for architects. We acknowledged that some Councils are processing applications much faster than others.
We asked the Minister how poor a Council’s performance would need to become before DfI would use its powers under the Planning Act to commission a review that would make recommendations for change.
As an example, RSUA highlighted the experience of the Newry, Mourne, and Down District Council area, where processing times for even the simplest of applications was excessively slow.
The Minister acknowledged these concerns and agreed to consider them further.
We also discussed the potential measure of introducing City and Council Architects to Northern Ireland. The Minister expressed interest in this proposal, and we will prepare a paper outlining the role of these architects for her review.
Manual for Streets
RSUA reiterated its desire to see Manual for Streets (MfS) adopted in Northern Ireland. Well-established in England and Wales, the Manual provides guidance for those involved in the planning, design, development, and approval of new or modified streets, prioritising residents’ quality of life.
In collaboration with the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT), RSUA presented a one-page proposal for the introduction of MfS to the Minister.
The paper as presented to DfI can be accessed here.
Active Travel School Index
In May 2022, DfI granted RSUA and ARUP funding to develop a tool that maps and analyses Belfast’s active travel infrastructure and assesses the level of accessibility by active modes to schools.
The insights offered by the tool could potentially inform viable proposals for future changes to infrastructure, aimed at better facilitating walking, cycling and wheeling for children travelling to school.
RSUA and ARUP subsequently produced a report, and we informed the Minister that, with DfI’s permission, we would like to finalise and publish it. This will remain an ongoing point of discussion.
York Street Interchange
RSUA will follow up with the Department to restate its concerns over DfI’s plans for the York Street Interchange project.
RSUA wishes to support a scheme that better reduces congestion, costs less, is quicker and less disruptive to implement, improves the neighbourhood, and cuts greenhouse gas emissions more than current plans.
Our official statement on the future of the York Street Interchange project can be accessed here.
If you have any questions or comments about this meeting, please contact Curtis Large, RSUA Policy and Public Affairs Officer, at curtis@rsua.org.uk
