Bill Morrison
Job Title
Chief Planning Adviser
Role – explain what you do at Strategic Planning
My role is to offer advice and guidance based on my many years experience in planning in Northern Ireland and overseas. I generally get drawn in to early discussion about how best to handle and present planning applications. I give advice to clients at this stage on the prospects of obtaining planning permission and on dealings with planning officials on larger, more complex projects. I maintain relationships with major clients and take an active part in project review meetings. I act as a mentor for the professional team and scrutinise draft reports before issue.
Brief background on your career and qualifications
I am an architect-planner, formerly city planner for Belfast. My professional career has been mainly in public service although I have been a planning consultant in the private sector since 2001. I have been with Strategic Planning from its inception. I am a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, a Fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineering and visiting Professor in Urban Planning and Design at the University of Ulster. I was Chairman of the National Trust's Northern Ireland Planning Commission, a Past President of the national Planning Summer School and a former member of the Policy Council of the Town and Country Planning Association. I am Chair of PLACE, the Architecture and Built Environment Centre for Northern Ireland.
What do you do outside of work - hobbies, interests etc
I play duplicate bridge and a little golf. I enjoy travelling and playing guitar. I have been blessed with the opportunity to perform since the 1960s in a rock and roll band, formerly known as the Dominoes. We play less frequently now but there is nothing I enjoy more than hearing the chime of my 12-string Rickenbacker!
Family life – are you married, children, pets?
I am married to Lyn. We have a daughter Sara and a son Michael. Sara is married to Simon (from Hartlepool) and they have produced our first grandchild, Lottie. My son Michael, who plays in the band with me, is married to Liz who is from Australia. They have provided me with a granddog called Tibbs.
If you could have worked on any building project in the world past or present what would it be and why?
I worked for Craigavon Development Commission at the time it was being wound up – not a happy time. I would like to have been there at the beginning working with the talented and creative individuals who were recruited at the time. I have always been fascinated with new towns. I would like to have worked with Ebenezer Howard on the garden cities of the late eighteen-nineties. I would also like to be afforded opportunity to work on the first settlement on the moon. |
|
Contact me directly on:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
|
