Gravis Planning's Chris Bryson reflects on time as Chair of RTPI NI

It’s hard to believe that my time as Chair of the NI branch of the RTPI is coming to an end. I started my year in the Chair with the aim to present a positive image of planning, so that we can take more pride in what we do and remind everyone of how planning, when done well, can have a positive impact upon society.

It’s always good to start off the year with a social event - the annual dinner at the City Hall in March was well attended and it was particularly pleasing to see so many students there.

This dinner was swiftly followed by another in April, when I attended the AGM of Construction Professionals Council of NI, followed by their annual dinner at Malone House. I felt it was important to engage with other industry professional bodies and the CPCNI brings together most professional representative bodies that work in the construction sector. In line with my theme, having a representative of the RTPI ‘at the table’ means that other professionals obtain a greater appreciation of what planning can and can’t do, and how planning can have a positive impact upon development. Working with our fellow professional representative bodies means a louder voice when issues arise that relate to planning.

Moving away from the theme of food and dinners(!), the RTPI Director and I met with the Infrastructure Minister in June, to highlight the importance of investment in planning and, again, to extol the virtues of the positive impact that planning can have on society. It was clear the Minister appreciated the role planning plays and assured us it was high on his agenda. On the same day, we celebrated planning at the RTPI NI Planning Excellence Awards and New Members Welcome Event at Riddel Hall. I feel that this event is one of the most important of the year, as it gives us the opportunity to shout about the importance of planning and also makes those coming into the profession feel welcomed and appreciated.

The annual Planning Conference is usually the highlight of the year and this year’s, held in September, was no exception. With a sold-out crowd and a keynote speech from the Minister, it was centred on the theme of being Positive about Planning – which can stretch across a number of areas, including the public image of planning and professional well-being.

September also saw the first and inaugural meeting of the Planning Consultants Forum. This is something that I was particularly keen to get going, as it brings together consultants from across NI and provides them with a platform to discuss planning issues. Hopefully it will grow into an effective representative body that promotes positive planning. 

I want to say a word of thanks to the local RTPI officers who work tirelessly to prepare and co-ordinate seminars and conferences. I’d also like to thank all members of the Executive Committee for their input and support during my year as Chair; it was greatly appreciated. 

Finally, a huge thanks to Gravis Planning for supporting me in this role during 2024.