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Conference to focus on landmark planning act

The annual conference of the Law Society’s Environmental and Planning Law Committee will take place in Blackhall Place on 21 November (2pm to 5.15pm).

Organised by Law Society Professional Training, the event will explore recent legislative developments in the area – including the landmark Planning and Development Act 2024.

The event, entitled ‘Planning for the future: exploring the changing landscape in environmental and planning law’, is worth three general CPD hours by group study.

2024 legislation

There will be a keynote address from Mr Justice Richard Humphreys, the judge in charge of the Planning and Environment Court.

The conference will also hear a discussion of some key aspects of the 2024 legislation:

• Transitional provisions,
• The alteration, extension, and revocation of permissions,
• Judicial review and decision-making, and
• Public-participation aspects of the legislation – including the prohibition on requesting payment.

High Court division

There will also be a discussion on recent and future developments in the areas of climate action and offshore wind, as well as a panel discussion on the Planning and Environment Division of the High Court.

Committee chair Rachel Minch (Philip Lee LLP) will chair the conference (pictured).

As well as Mr Justice Humphreys, the speakers include:

• Oonagh Buckley (Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications),
• Aoife Carroll SC,
• Danielle Conaghan (partner, Arthur Cox),
• Dr Fred Logue (managing partner, FP Logue LLP),
• Alice Whittaker (partner, Philip Lee LLP), and
• Jonathan Moore (partner, Fieldfisher Ireland LLP).