Northern Ireland

Areas of work / types of services offered

As Northern Ireland’s first and only Senior Counsel with an exclusive specialism in planning and related environmental law issues, William Orbinson spends his time providing planning and environmental advice to the development community and representing developers, the minerals industry, landowners, energy and infra-structure providers and waste operators in major planning inquiries, development plan inquiries, appeals, enforcement appeals, prosecutions and judicial reviews.

The sole Northern Ireland Associate of PEBA: The Specialist Bar Association for Planning, the Environment and Local Government, Mr Orbinson is also the only member of the Northern Ireland Bar to have qualified as a Legal Associate of the Royal Town Planning Institute and to be an Affiliate of the Irish Planning Institute.

A founding member, past Chair and Committee Member of the Environmental and Planning Law Association for Northern Ireland, he is the author of the main NI texts on planning appeals, planning policy, environmental assessment, renewable energy, judicial review and enforcement.

• Minerals
• Waste
• Infrastructure
• Roads
• Renewable energy
• Strategic environmental assessment
• Environmental impact assessments
• Habitats Directive assessment
• Judicial Review
• Planning inquiries, planning appeals, enforcement appeals
• Defending prosecutions
• Legal advice
• Planning policy analysis
• Strategic project direction
• Environmental licensing and permitting
• Regulatory and licensing appeals
• Contaminated land
• Compulsory purchase and compensation