Why choose planning as a career?
Planners play a key role in how the environment where we live and work is developed and/or protected for future generations. Their work is diverse. They help to identify the best way to use land and/or buildings. Their goal is to ensure that a balance is achieved between the environmental, social and economic issues when a decision is being made on how land is used and sustainably developed.
The work of a planner impacts on all of our lives and for that reason much of their work involves extensive engagement with elected members (councillors), members of the public, environmental groups, business organisations, community groups, young people, government departments and state agencies.
A planner’s role is not limited to providing expert advice on planning applications or development plans. Many opportunities exist for planners to specialise in areas such as environmental planning, urban design, marine spatial planning, community development, infrastructure and renewable energy planning. Opportunities also exist for planners to conduct research and this gives planners an opportunity to propose innovative new approaches that may influence planning policy.
We live in an ever-changing environment where factors such as climate change, political unrest and pandemics impact on our everyday lives and planners have a key role to play in ensuring that our built environment (our homes or places of work or recreation) can adapt and evolve to meet these challenges.
Key employers are: Local authorities (city and county councils), regional assemblies, central government (including the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH)), the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR), An Coimisiún Pleanála, state agencies (including the National Transport Authority (NTA),Uisce Éireann, Land Development Agency (LDA), Eirgrid, the Housing Agency etc) , the private sector (including developers, construction companies, engineering companies, large retail business, transport organisations, Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) etc.)
Olwyn James, Planner with Uisce Éireann
Why does the planning sector need you?
There are significant changes envisaged in the broader policy horizon particularly following the enactment of the Planning and Development Act 2024 and the publication of the First Revision of the National Planning Framework
The planning process is central to building anything in this country – homes – infrastructure – schools – flood defences – renewable energy infrastructure, etc. The new planning legislation includes many additional responsibilities and actions which will increase workloads in both the private and public sectors, and more resources are being put in place to meet these demands.
In 2022 the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) reported that local authorities had identified a need for an extra 541 planning staff (technical and administrative) at a total cost of approximately €40 million. This report was prepared before the enactment of the Planning and Development Act 2024 and the increased obligations included in the new legislation mean that the demand for qualified professional planners has increased and will continue to increase in the public and private sectors.
High level policy changes are envisaged in the short term which will address:
The Planning and Development Act 2024 was enacted in 2024 and is currently being rolled out on a phased basis. It is the most comprehensive review of planning legislation since 2000. The enactment of the legislation presents exciting opportunities for new graduates and for training and upskilling existing planning practitioners.
Taking into account all the above factors, it is envisaged that there will be even more demand for qualified planners into the future.
