We were delighted to join our colleagues from the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council’s Planning Department to host a visit of undergraduate students from Queen’s University Belfast’s School of Natural and Built Environment.

As part of their course assessment the students were asked with identifying solutions to development and planning issues affecting Lurgan. To assist them with their project, Charles McCafferty, a Conservation Officer of the Planning Department; and Tony Morgan, the Lurgan Townscape Heritage Scheme project manager, provided presentations outlining the historical character of Lurgan, it’s subsequent development and some of the development and planning issues affecting the town today. We then went on a walkabout around the town pointing out the positive and negative features of the town.

In December we then visited the students at Queen’s to view and assess their presentations outlining the results of their studies and proposals. It proved a most instructive day for both ourselves and the students as the limits of planning authority were stretched with some great ideas to Lurgan’s regeneration.  We wish the students well in their future studies.