Skip to main content
Department for Communities

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Topics
  • Publications
  • Consultations
  • Contact

Translation help

Translate this page

Select a language

  • Arabic — عربي
  • Chinese (Simplified) — 中文简体
  • Chinese (Traditional) — 中文繁體
  • Dutch — Nederlands
  • Filipino — Filipino
  • French — Français
  • German — Deutsch
  • Hungarian — Magyar
  • Irish — Gaeilge
  • Italian — Italiano
  • Latvian — Latviešu
  • Lithuanian — Lietuvių kalba
  • Polish — Polski
  • Portuguese — Português
  • Romanian — Română
  • Russian — Русский
  • Slovak — Slovenčina
  • Spanish — Español
  • Ukrainian — Українська
  • Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG) - Architecture and the Built Environment for Northern Ireland

    MAG - Well-being, sustainability and the economy

    Topics:
    • Regeneration, 
    • Ministerial Advisory Group for Architecture and the Built Environment

    MAG is here to support communities, developers, local authorities and government to create high quality buildings and places that promote well-being, sustainable futures and the economy in Northern Ireland. We do this by providing independent, expert advice on development proposals to facilitate the planning process and deliver results that consider our built environment holistically. The built environment is fundamental to the way we live our lives.

    Challenges

    Northern Ireland must confront a series of challenges in our built environment to help address the well-being of our people, the climate emergency and support our regional economy. These challenges are not mutually exclusive and will be important underlying issues in the design review process.

    There is the perception that:

    • Well-designed buildings and places cost too much money and time to deliver;
    • Viability and aspiration are not aligned;
    • The design and planning process takes too long and is uncertain;
    • Development does not address community needs;

    MAG seeks to address these challenges and facilitate efficient design and development. We offer:

    • Free and impartial advice from experienced professionals in the fields of architecture, landscape, planning, transport and community engagement.
    • Independent advice to mediate and expedite the engagement between local authority planners and developers.
    • A design review process that facilitates best outcomes quickly.
    • MAG will provide best practice and relevant precedents.
    • By engaging with MAG, promoters can demonstrate an open and robust design development process.

    Related content

    • Architecture and the built environment
    • Launch of the MAG Living High Streets initiative
    • MAG - Living High Streets initiative
    • MAG - People
    • MAG - what we do, and how we can help
    • MAG briefing and design reviews
    • MAG events and activities
    • MAG newsletters
    • MAG Place-making seminar - 25 May 2017
    • MAG Principles papers
    • MAG publications and consultation responses
    • Ministerial Advisory Group for Architecture and the Built Environment: Loving Places Symposium 2020
    • Ministerial Advisory Group for Architecture and the Built Environment: Loving Places Symposium 2024
    Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on X (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

    Department footer links

    • Crown copyright
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy
    • Cookies
    • Accessibility
    • The Northern Ireland Executive
    • The Executive Office
    • Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
    • Department for Communities
    • Department for Education
    • Department for the Economy
    • Department of Finance
    • Department for Infrastructure
    • Department for Health
    • Department of Justice
    • nidirect.gov.uk — the official government website for Northern Ireland citizens