Extension of appointments to the Ministerial Advisory Group for Architecture and the Built Environment in Northern Ireland

Date published: 08 November 2018

The Department for communities has extended the term of appointment of the Interim Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG) Mr Andrew Haley from 1 May 2018 until 28 February 2019. Mr Haley has been Interim chair from 1 September 2016. Mr Haley’s first term of appointment as a Member of the MAG has also been extended for the same period.

A desk in a boardroom setting

The following Members of the MAG have also had their first terms of appointment extended for the same period:

Ms Rachel Bevan
Dr Patrice Cairns
Mrs Lara Kinneir
Mr Alwyn Riddell
Ms Nicola Waddington

The Ministerial Advisory Group advises on implementation of the Architecture and Built Environment Northern Ireland policy and champions good design in the built environment in Northern Ireland

Notes to editors: 

  1. The Chair receives an honorarium of £6,000 per annum. Authorised expenses incurred through carrying out official duties will be reimbursed. Member’s attendance at the formal monthly MAG meeting is unremunerated. However, remuneration for attending Design Review meetings and, where agreed by the MAG Secretariat, selected business development meetings and other agreed activities will be offered at the rate of £250 per day (£150 per half day). Chairs of Design Review panels are offered an additional £125 for the writing up of each design review report. Reasonable expenses are also payable.
  2. The extended appointments have been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland Code of Practice.
  3. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published.
  4. The appointment of Ms Deirdre Greaney as a Member was extended to 31 August 2018.
  5. Biographical details:

Mr Andrew Haley

Mr Haley is a Director with The Paul Hogarth Company and as a Chartered Landscape Architect, Urban Designer and Regeneration Consultant has extensive experience of providing advice and delivering large, complex projects across the UK, Ireland and internationally. Andrew became a Member of the Ministerial Advisory Group in 2014 and was subsequently appointed as Chair in 2016, leading placemaking advocacy work in support of the Architecture + Built Environment Policy. In December 2015, Design Council CABE announced his appointment as a Built Environment Expert. Mr Haley has declared no political activity within the last five years and holds no other public appointments.

Ms Rachel Bevan

Ms Bevan is a practising architect and runs her own architectural practice. She is a member of the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society and is a former Council Member of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects. She brings private practice experience and skills in equality and social inclusion to the MAG as well as sustainability expertise. Ms Bevan has declared no political activity within the last five years and holds no other public appointments.

Dr Patrice Cairns

Dr Cairns is a qualified civil and structural engineer, and is currently the NI Policy Manager for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. She brings skills and experience in relation to climate change, wider environmental and sustainability issues and strategic urban and rural policy. She previously managed Climate Northern Ireland has held lecturing posts in universities in Northern Ireland and Scotland and has published research in leading engineering journals. She has declared no political activity within the last five years and holds no other public appointments.

Mrs Lara Kinneir

Mrs Kinneir is educated in architecture, her work focusing on enabling design and innovation for the betterment of the city. With a multidisciplinary design and strategy background, Lara has worked in architectural and urban design practices, academia, local government and the charity sector for the past 15 years. Her portfolio include the design and client management of major regeneration projects in London, leading a community education programme in Sao Paulo, masterplanning in Madrid, Moscow and Jerusalem, and building timber framed homes across Europe. She is Acting Director at New London Architecture, and currently leads the Urban Programme at the London School of Architecture. She co-ordinates a network on Urban Governance of UN Habitat’s Universities Network Initiative and is currently completing a PhD entitled “Enabling the Practice of Design within the Governance of the City.” Mrs Kinneir has declared no political activity within the last five years and holds no other public appointments.

Mr Alwyn Riddell

Mr Riddell is a qualified town planner and architect. He is an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects and a Fellow of the Royal Town Planning Institute. He is a Trustee of Speedwell Trust. He brings skills and experience of working within regeneration areas and working with community groups to the MAG. Mr Riddell has declared no political activity in the last five years and holds no other public appointments.

Ms Nicola Waddington

Ms Waddington is a chartered architect and is currently the principal of Waddington-McClure Architects in Craigavon. She brings experience and skills in urban design, regeneration, conservation, planning and architecture to the MAG. Nicola is currently Honorary Secretary of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects and a member of the RSUA Quality Design panel. She is also a member of the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society. She has declared no political activity in the last five years and holds no other public appointments.

6. Media enquiries to DFC Press Office on 028 9082 3532 or email:      
    press.office@communities-ni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact
    the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.

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