Taller buildings will play an essential role in reducing Northern Ireland’s carbon footprint and can provide high quality urban living environments, says the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

Welcoming recent comments by the Minister for the Environment, Edwin Poots, that a new policy on tall buildings in Belfast will soon be published by his department, RICS Northern Ireland Director, Ben Collins, says that living in urban centres improves sustainability and that quality mixed use developments with high density are the answer.

Ben Collins, Director, RICS Northern Ireland said: “”We welcome the Minister’s comments in relation to the need for higher density development in Belfast and the need for clear guidelines for planners and developers in relations to taller buildings”.

“Other European cities with similar populations to Belfast occupy much smaller areas and are therefore more sustainable. Too high a proportion of our population in Northern Ireland currently lives in suburban and rural areas. This means greater distances to travel to workplaces, shops, schools, leisure centres and other social infrastructure and less efficiency in service provision”. In order to encourage more people to live in urban centres and derive the resulting environmental and economic benefits, higher density development achieved through quality taller buildings, is essential.”

“Tall buildings tend to have a bad name in Northern Ireland due to some of the high rise flats built of the 60s. However modern, high quality and innovative design will ensure that taller buildings provide a high quality living environment and are in keeping with the urban landscape”.