About
We guide development projects of all types and scale through an increasingly complex and ever changing planning process.
We offer what we think clients want in a planning consultancy – a passionate desire to achieve exceptional results, incisive and innovative thinking, and an unerring commitment to get it right.
Our simple yet challenging motivation is to be recognised in the market as the planning consultancy of choice, valued for the quality of our thinking and our commitment to enhancing our clients’ business.
The Team
Clyde Shanks
MRTPI
Managing Director
Clyde founded the practice in 2011, having begun his career in London and Reading before returning to Northern Ireland in 1999. He rose to Director at Turley Associates in Belfast before establishing Clyde Shanks.
He has considerable experience co-ordinating complex infrastructure projects across all property sectors, and in building strong relationships with decision makers. He brings thoroughness and clarity of thinking to project direction and strategy.
Outside the office he is a keen runner, golfer and hockey supporter, and spends much of his weekends watching his sons and daughter play for their local teams.
Gavyn Smyth
MRTPI
Associate Director
Gavyn previously worked in England and Wales across a number of local authorities, experience he now applies to a busy and diverse portfolio of planning application work.
He works closely with council planning officers to proactively manage applications towards timely recommendations to approve.
Gavin McGill
MRTPI
Associate Director
Gavin joined as a Graduate Planner after completing his Masters in Environmental Planning at Queen’s University, and has progressed to Associate Director.
He handles a diverse and busy application workload with a high volume of renewable energy, agrifood, tourism and waste infrastructure work.
He is a keen Ulster Rugby supporter and enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, and a quiet craft beer or two.
Gregor Southall
MRTPI
Associate Director
Gregor joined the team in April 2024, bringing strong commercial experience from five years in the private sector with Montagu Evans in Glasgow.
He has managed complex, major-scale planning applications across all sectors, and is experienced in co-ordinating extensive consultant teams. He engages positively with counterparts in local councils to keep projects moving forward.
Susannah Boyce
Senior Planner
Susannah joined Clyde Shanks in August 2023, having spent a year in the enforcement team at Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council. She graduated with first class honours from Ulster University and won the EPLANI award for best student in her year.
She prepares planning applications, CLPUD and CLUED submissions and applications to discharge conditions, and undertakes planning history and development plan status searches, supporting senior colleagues across a wide range of projects.
Rachel Ingram
Graphic Designer
Rachel heads up the graphic design team and brings creativity and vitality to the documents the practice produces.
This spans core planning work alongside company branding, website design, event and festival advertising, and menus for restaurants, bars and hospitality venues.
Planning Something?
We only work on projects we believe we can secure permission for. Tell us what you have in mind and we'll tell you honestly where it stands.