Author: Kevin Barry BSc(Hons) MRICS

Origin and history of the Clerk of Works (CoW), Evolution to Modern Failures & Future Remedies Here’s a detailed account of the origin and history of the Clerk of Works (CoW) in the United Kingdom, tracing how the role evolved from medieval times to the modern professional post we know today: 1. Medieval Origins (13th–15th […]

The Real Cost of Neglect: A QS View on Northern Ireland’s School Estate Crisis By Quintin QS — 16 October 2025 The Northern Ireland Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has delivered one of the most damning assessments ever of how we manage public infrastructure. Its Report on Managing the Schools’ Estate reads like a case […]

How Strangford “Almost” Got a Bridge The story reveals a consistent pattern: proposals gained momentum due to genuine transport needs and local campaigning, but were repeatedly blocked by a combination of technical challenges, cost concerns, political opposition, and later, environmental protection. Historical Timeline of Proposals & Objections 1840s-1875: Early Estate-Driven Proposals 1920s-1930s: Post-WWI Government Plans […]

Here’s a one-page summary table of the Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill (NI) 2025 — showing each major change, who it affects, and what it means in practice: 🧾 Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill (NI) 2025 — Summary of Top 15 Changes Rank Key Change / Clause Who It Affects Practical […]

Facts v Fiction. Review of NI AADT figures, SLC viability. DfI flawed assessment should respectfully reconsider using UK TAG methodology. FoI information unpacked. Ministerial queries raised. In order to assess SLC correctly and fairly, it is important to source relative comparisons and figures, to put forward a counterbalanced argument and let the people decide, without […]

Based on the UK Planning & Infrastructure Bill (2025), the most significant and long-overdue changes — those both developers and the UK Government argue are essential for growth — fall into five main reform areas: 1. Streamlining Major Infrastructure Planning What’s changing:The Bill reforms the Planning Act 2008 to simplify and accelerate Development Consent Orders […]

Summary of the UK Planning & Infrastructure Bill (In Progress) The UK Planning & Infrastructure Bill is a wide-ranging legislative proposal designed to modernise, streamline, and centralise the processes by which large-scale infrastructure, development, and environmental projects are planned, approved, and delivered across the UK. It updates key elements of the Planning Act 2008, Energy […]

To help the persuadables, enabling works are required to show the benefits of unity, within Northern Ireland. Ɓread and butter issues are uppermost in many peoples minds on a daily basis. Here’s the strategic rationale for framing “united Northern Ireland” ahead of broader Irish unity aspirations which may or may not provide further overall benefits […]