Maria O’Loan heads Planning & Environmental team, she is one of Northern Ireland’s most highly regarded planning and environmental solicitors, with over 20 years of experience advising on some of the region’s most complex and high-profile developments. Maria is a Legal Associate of the Royal Town Planning Institute (LARTPI) and has been recognised as a Woman of Influence 2025 by The Planner. She is also ranked as a leading individual by both Chambers and Legal 500.
Maria is known for delivering commercial, pragmatic solutions to clients navigating the planning system. She is a trusted legal advisor, highly valued for her deep understanding of planning, environmental, and public law, and her ability to anticipate and mitigate risk in challenging regulatory environments.
Maria advises both public and private sector clients on all stages of the planning process, including planning appeals, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA), and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Her expert guidance ensures compliance and helps secure timely consents, while significantly reducing the risk of legal challenge.
Her practice also includes judicial review work, acting in some of the most high-profile and precedent-setting cases in Northern Ireland. She is renowned for her ability to cut through complexity with clear, commercially-focused advice, underpinned by robust technical knowledge.
“Maria O’Loan is astute and commercial. She gets to the heart of the problem quickly and without a fuss. She is simply exceptional – I wouldn’t go to anyone else.” Chambers UK
“Maria has the ability to examine a proposed development in a commercial way and to keep her client’s business objectives at the forefront of her advice.” Chambers UK
“Maria’s technical ability is second to none in Northern Ireland. She is the leading planning and environmental lawyer; no one surpasses her knowledge.” Chambers UK
“Maria O’Loan is very much a thought leader on climate change issues and government policy. She is a shrewd, commercial and pragmatic lawyer who is always a few steps ahead of the competition. Importantly, she is pleasant to deal with, will discuss and explain the strategy and legal issues in an easily understood way.” Legal 500
Specialities: Planning Law | Environmental Law | Energy | Climate Change | Judicial Review | Public Law
- Friends of the Earth / No Gas Caverns – Acting in a landmark climate change judicial review relating to a Marine Construction Licence for gas storage at Islandmagee, projected to store 25% of the UK’s gas. The case was successful at the Court of Appeal and is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland. The Department sought permission to appeal to the Supreme Court and this application was successfully defended and permission was refused.
- Northern Ireland Water – Advising on statutory duties and acting in a series of high-profile judicial reviews.
- System Operator for Northern Ireland (SONI) – Providing ongoing planning and environmental legal advice, including representing SONI in several judicial reviews.
- Translink – Weavers X (£500m) – Advising on planning and environmental aspects of this major regeneration and transport-led development.
- Translink – Grand Central Station (£340m) – Leading on planning and environmental strategy for Ireland’s largest integrated transport hub.
- Translink – Boyne Bridge – Representing Translink in urgent legal proceedings regarding an injunction application by the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society.
- Indaver – Belfast (£240m Energy from Waste project) – Successfully judicially reviewing a planning refusal issued by the DFI Minister.
- Planning & Waste Prosecutions – Defending under planning and waste legislation, including matters under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
- Transactional Support – Providing specialist planning and environmental advice in the context of acquisitions and investments, including wind farms, quarries, waste facilities, milk processing plants, battery storage, and retail parks.
- Planning Appeals – representing clients at the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) in respect of appeals against the refusal of planning permission and enforcement notices.
- Climate Change Litigation: Reshaping planning decisions across the UK and Ireland?
- Environmental Improvement Plan for Northern Ireland – What does it mean for development?
- Why is my bottle cap tethered?
- OEP Report: Implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Northern Ireland
- A Major week for Climate Change Law as the Supreme Court hands down Judgment in Finch
- Decarbonisation reporting in public contracts – implications for SMEs
- Anti-greenwashing rules for Financial Services come into force on 31 May 2024
- Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism – the next Brexit standoff?
- UK to leave Energy Charter Treaty
- New EU Rules banning misleading Environmental Claims – Is the net closing on “Greenwashing”?
