Telegraph Young Agent of the Year category backed by TLT
TLT is proud to once again support the Belfast Telegraph Property Awards through the sponsorship of the Young Agent of the Year category.
Since opening its office in Belfast in 2012, TLT has been at the heart of the property sector.
Working with some of the region’s leading players in property and infrastructure, the firm is helping clients to realise the significant opportunities which exist in this buoyant market.
The company believes that nowhere are these opportunities clearer than at the intersection between property and clean technology, a key area of growth which is also crucial in the vital fight against climate change.
Although it contributes to wider UK targets, Northern Ireland lacks any specific legislation for emissions reductions and a revised post-2020 Strategic Energy Framework remains unpublished.
This means that it will need a fresh approach to meet the UK’s net zero emissions target by 2050, in which public and private sector organisations across Belfast, and Northern Ireland more widely, come together to deliver the EV charging infrastructure (EVCI) needed to support the roll-out of electric vehicles across the country.
Jayne Adair, solicitor in TLT’s real estate team, said: “It’s a significant challenge, but an exciting one for both private and public sector players.
Exciting challenge: Jayne Adair
“The roll-out of EVCI hands resource-poor but asset-rich local authorities the opportunity to use their land to partner with private developers and energy operators to deliver schemes and draw in fresh revenue streams.”
The same opportunities also exist for private landowners, particularly those holding land in locations ideal for EV charging — such as high street or shopping centre car parks (destination charging) or car parks in business parks (workplace charging).
Ms Adair continued: “In Northern Ireland’s heavily rural landscape, there are also great opportunities to be seized in renewing the forecourt model and creating the EVCI forecourts of tomorrow.
“They also provide ideal opportunities for co-location — combining vehicle charging with the delivery of clean energy schemes such as solar PV and energy storage.
“Policymakers and city councils now need to put everything in place to facilitate the partnerships necessary to drive forward this EV transformation.”
She added: “It is only a matter of time before a critical mass is reached and the entire vehicle transportation system becomes reliant on EVCI. If planners, developers and operators prioritise this and invest now, Northern Ireland, and Belfast in particular, will find itself well ahead of the pack in the race to drive the EVCI revolution.”
Commenting on the company’s support of the Belfast Telegraph property Awards, she said: “We are delighted to once more be sharing in the annual recognition of the outstanding individuals and organisations in the property sector.
“Indeed we’re particularly pleased to be sponsoring the Young Agent of the Year category, which recognises the excellent work of those on their way to becoming future leaders.”