About ICLRD

Who We Are
The International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD) is a North-South-US Partnership. It was formally established in 2006 to explore and expand the contribution that spatial planning and the development of physical, social and economic infrastructure can make to peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland, and elsewhere. .

The ICLRD has developed out of a unique collaboration between academics and spatial planning specialists. The Centre has three core partners:

the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA) and the Social Sciences Institute at Maynooth University (MUSSI)
the Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment at Ulster University, and
the National Center for Smart Growth at University of Maryland.

A core value of the ICLRD is that we are cross-border, cross-campus and cross disciplinary. We achieve this through a network of researchers, academics and interns from our core partners, as well as from affiliated organisations and independent associates.

What We Do
A central objective of the ICLRD is to strengthen the policy and operational linkages between central, regional and local policy-makers, and among officials and practitioners, involved in spatial planning and social and economic development across the island of Ireland. As an independent charity, the ICLRD is a valuable source of impartial advice. Much of its work is based on long-standing relationships cultivated over many years. In this way, it acts as a ‘critical friend’, supporting practitioners and policy-makers through evidence-informed analysis and independent advice.

The ICLRD achieves this through:

action research, policy advice and publications;
professional facilitation and education and capacity building programmes that assist local governments and communities to translate policy into ‘on the ground’ action; and
active outreach and networking that includes conferences, workshops and international co-operation and exchanges to identify best practices.

Core Themes
The ICLRD research community brings a range of spatial planning experiences and expertise across multiple fields to its work programmes. These are illustrated in the word cloud below:

ICLRD Management

The day-to-day operations of the ICLRD are carried out by its Director, Ms. Caroline Creamer. Caroline is a qualified town planner, and a Research Fellow with Maynooth University Social Sciences Institute. She has, for the past 20 years, worked in a research and management capacity on a number of EU funded projects focusing on urban and rural regeneration, spatial planning, multi-level governance and community participation. Over the last decade, Caroline has been working with local government, regional authorities, communities and other key stakeholders in the Irish border region and Northern Ireland on policy-praxis in, for example, collaborative governance, resilience, place-shaping and rural revitalisation..

As of 1 August 2020, Mary MacIntyre OBE MRTPI is Independent Chair of the International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD). Mary is a Chartered Town Planner who has had lengthy experience in planning in England and Ireland. She has worked as a planner since the mid-1970s in both the public and private sectors. She began her career in Salford City Council before returning to live and work in Northern Ireland. Mary spent over 20 years in various roles in the Department of Environment Northern Ireland and prior to her retirement, held the post of Chief Planner, overseeing the transfer of planning powers to local government as part of the Review of Public Administration (RPA). She is an active member of the Royal Town Planning Institute with a keen interest in planning education.

The ICLRD Executive Board who are responsible for all operations of the ICLRD;
The ICLRD Advisory Forum who will support the work of the Executive Board by providing a link with institutions and individuals in the academic world, government, non-governmental organisations and the private sector; and
The ICLRD Research Forum who are charged with informing the ICLRD research agenda, and identifying opportunities for enhanced collaboration.