ABSTRACT
This chapter draws on a considerable corpus of case law, gives particular attention to the involvement of the planner in assisting the courts in regard to the legal tests of vicinity and inadequacy. It considers the changing character of supply and demand within the wider setting of evolving public policy. The chapter examines the interaction between planning and the liquor licensing statute in regard to the opening of new public houses and off-licences; particular attention is given to the need for planning permission. It addresses the role of the planner as expert witness within the court arenas and identifies significant principles derived from case law that are shaping the spatial distribution of facilities for the sale of alcohol within this jurisdiction. The chapter places planning practice at the heart of liquor licensing in Northern Ireland in regard to assisting the courts on these matters of vicinity and inadequacy.
