Five Minute Focus On: Brendan Starkey, O’Toole & Starkey Planning Consultants
Tell us about O’Toole & Starkey
O’Toole & Starkey is a town planning consultancy founded by myself and Richard O’Toole in June 2018. In general terms we enable our clients to realise the maximum value of their assets by establishing best achievable planning permissions on their land and property. The town planning system is convoluted, so we support and guide our clients through this varied and increasingly complex process.
What is your role in the company?
First and foremost I am a chartered Town Planner and try to devote most of my time to delivering on project work. However, as a Director and co-owner of a small business, I have to wear many hats and have found myself preparing accounts, managing IT systems and even erecting a wall mounted white board!
Tell us something about O’Toole & Starkey we might not know
Myself and Richard were placed in the same team in our first ever group project at Queens University. We have remained good friends ever since and 15 years later we are now colleagues and business partners!
What’s next for O’Toole & Starkey?
The business was only established about 2 months ago, so we are still very much finding our feet! Having said that, we are very busy at the moment and have aspirations to expand in the near future.
What’s your favourite thing about living and working in Belfast?
I love the hustle and bustle in the City and some of the street performers are incredible. It sounds a little cliché, but Belfast has truly been transformed and has become such a vibrant city. I have lived in England for the past 5 years so this transformation is palpable to me. Belfast’s global reputation is growing and it is great to now be involved a number of development projects that will shape the city in years to come.
What do you like about being a Glandore Member?
We are only a small business of two, so it’s nice to feel part of something bigger. The events put on by Glandore offer a great opportunity to network and the space on the 5th floor offers the perfect setting for this. I also have to commend the staff here in Arthur House, who are always on hand to help and have pulled me out of a few holes over the last 2 months. Thanks guys!
Friday nights in or Friday nights out?
I do enjoy a good night out (not so much the morning after!) but I’ve an 8 month old daughter, so it tends to be Friday nights in for me these days.