The practice was commissioned by the Retail Grocery Dairy and Allied Trade Association (RGDATA) to undertake an evaluation of the effectiveness of the retail planning guidelines to inform the debate on the review of the 2005 Retail Planning Guidelines.  The evaluation involved both desktop and original research and looked at development trends, economic issues, incentives and policy in Ireland and selected countries, as well as the role of urban design and architecture in retail development. A number of decisions from local authorities and An Bord Pleanála were reviewed as part of the project.

The authors were invited to appear before the Oireachtas Committee on retail trade to give evidence.