The Belfast Council Planning Committee convened on Tuesday, 16 September 2025, to discuss a range of planning and development issues. The agenda included updates on traffic control measures, planning appeals, and several planning applications for developments across the city. Members were also scheduled to consider a report on local applications that have received objections from NI Water¹. Here's a summary of the key items:

Planning Applications

The committee was scheduled to review several planning applications:

• 34-36 The Mount: Application LA04/2024/0948/F sought permission for the redevelopment of listed buildings and adjacent land to construct 20 townhouses and six apartments, accompanied by landscaping, parking facilities and site enhancements. A related listed building consent application, LA04/2024/0955/LBC, concerned the restoration of external features, a new rear projection at number 34 The Mount, and new partitioning to create six apartments within both buildings. According to the report pack, the site is located in a Housing Action Area, and is zoned for housing. The Planning Officer's report recommended that planning permission should be granted subject to conditions and a Section 76 planning agreement[^3]. [^3]: A Section 76 agreement is a legal agreement between a local planning authority and a developer, used to mitigate the impact of a development on the local community and infrastructure. The report pack noted that three objections had been received, citing concerns such as:

  • Limited parking
  • Traffic congestion
  • Impact on wildlife
  • Loss of privacy, light and increased noise
  • Potential damage to neighbouring properties
  • Plumbing and sewage issues

• 35-39 Royal Avenue: Applications LA04/2025/1140/F and LA04/2025/0976/LBC concerned proposed alterations to a shopfront. The site is located within the City Centre and within the City Centre Conservation Area. The building is a Grade B2 listed building[^4]. The Planning Officer's report recommended that full planning permission and listed building consent be granted. [^4]: In Northern Ireland, buildings are graded to indicate their relative architectural or historic importance. Grade B2 listed buildings are defined as 'Special buildings which merit particular attention'.

• 5 Squires Hill Road: Application LA04/2025/0607/F requested amendments to a previously approved application, LA04/2023/4093/F. The proposed changes included raising the ridge height, changes to the fenestration[^5] on the side of the property, and the addition of a Juliet balcony to the front. [^5]: Fenestration is the arrangement of windows and doors in a building.

Committee Site Visits

The Planning Committee was scheduled to retrospectively review the notes of meetings for site visits that had already taken place, and to arrange pre-emptive site visits to:

• 733-735 Antrim Road: A proposed residential social housing development involving the demolition of existing buildings to construct two buildings containing 34 apartments.
• North Foreshore/Giant's Park, Dargan Road: A proposed new adventure park with community and visitor facilities, recreational areas, and associated infrastructure.
• Cabin Hill, Upper Newtownards Road: A proposed erection of 53 residential units, including houses and apartments, with associated access roads and landscaping.

Notification of Provision/Removal of Parking Bays

The committee was scheduled to be notified of the proposed provision of new accessible or disabled parking bays at the following locations:

• 33 Lower Windsor Avenue
• 13 Sydenham Drive
• 35 Nevis Avenue
• 49 Ponsonby Avenue
• 217 Cliftonville Road
• 33 Mount Prospect Park
• 246 Cliftonville Road
• 27 Ballysillan Drive
• 150 Mount Merrion Avenue

Traffic Control Measures and Pedestrianisation

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) proposed traffic control measures relating to the Belfast Transport Hub, specifically amending an order concerning pick-up and drop-off areas on Boyne Bridge Place.

The DfI also proposed an experimental order for the pedestrianisation of Hill Street, between Gordon Street and Waring Street, including Commercial Court and Exchange Place. The proposal included a one-way traffic system on Gordon Street, from Hill Street to Dunbar Street.

Planning Appeals and Decisions

The committee was scheduled to be notified of planning appeals, including:

• 51 Silverstream Gardens: An appeal against the retrospective change of use from a residential dwelling to a short-term let.
• Land to the rear of The National, 62 High Street: An appeal against the unauthorised change of use of land to a beer garden.
• 37 Albert Street: An appeal that was allowed, relating to a change of use from residential to short term let.

The committee was also scheduled to be notified of planning decisions issued in August 2025, including applications relating to:

• 47 Jocelyn Avenue & 61 & 63 Euston Street: Demolition of an existing building and construction of six apartments.
• Land at and adjacent to 587 Upper Newtownards Road: A mixed-use development comprising retirement living, a care home, and a medical facility.
• 1 Serpentine Road: Demolition of buildings and replacement with eight apartments.
• Shankill Road, Castlereagh Road, Cregagh Road, Holywood Road, City Centre: Provision of new Insignia+ Bus Shelters.
• ECIT Building Queen's Road, Queen's Island: A five-storey extension to the ECIT Building.
• Grass verge in car park, 30m west of 1 West Bank Road, Belfast Harbour: Installation of a communications mast.
• Tesla Centre, 8, 8a & 10 Boucher Road: Erection of a washbay facility, a substation, and installation of electric vehicle chargers.
• 14 and 16 Stranmillis Road: Change of use and internal reconfiguration of two residential dwellings to six apartments.
• 205 Sandy Row: Retrospective change of use from residential to short-term let.
• Lands at Plot 4 of Kings Hall Healthcare Village, west of 25 Harberton Park: Additional car parking spaces and landscaping.
• Queen's University Belfast Malone Sports Facilities Dub Lane: A new single-storey high-performance gym.
• 33 North Road: Replacement single-storey extension to the rear of an existing dwelling.
• 21 Mountainview Gardens: A two-storey extension to the rear/side of an existing dwelling.

Live Applications for Major Development

The committee was scheduled to be updated on live applications for major development, including:

• Lands to the south and west of Woodland Grange: Amendments to approved schemes to reduce the overall density from 99 to 94 dwellings.
• St Teresa's GAC, 2 Glen Road Heights: A proposed extension to the existing clubhouse.
• Vacant lands, Ligoniel Road: A new single-storey primary school.
• Lands comprising the existing Sydenham Wastewater Pumping Station west of Park Avenue: Demolition of the existing Wastewater Pumping Station.
• Lands at Cabin Hill, Upper Newtownards Road: Erection of 53 residential units.
• Stormont Hotel, 587 Upper Newtownards Road: Change of use from a hotel to a 97-bed care home and diagnostic medical facility.
• Stormont Hotel, 587 Upper Newtownards Road: Outline planning permission for independent living units and assisted living units.
• 70 Whitewell Road, Newtownabbey: Redevelopment of Hazelwood Integrated College.
• The Kings Hall And RUAS Site South Of Upper Lisburn Road: Varying conditions of a planning application to extend the timing of works and accommodate design changes.
• Lands between Ballygomartin Road and Upper Whiterock Road: Proposed development of new walking trails.
• Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, the Kings Hall, 488-516 Lisburn Road: 41 retirement living apartments.
• Lands at North Foreshore / Giant's Park Dargan Road: Creation of a new Adventure Park.
• Lands at the Waterworks Park, located off the Cavehill Road: Refurbishment and safety work to the Waterworks reservoirs.
• Site of the former Dunmurry Cricket Club, Ashley Park, Dunmurry: Mixed-use scheme for new community recreational facilities.
• Lands adjacent and south-west of Monagh By-pass: Proposed mixed-use development comprising social housing apartments and business/light industrial units.
• 38-52 Lisburn Road: Seven-storey mixed-use development.
• Site to the south of the former Knockbreda High School: Development of a new primary school building for Forge Integrated Primary School.
• Harberton North Special School 29a Fortwilliam Park: Erection of temporary mobile classroom village.

Local Applications Subject to Objections from NI Water

The committee was scheduled to consider a report regarding the delegation of local planning applications that have received objections from NI Water. The report sought the committee's agreement to delegate the determination of these applications to the Director of Planning and Building Control. According to the report pack, NI Water had objected to a significant number of local applications on the grounds of insufficient waste-water infrastructure capacity. The report pack stated that NI Water had not provided robust evidence to support individual objections.

Appendix 1 of the report pack listed the local applications with NI Water objections:

• 33 Wellington Park: Change of use from office to two semi-detached dwellings.
• Lands situated on Keswick Street: Proposed new build of houses, duplexes and apartments.
• 324-328 Shankill Road: Five new apartments, a first-floor extension, and alterations to the ground floor.
• 935-937 Crumlin Road: Mixed-use development comprising retail space and eight residential apartments.