Agenda and minutes

An apology for inability to attend was reported from Councillor M. Donnelly.

            The minutes of the meeting of 21st January 2026, were taken as read and signed as correct.  It was reported that those minutes had been adopted by the Council at its meeting on 9th February.

No declarations of interest were recorded.

The Committee noted the applications that had been issued under the Scheme of Delegation during January.

The Committee noted a list of applications for licences which had, since its last meeting, been approved under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation.

The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       This report sets out the proposed approach to a number of licensing regimes operated by the Council in relation to the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.

1.2       Location map for the Fleadh road closure area is attached as Appendix 1

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to note the information provided and to agree to the proposed approaches outlined, namely:

1.     Note the Road Closure application procedures set out;

2.     Note that the Building Control service will work to ensure that appropriate pavement café licences are in place for the Fleadh, but that suspension of some licences may be necessary in the lead up to or during the Fleadh for Health and Safety purposes;

3.     Note that a further report Street Trading at the Fleadh will be brought to a future committee to determine location and process and agree that any applications received to date will be returned and refunded;

4.     Note the ongoing work of the Building Control Service in relation to ensuring appropriate Entertainment Licensing is in place for the Fleadh; and

5.     Agree that additional special meeting(s) may be required in July 2026 (dates to be determined)

3.0       Main report

            Background

3.1       The Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is to take place in Belfast on Sunday 2 to Sunday 9 August 2026

3.2       It is anticipated that the Fleadh will attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city for its duration. The successful hosting of the event will require input from a number of Council functions, communicating on a cross departmental basis within the Council and also multi agency liaison with external organisations. The ability to safely accommodate significant numbers of people within a designated city centre area will require a shared understanding of the programme of events and activities within this designated area in conjunction with planning for crowd safety.

3.4       As the Committee are aware, the Building Control service undertake a number of licensing duties across the city including determining road closure applications, pavement café licensing, street trading licensing and indoor and outdoor entertainment licensing. The Building Control Service therefore has a significant role to play in the event planning process and will be in continual communication with a range of internal and external partners in the lead in to and during this event.

3.4       As the event planning continues, the Building Control service will require the ability to make decisions that are compatible with ensuring the successful delivery of the event. This may require delegated authority on a number of issues that are detailed below.

            Road Closure Order

3.5       Under the Road (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (NI) 2010 and the Road Traffic Regulation (NI) Order 1997 applications can be made to the Council for a Road Closure Order if an event is to be held on a public road.

            The Building Control Service and statutory partners have been engaged in pre-application discussions with the Fleadh Event Team around the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5a

The Director presented the following report to the Committee:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       This report sets out how the model conditions for Caravan and Campsites have been updated by the Department for Infrastructure in July 2025.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to note the background to the model conditions and the updated model conditions for Caravan and Campsites (in Appendix 1 and 2 on mod.gov) and agree that they will be adopted by the Council and referenced on our website.

3.0       Main report

            Under the Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 1963 (‘1963 Act’) the development of caravan sites and their physical standards are controlled through:

1.     planning permission granted for the use of land as a caravan site and

2.     the 1963 Act’s site licensing system.

            Applications for a caravan site licence must be made to the Council. There is no charge to apply.

            There are currently no licensed caravan or camping sites in the Belfast Area.

            Before applying for a licence, the operator must have:

-       Secured planning permission,

-       Sufficient insurance,

-       Met the appropriate licence conditions.

            The Department has a role in providing Model Licence Conditions regulating the layout and provision of facilities, services and equipment for caravan sites including water supply, electricity and fire points.

            In drawing up the conditions which will attach to any licence, councils must have regard to the Model Licence Conditions. 

            Updated model conditions were published by the Department for Infrastructure on 1 July 2025. These conditions revise and update the Model Licence Conditions for Caravan Sites 1992 (Holiday Caravan Sites) and Model Licence Conditions 1994 (Residential Caravan Sites) and apply to:

•        permanent residential caravan sites;

•        holiday caravan sites; and

•        touring caravan sites

            This review has been prompted by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) ‘Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Travellers’ Accommodation in NI’ investigation report published on 6 March 2018. The report made a number of recommendations for public authorities, including that the Department should:

            ‘review the legal and policy framework concerning site licences. This should include the development of a model site licence setting out the minimum standard of provision and safety requirements for each type of Travellers site in NI, along with enforcement powers for any breach.’

            The Department has accepted this recommendation and has published a stand-alone set of Model Licence Conditions for Traveller Sites.

            While addressing the report’s recommendation the Department has also taken the opportunity to update and amalgamate the current Model Licence Conditions for holiday caravan sites as well as residential caravan sites into one document, creating greater clarity and ease of reference for councils and stakeholders.

            Although the conditions remain largely unchanged there are some revisions and updates including to emergency telephones, flood risk and fire safety measures.

            The updated licensing conditions represent what would normally be expected as a matter of good practice on all caravan sites and should be applied with due regard to the particular circumstances of each case,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5b

The Director outlined that a request had been received from the Nerve Centre Belfast, to screen three unclassified films at the Queen’s Film Theatre (QFT) on Saturday, 28th March, 2026.

The Committee was reminded that the Council licensed cinemas and other venues under the Cinemas (Northern Ireland) Order 1991, which primarily focused on technical aspects such as structural stability and fire safety. Typically, cinema licenses required films to be classified by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).  However, the Council had the authority to permit the screening of unclassified films under specific conditions, including imposing age restrictions.  She reminded the Committee that it had previously approved similar requests for unclassified film screenings.

The Chairperson welcomed Mr. B. Brennan, Nerve Centre, to the meeting.  He confirmed the details of the screening requests.

The films had been produced by students of the Nerve Centre as part of a six-month program funded by the Department for Communities, which aimed to provide young people aged 16-19 with opportunities to learn about the creative industries while working on their own projects.

The screenings would be invitation-only, free of charge, and not open to the general public.  The Nerve Centre had proposed age classifications for the films, with two films rated PG and one rated 15, based on their content.

            After discussion, it was

            Moved by Councillor McCann,

            Seconded by Councillor Carson and

      Resolved - That the Committee agrees to permit the screening of the three unclassified films in accordance with an age classification of 15, the highest rating specified by the Nerve Centre.