Agenda item

The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report

1.1       To consider a licence application and seek approval for the grant of a Caravan Site Licence, subject to conditions, in respect of a caravan site at Titanic Quarter, Hamilton Road, Belfast in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 1963 Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 1963 .  In considering any licence application, Councils must have regard to the Model Licence Conditions 2025 – Residential Sites and Holiday Sites issued by the  Department for Infrastructure (DfC). https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/publications/model-licence-conditions-2025-documents

2.0       Recommendation

2.1       The Committee is requested to;

·       Note the contents of this report concerning the application for a Caravan Site Licence at Titanic Quarter, Hamilton Road, Belfast.

·       Consider the grant of the Caravan Site Licence subject to the site being constructed and completed in accordance with the approved plans and in compliance with all statutory requirements, including full Planning Permission, under the Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 1963 and associated licence conditions following a final site inspection and receipt of satisfactory documentation /certification

·       Note that the Scheme of Delegation will be updated to include the Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 1963

·       Delegate authority to the Strategic Director of City Operations for the grant of a Caravan Site Licence in respect of this application

3.0       Main Report

3.1       Under the Caravans Act (NI) 1963, any caravan site operator must hold a valid licence issued by the Council. The Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 1963 confers upon the Council the power to issue caravan site licences and to attach conditions to the site licence.

3.2       The Council received an application for a caravan site licence in respect of a site located at Titanic Quarter, Hamilton Road Belfast on 18th May 2026 and this has now been considered by officers. 

3.3       The applicant is Nord Events Ltd who have been appointed by the Council as the camp site operator for the provision of a caravan site to accommodate 349 holiday/touring caravans at this location for the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann event (2nd to 10th August 2026).  A site plan has been included with the application detailing arrangements such as capacity, amenity area to include WC and showering facilities, waste disposal, hospitality area and car parking arrangements etc (Appendix 1).

3.4       As this is a temporary caravan site, it has not yet been constructed and therefore a full compliance inspection and review of all the necessary documentation cannot be completed until the site works are complete which is anticipated to commence mid-July.  Therefore, a licence can only be issued following a full inspection of the site arrangements in late July.

3.5       The Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 1963 specifies that a district council may on receipt of an application issue a site licence in respect of land if, at the time when the site licence is issued, the land is entitled to the benefit of a permission for use  as a caravan site under the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011.

3.6       Temporary planning approval for the provision of a caravan site at this location to cover the Fleadh Cheoil for both 2026 and 2027 LA04/2026/0 393F was granted by the Planning Committee on 19th May 2026 subject to a final response and conditions from Environmental Health to address environmental considerations. The Planning Permission has not yet been issued and upon issue, the duration of the caravan site licence will shall run concurrently with the period of the extant planning permission.  The licence will cease to have effect when the planning permission expires or otherwise ceases to be valid.

3.7       The Caravans Act (NI) 1963 permits the Council to attach conditions to a Site Licence it may think it necessary or desirable to impose on the site operator of the land to protect the occupants of caravans as well as the public at large and will include the following considerations:

·       Restricting the occasions on which caravans are stationed on the land 

·       Restricting the total number of caravans which are stationed on the land

·       Controlling the types of caravan on the land

·       Securing that, at all times when caravans are stationed on the land, proper measures are taken for preventing and detecting the outbreak of fire and adequate means of fighting fire are provided and maintained;

·       Securing that adequate sanitary facilities, and such other facilities, services or equipment as may be specified, are provided for the use of persons dwelling on the land in caravans and that, at all times when caravans are stationed thereon for the purposes of human habitation, any facilities and equipment so provided are properly maintained.

3.8       Model Caravan site licence conditions developed by DfI were considered and adopted by this Committee on 18th February 2026. https://minutes.belfastcity.gov.uk/documents/s126110/Caravan%20Licensing%20Model%20Conditions.pdf  These model conditions were relied upon to draft the proposed site conditions for consideration in this licence application. 

3.9       In addition to the model conditions the Council also had regard to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Fire Safety Guide for Caravan Site Operators dated April 2026 (Appendix 2). This Guide provides advice and guidance on the minimum fire safety measures that caravan site operators must legally adhere to.   

3.10     After considering the application, the conditions contained in Appendix 3 are proposed for this licence. Additional conditions are proposed in relation to the provision of certification for the electrical installation, temporary water supplies and a fire risk assessment prior to occupation of the site.

3.11     The issue of this licence will be subject to the issue of full planning permission, a satisfactory site inspection, receipt of any requested documentation or required certification after the site construction is completed in July 2026 and prior to the site opening on 2nd August 2026.

3.12     The Committee should note that under the current Scheme of Delegation,  the Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 1963 has been omitted and therefore should the Committee agree to the grant of a licence in respect of this application for a caravan site at Hamilton Road, Belfast, the Committee are asked to delegate authority to the Strategic Director of City Operations.

4.1       Financial and Resource Implications

The Council shall, on the payment by the applicant of a fee of ten pounds, issue a site licence in respect of the land within two months of that date.

5.1       Equality or Good Relations Implications /Rural Needs Assessment

There are no Equality or Good Relations Implications /Rural Needs Assessments associated with this report.”

            The Committee:

• Noted the contents of the report concerning the application for a Caravan Site Licence at Titanic Quarter, Hamilton Road, Belfast;
• Granted the Caravan Site Licence, subject to the site being constructed and completed in accordance with the approved plans and in compliance with all statutory requirements, including full Planning Permission, under the Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 1963 and associated licence conditions following a final site inspection and receipt of satisfactory documentation /certification;
• Noted that the Scheme of Delegation will be updated to include the Caravans Act (Northern Ireland) 1963;
• Delegated authority to the Strategic Director of City Operations for the grant of a Caravan Site Licence in respect of this application; and
• Noted that the conditions which would be attached to the licence as set out in paragraph 3.7 and 3.8 of the report.

Chairperson