Agenda and minutes

            No apologies for inability to attend were reported.

            The minutes of the meeting of 17th September, 2024 were taken as read and signed as correct.  It was reported that those minutes had been adopted by the Council, at its meeting on 1st October, 2024, subject to the omission of those matters in respect of which the Council had delegated its powers to the Committee.

            No declarations of interest were reported.

            The Committee noted that the following item had been withdrawn from the agenda:

·        LA04/2024/0393/F - Proposed 5 storey extension to the East of the ECIT Building (Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology), and 3 storey extension to the West, to provide additional research and development space with associated landscaping and site works - ECIT Building Queen's Road, Queen's Island.

            The Committee noted the site visits and agreed to undertake three pre-emptive site visits in relation to the following applications:

·        LA04/2024/0664/F - Demolition of existing Fanum House and Norwood House and erection of a new 17 storey building comprised of 594-bed Purpose Built Managed Student Accommodation (comprising a mix of clusters and studios) including landscaped roof terraces, and all other site and access works. - Lands comprising existing Fanum House, Norwood House and adjacent lands, No's 96-110 Great Victoria Street;

·        LA04/2024/0369/F - Proposed Specialist Nursing and Residential Care Facility comprising approximately 158 no. beds, day/dining rooms, treatment rooms, staff rooms, office/store rooms, including car parking provision, cycle parking, refuse storage, landscaping, and associated site and access works. - Lands at Former Monarch Laundry site, and Broadway Hall Site, No's 451 - 457 Donegall Road; and

·        LA04/2024/1385/F - Amendment to planning permission Z/2013/0931/F to permit occupation for either Class B1(a) office or Class B1(c) research and development. - Olympic House, Titanic Quarter, 5 Queens Road.

            The Committee noted the appeals decisions.

The Committee noted the planning decisions issued in September, 2024.

            The Committee noted the list of live applications for major development.

            The Committee noted the list of Committee decisions which had not yet been issued.

            The Development Planning and Policy Manager provided the Committee with an overview of the Council’s Housing Land Availability Summary Report and the Employment Land Monitor (ELM) for the 2023/24 monitoring period.

            The Committee noted the outcomes of the annual Housing Monitor report and the Employment Land Monitor for 2023/24, and the intention to publish the summary documents and accompanying online map portals on the Council’s website.

            The Development Planning and Policy Manager reported that the Council had commenced work on the second part of the two-stage LDP, the draft Local Policies Plan.

            He provided and update on the ongoing review and refresh of the LDP Engagement and Communications Strategy and the LDP Engagement and Communications Plan for the LPP.

            The Committee noted the update.

            The Committee agreed to delegate authority to the Director of Planning and Building Control, those local planning applications to which NI Water had objected to.

            The Planning Manager explained that the Planning service intended to prepare and publicly consult on its validation checklist.  He outlined the purpose of the report and outlined the current information requirements, new legislation and the proposed public consultation.

            He stated that, as part of the consultation process, the Committee would be asked whether it would require specific Member engagement, such as a workshop.

            He explained that the outcome of the consultation and proposed final validation checklist would be reported back to the Planning Committee for feedback before referral to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.

            The Committee noted the report and agreed that Members would engage with the consultation process via a future Planning Committee Workshop.

            The Director of Planning and Building Control updated the Committee on an application for a non-material change on the Casement Park planning permission, whereby the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) had been dealing with the permission as the relevant planning authority and had been discharging conditions on that permission.

            She explained that the applicable legislation did not permit DfI to deal with non-material changes, and. therefore, an application had been made to the Council with regard to the Construction Environment Management Plan, that proposed the plan be provided on a phase-by-phase basis rather than a single document provided prior to commencement of work on site.

            She reported that the application was based on the timing and provision of information rather than the level or nature of that information, and that officers had been dealing with the application under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation, however DfI would continue in its role as the planning authority to discharge the conditions.

            The Committee noted the update.

            The Senior Planning Officer outlined the application to the Committee and highlighted the following key areas for consideration:

·        Principle of development;

·        Impact on the character and appearance of the Linen Conservation Area;

·        Impact on Built Heritage and Archaeology;

·        Design and placemaking;

·        Climate change Page 177;

·        Access and transport;

·        Health impacts;

·        Environmental protection;

·        Flood risk and drainage;

·        Waste-water infrastructure;

·        Waste management;

·        Natural heritage;

·        Employability and Skills;

·        Section 76 planning agreement; and

·        Pre-application Community Consultation.

            He explained that, since the publication of the report, an informal re-consultation response had been received from the Conservation Team on amended ground floor details which objected to the loss of the Harlem Café shopfront, that a new shopfront with sub fascia transom would be preferable and that any mullions on the frontage, previously occupied by Deane’s, be retained.

            He reported that the opinion of officers remained that, on balance, the resultant redevelopment would enhance the conservation area, as required by legislation, and that the avoidance of symmetry was reflective of the existing eclectic character of the ground floor frontage.

            He stated that it was recommended that the application and accompanying Conservation Area Consent would be granted, subject to conditions and a Section 76 agreement.

            The Chairperson welcomed Mr. D. Broderick and Mr. T. Stokes from TSA Planning, and Mr. S. Lennon, TODD Architects, to the meeting, who attended to answer any questions from the Committee.

            In response to a question from a Member with regard to the Harlem Café shopfront, Mr. Lennon explained that the façade was not considered to be of historical value and that the glazing and doors dated from the 1990s, however, the applicant was willing to work with officers to find a solution, if retention would be required.

            The Committee granted planning permission and Conservation Area Consent, subject to conditions and a Section 76 planning agreement and delegated authority to the Director of Planning and Building Control to finalise the wording of the conditions and Section 76 planning agreement and to deal with any other issues that might arise, provided that they were not substantive,

            The Principal Planning Officer provided the Committee with an overview of the application, and referred to the following key issues:

·        Principle of the proposal;

·        Flood Risk;

·        Design, Massing and Scale;

·        Impact on the Listed Building;

·        Impact on Amenity;

·        Environmental Protection;

·        Climate change; and

·        Pre Application Community Consultation.

            She explained that the proposed site was situated in an existing car park within the Royal Victoria Hospital Complex, within a flood plain, however, the proposal had been deemed an exception, given that it was replacing a demolished building and was of regional economic importance.  She stated that a flood risk assessment had been submitted and that DfI Rivers had offered no objection.

            She reported that the proposed building would have no impact on residential amenity, was considered to integrate within the existing buildings on site and would not impact the setting of the listed Mullhouse Building.  She added that the proposed building was of a high-quality design, the materials were considered acceptable and that there had been no objections from consultees or third parties.

            The Principal Planning Officer stated that, having regard to the Development Plan and other material considerations, it was recommended that planning permission be granted.

            The Committee granted planning permission, subject to conditions and delegated authority to the Director of Planning and Building Control to finalise the wording of the conditions and to deal with any other matters that might arise, provided they were not substantive.

            The Principal Planning Officer outlined the application to the Committee, which sought planning permission for an extension to an existing Class B2 factory to be used for storage and loading purposes which were ancillary to the existing Class B2 use on site.  She explained that the proposal reduced the floorspace from the original submission, from 3094m² to 2595m².

            She reported that the site was unzoned within the Belfast Urban Area Plan 2001 and zoned as existing employment/industry in both versions of the draft Belfast Metropolitan Plan 2015.

            The Principal Planning Officer stated that, having regard to the development plan, relevant planning policies and consultation responses, it was considered that the variation of condition should be approved.

            The Committee agreed to vary the condition and delegated authority to the Director of Planning and Building Control to finalise the wording of the conditions and to deal with any other matters that might arise and to deal with the outstanding EHO response, provided that they were not substantive.