Agenda and minutes

Apologies were reported on behalf of Councillor McCabe.

            The minutes of the meeting of 11th November 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 December, 2025.

            Councillor Brennan declared an interest in item 11c - LA04/2025/1525/F - Removal of condition 9 of LA04/2024/0714/F (Removal of fuel storage tanks) - Units 2a and 2b 38 Boucher Road, in that she had been involved with a previous application, and she left the meeting whilst the matter was under consideration.

            Councillor Whyte declared an interest in item 10b - LA04/2025/0556/F & LA04/2025/0557/DCA - Proposed change of use from restaurant, public house, 2 no retail units and office use to public house, 2 no. restaurants, hotel with an additional 2no.storeys associated with the hotel use, and all external façade alterations (change of description and amended plans). - Lands at no's 10-22 Ann Street Belfast (including 8-10 Crown Entry and 12 Crown Entry, in that he knew the applicant and left the meeting whilst the matter was under consideration.

            Councillors D. Douglas and S. Douglas declared an interest in item 10b - LA04/2025/0556/F & LA04/2025/0557/DCA - Proposed change of use from restaurant, public house, 2 no retail units and office use to public house, 2 no. restaurants, hotel with an additional 2no.storeys associated with the hotel use, and all external façade alterations (change of description and amended plans). - Lands at no's 10-22 Ann Street Belfast (including 8-10 Crown Entry and 12 Crown Entry, in that a relative was an employee of the applicant and they left the meeting whilst the item was being considered.

            The Committee noted the site visit.

            The Committee noted the Notice of Provision of Parking Bay in relation to Essex Grove. 

            The Committee noted the Notice of Abandonment.

The Committee noted the appeals decisions.

The Committee noted the planning decisions issued in November, 2025.

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 Committee noted the outcomes of the annual Housing Land Monitor for 2024/25 and the intention to publish a summary document and accompanying online map portal on the Council’s website.

The Committee noted the outcomes of the annual Employment Land Monitor for 2024/25 and the intention to publish a summary document and accompanying online map portal on the Council’s website.

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

            The Planning Manager summarised the application and explained that it had been brought back to the Committee as the applicant had incorrectly completed the ownership certificate and technically had invalidated the application.

            He reported that the applicant had not served notice on a third party who had interest in a small parcel of land within the site but had since served the correct notice and that the application would be readvertised in the press on 14th December and the re-consultation period would end on 29th December.

            He pointed out that the completion of the correct ownership certificate was a procedural matter and did not affect the planning merits of the proposal or previous assessment, subject to the review of any additional representations.

            He stated that it was recommended that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions and a Section 76 planning agreement.

            The Committee granted planning permission, subject to conditions and a Section 76 planning agreement.

            The Committee delegated authority to the Director of Planning and Building Control to finalise the wording of the Section 76 planning agreement and conditions, and to deal with any other matters that might arise from outstanding consultations and further public consultation, provided that they were not substantive.

            The Principal Planning Officer reported that the application had been approved by the Committee at its meeting in November under the following description:

·               Proposed change of use from restaurant, public house, 2 no retail units and office use to public house, restaurant, hotel and 1.no retail unit with an additional 2no.storeys associated with the hotel use, and all external façade alterations.

            She explained that the applicant had submitted amended plans which removed the proposed retail unit, to be replaced with a restaurant and provided the Committee with an updated floor plan.

            She stated that the application had been re-neighbour notified on 1st December and re-advertised on 5th December and that both DfI Rivers or DfI Roads had responded with no objections.

            She summarised the updated assessment of the application and stated that the recommendation remained that the application be approved, subject to conditions.

            The Committee approved the application and delegated authority to the Director of Planning and Building Control to finalise the wording of the conditions, to deal with the outstanding consultation response from SES and any other issues that might arise, provided that they were not substantive.

            The Committee agreed to defer consideration of the application in order to undertake a site visit.

            The Principal Planning Officer explained that the application was to seek planning permission for the removal of Condition 9 as it did not meet the tests of validity of planning conditions as the tanks referenced were not to be decommissioned.

            She reported that, following consultation, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency concluded that it was content with the removal of Condition 9.

            She stated that, having regard to the Development Plan, relevant planning policies and consultation responses, it was considered that the removal of the condition be approved.

            The Committee approved the removal of Condition 9 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 summarised the application and reported that, since publication of the case officer’s report, DfI Rivers and Environmental Health had responded with no objections.  She added that additional information which had been submitted by the applicant regarding access arrangements had been forwarded to DfI for re-consultation.

            She explained that the Committee had previously approved a similar development at the site at its meeting in October, 2024 and that design changes had been required due to the discovery of an unknown sewage pipe which passed through the application site.

            She displayed the previous and current site layout plans and explained the significance of the design changes.  She stated that it was recommended that the application be approved, subject to conditions.

            The Committee approved the application, subject to conditions, and delegated authority to the Director of Planning and Building Control to finalise the wording of conditions, and deal with the outstanding DFI Roads, NIEA and SES consultation responses and any other issues that might arise, provided they were not substantive.

            The information contained in the report associated with the following item was restricted in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

      Resolved – That the Committee agrees to exclude the members of the press and public from the meeting during discussion of the following item as, due to the nature of the item, there would be a disclosure of exempt information as described in Section 42(4) and Schedule 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

            Members were also reminded that the content of ‘restricted’ reports and any discussion which took place during closed session must be treated as ‘confidential information’ and that no such information should be disclosed to the public as per Paragraph 4.15 of the Code of Conduct.  

The Committee noted the report and associated financial reporting pack.