Agenda item

            The Principal Planning Officer summarised the application and referred to the following key issues for consideration:

·         Principle of PBMSA in the location;

·         Design and placemaking;

·         Impact on heritage assets;

·         Impact on amenity;

·         Climate change;

·         Open space;

·         Access and transport;

·         Health impacts;

·         Environmental protection;

·         Flood risk and drainage;

·         Waste-water infrastructure;

·         Natural heritage;

·         Waste management;

·         Section 76 planning agreement; and

·         Pre-Application Community Consultation.

            She informed the Committee that correspondence had been received since publication of the report from the Hotel Federation of Northern Ireland that expressed concern at the impact of the short-term let nature of the proposal on the hotel industry in Northern Ireland.

            She reported that the proposed building was considered to be of high-quality design, appropriate to its location, which would regenerate a site which contained a vacant office building.  She added that five letters of support had been received and that student need had been demonstrated and was considered to have met the policy requirement.

            She stated that the short-term let component would operate in no more than 50% of the rooms during July and August and only subject to Tourism NI certification.

            The Principal Planning Officer reported that DfI Rivers, DfI Roads, Belfast City Airport, Historic Environment Division, DAERA: Water Management Unit and DAERA: Regulation Unit had been consulted and had no objections, subject to conditions and that NI Water objected due to capacity issues which was addressed in the report. She added that final responses from NIEA: Natural Environment Division (NED) and Shared Environmental Services (SES) were awaited.

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

            The Chairperson welcomed Mr. T. Stokes, TSA Planning, Mr. A. Parke, LIKE Architects, Mr. B. Lavery, CBRENI, and Mr. S. English, Elkstone, to the meeting.

            Mr. Stokes explained that the proposal was an opportunity to redevelop a long-standing underutilised site.  He stated that Elkstone was an established operator of purpose-built student accommodation and its developments were market leading with best in class sustainability credentials and provide meaningful and positive social value creation.

            He stated that the proposal would generate footfall, active frontages and would support the regeneration of the surrounding area providing an identified need for student accommodation in the city.

            He highlighted that the scheme had received letters of support from the Northern Ireland Chamber, Belfast Chamber of Commerce, Retail NI and Hospitality Ulster.

            He concluded by stating that the scheme represented a significant investment in the city and would become a beacon for the regeneration of Corporation Street.

            A Member enquired as to whether provision was made for those students who required year-round accommodation, Mr. Stokes responded by informing the Committee that 50% of the accommodation would be retained exclusively for student use.

            In response to a question from a Member with regard to the proposals potential impact on local tourism, Mr. Lavery stated that the proposal was not considered competitive with the established hotel market in Belfast.  He stated that the proposal was targeting an alternative market for backpackers and students as there was a lack of hostel accommodation, and to compete with Airbnb, that was impacting on the current hosing stock in the city.

            The Committee agreed to hear from Ms. J. Gault, Director of Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF), who had submitted a late request to make representation to the Committee.

            Ms. Gault informed the Committee that the NIHF had a number of issues with regard to the proposal.  She outlined the current levels of student accommodation in the city and questioned the proposed need.

            She stated that the NIHF’s main objection was the short-term letting of student accommodation during the summer months and felt it didn’t compete in a fair way with the general hotel industry.

            She informed the Committee that the NIHF had requested engagement during the application process but it hadn’t happened and she appealed to the Committee to refuse the application as the scale, size and inability to apply enforcement presented considerable issues for the city’s tourism economy.

            A Member highlighted that there was a misconception that the Committee approved any application for Purpose Built Managed Student Accommodation (PBMSA) and asked the officers to confirm that the Committee was taking decisions within the threshold of unmet need.  The Principal Planning Officer explained that, should all planning permissions which had been granted for PBMSAs be delivered in full, the likely ratio of PBMSA bed spaces to student places would remain broadly comparable to similar university cities.

            The Committee granted planning permission, 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 arise, including resolving final responses from Environmental Health, NIEA: NED and SES, provided that the issues were not substantive.

(Alderman Rodgers left the meeting whilst the following item was under consideration.)