Committee details

Information about the Planning Committee

Please note: all meetings of the Planning Committee are open to the public. If you wish to speak at the Planning Committee, you must have previously made representations to the Planning Department in respect of an application. 

If you wish to request to speak, please contact Democratic Services setting out the planning reasons you wish to raise. Please note that the deadline for requests to speak is 48 hours prior to the date of the meeting:

·     Web Form:  Submit your request to speak to committee

·     Email Democratic Services: democraticservices@belfastcity.gov.uk

The Planning Committee is responsible for all of the Council’s planning functions, except those matters which are delegated to officers or reserved to full Council.

Specific responsibilities include:

Exercising the Council’s powers and duties in relation to local planning policies, plan strategies, the statement of community involvement and any other development plan documents in conjunction with the Strategic Policy and Resource Committee who will consider all of the said policies and plans to ensure that they are consistent with the broader strategic objectives of the Council;

Reconsideration of local planning policies, plan strategies, the statement of community involvement and any other development plan documents in respect of which the Strategic Policy and Resource Committee considers to be inconsistent with the broader strategic objectives of the Council;

Deciding on applications for planning permission and whether to impose any condition, limitation or other restriction on an approval, consent, licence or permission;

Revoking, amending, modifying or varying any approval, consent, licence or permission;

Determining any matters related to the exercise of permitted development rights as set out in the Planning (General Development) Order (NI) 1993 or any other legislation relating to such rights;

Exercising the Council’s powers and duties in relation to development control;

Determining applications for the display of advertisements and whether to impose any condition, limitation or other restriction on such advertisements;

Determining applications for planning permission or consents for listed buildings and exercising any related powers and duties; including the revocation or modification of such a consent;

Exercising the Council’s powers in relation to the preservation of trees;

Dealing with any other planning related matter that a meeting of Council or any other Committee considers appropriate to be referred to the Planning Committee;

Responding to consultations on local planning policies, plan strategies the statement of community involvement and any other development plan documents in adjoining authorities;

Responding to consultations issued by the Department for Infrastructure, or any other Department, in relation to planning matters;

Responding to consultations in relation to regionally significant or major applications to be determined by the Department for Infrastructure.