We are solely three months into the yr and already 2026 has seen many planning tasks authorized by Belfast City Council.
Those which have obtained the inexperienced gentle will change the skyline of the town, join folks shut to the Belfast Hills, and can assist ease among the housing pressure — however they may even stoke additional the rising controversy over how property homeowners use homes in residential areas.
From social housing to workplace blocks, from backyard centres being transformed into modish new sports activities centres and banking name centres being transformed to well being models, listed here are 10 of probably the most eye-catching planning approvals made in the town up to now this yr.
In January, new strolling trails have been authorized in west Belfast, linking completely different communities shut to the Belfast Hills. Elected representatives agreed a proposed growth of recent strolling trails linking the Black Mountain Shared Space Project constructing on the Ballygomartin Road with the Upper Whiterock Road and Moyard Parade.
L-R: Andy Pearson from Department for Communities, Paul Millar from Black Mountain Shared Space, Lord Mayor Councillor Micky Murray, Paddy Harte from the International Fund for Ireland, Seamus Corr from Black Mountain Shared Space, and Michael McAvoy from DfC
There will likely be new gated accesses, fencing, seated areas, info signage and landscaping. The work is on public land, by Belfast City Council.
The growth is designed to present entry to the Belfast Hills for native communities and hyperlink with the broader path community in the hills. It may even enhance the community of inexperienced infrastructure throughout the council space and enhance entry to open area for residents and guests. The proposed growth contains three pedestrian entry factors at Ballygomartin Shared area, Moyard Parade and Whiterock Road.
Planned Black Mountain strolling path (crimson)
Also in January a brand new household leisure leisure complicated was authorized for a enterprise park in south Belfast, regardless of being opposed robustly by a neighbouring enterprise over numerous points together with parking. Elected representatives authorized, for the second time, an utility for change of use from workplace area and storage at Adelaide Business Centre, 2-6 Apollo Road, Belfast, BT12.
The utility was returned to the Planning Committee due to process ensuing from objections from Agnew’s Trade Centre, a used automotive dealership beside the event web site. Representatives from Agnew’s argued the plan would block entry to enterprise on its web site.
The web site will likely be developed right into a leisure complicated with bowling alleys, a restaurant, an indoor golf course, a kids’s mushy play space, a VR zone, amusements and on-site parking. The applicant is Paddy Simpson, Barley Fields, Derry.
CGI of Apollo Road Leisure Complex
In February, a 77-unit social housing growth was authorized for Whiterock Road, west Belfast. Elected members unanimously authorized a mixture of 26 semi-detached homes and 51 flats, in addition to a brand new kids’s centre, new automotive parking, a brand new substation, landscaping, open area and entry on the former Belfast Metropolitan College Campus, Whiterock Road, Belfast.
Whiterock Road web site for brand new social housing
The web site is a former faculty and school, which consisted of two buildings: one containing the Whiterock Children’s Centre, on the japanese portion of the location; the opposite a boxing membership, on the western portion. The previous constructing is at the moment being demolished.
Also in February, a former banking name centre shut to the town centre was given the inexperienced gentle to change into a Transitional Care Unit. Councillors unanimously authorized an utility for the proposed change of use from an workplace to a short-term Transitional Care Unit, at Santander House, 1 Mays Meadow, Belfast, shut to the Albert Bridge. The Santander constructing was initially constructed in the late Nineties for Abbey National.
The unit will comprise 73 en suite beds, rehabilitation suites and therapy rooms, a laboratory, consulting rooms, a café, two exterior terraces, and ancillary workers and storage rooms. The growth will embrace an ambulance drop-off bay, the substitute of current home windows, and different related web site and entry works. The candidates are Life Works Developments Ltd, Clare Road, Gilford BT63.
February additionally noticed controversy on the Belfast City Hall Planning Committee, when the DUP failed to cease a brand new short-term-let condo block in east Belfast getting approval, regardless of locals stating the event was “not wanted by the community”.
Elected representatives on the February assembly of the Planning Committee, on a majority vote, authorized an utility for the erection of a four-storey constructing to create 29 short-term-let lodging models at 341-345 Albertbridge Road, Belfast, BT5. The developer is ALMCC (NI) Limited, Shore Road, Holywood.
A vote on a DUP proposal to refuse the applying noticed seven votes in favour, from the DUP and the UUP, and 12 towards, from the opposite events, and so it was authorized. The utility obtained 37 objections because it first went to the council final December. Despite this, not one of the related statutory our bodies objected and the council’s planning group advisable the applying for approval.
Despite the rising public temper towards the proliferation of short-term-let lodging, builders who’ve had their functions refused on the council’s Planning Committee are more and more interesting the decisions, with vital ranges of success. As a outcome, council officers are advising councillors to present rigorous policy-related and authorized reasoning when objecting to functions they’ve advisable for approval.
In March, a £36 million plan by a Translink-related firm to develop an eight-storey workplace constructing on the Lanyon Place Station automotive park web site was authorized. Councillors unanimously authorized the constructing, comprising seven flooring of grade A workplace lodging, and ground-floor retail and enterprise models, on the surface-level automotive park at lands to the east of Lanyon Place Station, Mays Meadow, BT1.
Artist’s impression of the authorized plan for an workplace constructing beside Lanyon Place Station
While the plan means the top of the station automotive park, the applying includes 15 automotive parking areas for the brand new constructing, with new cycle parking and plant areas. It includes public realm enhancements, together with a devoted drop-off space to the entrance of the proposed constructing. The applicant identify and deal with is Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, 22 Great Victoria Street.
While the council obtained no third-party objections after neighbour notification, final yr there have been stories from some media retailers {that a} survey had revealed that 80% of respondents have been towards the Translink plan. The stories mentioned Stormont officers on the Department for Infrastructure additionally expressed reservations, saying the plans didn’t have sufficient element.
An impression of the constructing from above
Locals reportedly expressed fears that with solely 15 automotive areas for an eight-storey workplace block, the brand new workforce would use their residential space as a carpark. Council planning officers nonetheless advisable the applying for approval.
Also in March, elected representatives gave the inexperienced gentle to two new residential developments in east Belfast, on the websites of a former faculty and masonic lodge.
Councillors unanimously authorized 35 social housing models for over-55s in two blocks on land at 45 Park Avenue, on the location of the previous Mount Masonic Hall, which was lately demolished.
They additionally authorized 53 residential models (43 homes and 10 flats) on land on the former Cabin Hill web site on the Upper Newtownards Road. The resolution on Cabin Hill was supposed to be heard the month earlier than, however was pushed again after a hearth at a constructing on the location.
A hearth-damaged constructing on the previous Cabin Hill web site, the place a brand new residential growth has been authorized
At the identical Planning Committee assembly, elected representatives unanimously authorized the erection of a brief cell classroom village to facilitate the future refurbishment and extension of the prevailing Harberton North Special School, at 29a Fortwilliam Park, Belfast BT15. The current faculty contains a present enrolment of 222 pupils with 30 full-time lecturers and 86 assist workers.
The plan includes three two-storey blocks of momentary classroom lodging, momentary exhausting play areas, momentary workers and customer parking areas, and can contain tree-removal and landscaping. The applicant is the Education Authority.
Also in March, an east Belfast former backyard provide warehouse obtained the inexperienced gentle to be transformed for a brand new padel centre by a Dublin firm, regardless of the location lately having been authorized for an condo block. Elected representatives unanimously authorized a proposed change of use of a vacant warehouse to an indoor padel court docket facility at Decco Ltd, 1-5 Redcar Street, Belfast, BT6, between the Castlereagh and Woodstock Roads.
The web site of a deliberate padel centre in Redcar Street
The plan features a café, altering rooms, a fitness center, enjoying courts and different ancillary web site growth works. The applicant is House of Padel, Old Belgard Road, Cookstown Industrial Estate, Dublin. There is an extant approval on the location for the demolition of the prevailing constructing and erection of 65 flats, together with 20% social housing, which was authorized in February 2023.
The utility web site contains a big, two-storey, vacant industrial constructing which extends throughout a lot of the web site, with the rest used for parking. The web site is beside Euston Street Primary School. There have been 4 native objectors.
