Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from Aldermen M. Campbell, Rodgers and Smyth and Councillors A. Newton, O’Neill and L. Patterson.

            The minutes of the meetings of 1st and 15th August were taken as read and signed as correct.  It was reported that those minutes had been adopted by the Council at its meeting on 2nd September, subject to the omission of those matters in respect of which the Council had delegated its powers to the Committee.

            In respect of item eleven on the Schedule of Applications, viz., the erection of an office building, surface car parking and other associated works at vacant land at Clarendon Dock, Councillors Garrett and Haire declared an interest in that they were on the Board of the Harbour Commissioners.

            It was reported that correspondence had been received from various statutory bodies, agencies and other organisations in respect of the undernoted:

            Notification from the Roads Service of:

·          the proposed Abandonment of a portion of the Ormeau Road;

·          the removal of an accessible blue badge parking bay at 15 Eastleigh Crescent;

·          the provision of two accessible blue badge parking bays at 40 and 42 Jocelyn Avenue; and

·          the intention to proceed with the extension of the Controlled Parking Zone in Belfast City Centre to include the following streets: Blondin Street; Botanic Avenue; Corporation Square; Donegall Lane; Donegall Street; Gaffikin Street; Howard Street South; Joy Street; Library Street; Ormeau Road; Coyle’s Place; University Square; Tomb Street; Talbot Street; Frederick Street and College Court.

            Notification from the Housing Executive of the confirmation of the operative date for a Vesting Order at Torrens Drive.

            Notification from Taylor Patterson, Chartered Surveyors, in relation to pre-planning application consultations for mobile phone base stations’ upgrades in various locations within the Council area.

            Copies of the letters, maps and orders relating to the above-mentioned matters were made available at the meeting for the information of the Members.

            The Committee noted the information which had been provided.

            The Committee was advised that the Department of the Environment had published draft Supplementary Planning Guidance for Planning Policy Statement 18 “Renewable Energy”.  The purpose of the guidance was to provide advice on the key issues raised by anaerobic digestion and it detailed the type of information which might be required to accompany a planning application for such developments.  Advice and guidance was also provided in relation to environmental impact assessments, together with information about other consents which may be required.   Once finalised, the Supplementary Planning Guidance would be a material consideration in the determination of planning applications for anaerobic digestion developments. 

            It was reported that the proposed guidance might have implications in terms of Council proposals and the discharge of statutory duties in relation to health and environmental considerations.  Therefore, the draft response, which had been prepared for the Committee’s consideration, had set out general and specific comments in an attempt to ensure clarity in respect of the scope and operation of the proposed guidance.

            The Committee endorsed the undernoted response to the Department of the Environment in relation to the Supplementary Planning Guidance for Planning Policy Statement 18 “Renewable Energy”: 

“Response to Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance to PPS 18 ‘Renewable Energy’ Anaerobic Digestion (June 2013)

Belfast City Council welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) to Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 18 ‘Renewable Energy’.  This Council has reviewed the draft SPG on Anaerobic Digestion (AD) and would make the following comments by way of response.

Background

The Council is proposing to develop an innovative Environmental Resource Park at the North Foreshore, to create a major cleantech environmental technology cluster within the City. This is a strategic project contained in the City Investment Programme. Currently the Council is seeking an ERDF contribution to build the road infrastructure and prepare 30 acres for future cleantech development.

To progress the implementation of the Giant’s Park Environmental Resource Park, the Council is promoting the development of a sustainable renewable energy hub within the site that will generate electricity and heat that may be utilised by the future cleantech companies locating in the environmental resource park. Currently the Council is generating c3mw of renewable electricity from landfill gas for export to the local grid which is sufficient to supply up to 3,500 homes. There is surplus export capacity c7mw available in the existing on-site substation that would permit the development of further renewable energy generation projects at the site. It is the Council’s intention to encourage the development of a district heating system within the environmental resource park to utilise the potential renewable heat c3mw that may be generated. 

To deliver the sustainable energy hub, the Council approved the disposal of two sites by way of Marketing Prospectus to invite private sector interest to develop their own commercial biogas / AD renewable energy facility. The Council recently released two sites for disposal suitable for large scale commercial AD (above 1 mw) at the North Foreshore Giant’s Park Environmental Resource  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

            The Committee was advised that a request had been received from the Mooreland and Owenvarragh Residents’ Association to attend a future meeting with regard to the Gaelic Athletic Association’s planning application in relation to the Casement Park proposals. The Committee agreed to receive the representatives of the residents’ association at its meeting on 19th September.

            The Committee noted a list of new planning applications received by the Planning Service from 8th until 28th August.

            A list of deferred items, which were still under consideration by the Planning Office, was noted by the Committee.

            The Committee noted a list of decisions which had been issued by the Planning Service between 29th July and 29th August in respect of streamlined planning applications.

At the request of the agents, the undernoted planning applications were withdrawn from the schedule:

            The Committee considered further the undernoted planning application and adopted the recommendation of the Divisional Planning Manager thereon:

            The Committee considered the schedule of planning applications which had been submitted by the Divisional Planning Manager in respect of the Council area and agreed to adopt the recommendations contained therein with the exception of those referred to below: