Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from Aldermen McCoubrey and Smyth and Councillor O’Neill.

            The minutes of the meeting of 17th January were taken as read and signed as correct.  It was reported that those minutes had been adopted by the Council at its meeting on 4th February, subject to the omission of those matters in respect of which the Council had delegated its powers to the Committee.

            No declarations were reported.

            The Committee was advised that a request had been received from the Inner North Campus Development Group to receive a number of representatives to provide Members with an outline of their concerns in connection with the proposals in respect of the University of Ulster’s planning application. 

            The Committee agreed to receive the representatives from the Inner North Campus Development Group at a future meeting, as requested.

The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 22nd November, it had agreed to receive a deputation of residents from the Lennoxvale/Sans Souci Park area of Lower Malone in relation to their concerns regarding proposals which had been submitted by The Queen’s University of Belfast to demolish two detached properties, which were owned by the University, and to replace them with three residential blocks for students which would accommodate two hundred and forty undergraduates. Accordingly, the Chairman welcomed to the meeting Ms. A. Andress, the residents’ spokesperson, together with Ms. E. Sung, Mr. M. Patton, Ms. M. Cosgrave and Mr. J. Beggs in relation to the application.

Ms. Andress explained that the proposed demolition of the residential houses, together with the building of three purpose-built accommodation blocks, would impact on the residential and conservation status of the area and would create associated problems of litter, noise and general anti-social behaviour, which, she pointed out, had been the case within the Holylands. She tabled a number of plans and photographs which illustrated the scale and mass of the proposals and which indicated that issues concerning overlooking would be created for surrounding residents.

She indicated that the residents had concerns relating to the degree of consultation which the University had undertaken in respect of the proposals. She expressed the view that there existed already sufficient space within the general south Belfast area to accommodate students and that the residents were of the view that the properties earmarked for demolition should be sold to families in keeping with the character of the vicinity. She pointed out that the Council-sponsored Buchanan Report, which had considered problems associated with the Holylands area, had advocated the dispersal of the student population within the wider Belfast area and the establishment of mixed-use accommodation to enhance and improve the quality of life. She pointed out that the University’s plans to concentrate students in such numbers were at odds with that report.

The residents answered a range of Members’ questions in respect of the application and they then retired from the meeting.

Accordingly, it was

Moved by Councillor Curran,

Seconded by Alderman Rodgers and

            Resolved – That the Committee notes the concerns of the residents in respect of the proposals which have been submitted by The Queen’s University of Belfast to demolish two detached properties in the vicinity of Sans Souci Park/Lennoxvale and to replace them with three blocks which would accommodate approximately two hundred and forty undergraduate students and agrees that representatives of the University be requested to attend a future meeting of the Committee to discuss the concerns which had been raised in respect of the perceived lack of consultation which had been undertaken; the potential loss of amenity and character to the area; and the associated problems which could be created through the scale and mass of the proposed buildings and the related issues of litter, noise and general anti-social behaviour.

            The Democratic Services Officer reminded the Members that representatives from the Roads Service attended meetings of the Committee twice yearly in order to provide presentations in relation to the progress achieved in connection with that Service’s programme of works.

            The Committee agreed that special meetings for this purpose be held at 4.30 pm on Thursday, 30th May and Monday, 28th October.

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

Notification from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive of:

·         the confirmation of the Extinguishment of Public Rights of Way Order No. 2, 2012 – Lawnbrook 2 RDA; and

·         the extinguishment of Public Rights of Way at Somerdale, Cairnmartin Road – portion of roadway and footway at the end of Cairnmartin Road adjacent to Forthriver Primary School.

            Notification from the Department of the Environment, Planning Service in relation to the Planning Appeal in connection with the site bounded by Little York Street, Great George’s Street and Nelson Street, requesting that the following draft reasons for refusal, which had been provided in correspondence dated 11th July, 2012, be withdrawn:

·           the proposed development was contrary to Policy QD1 of PPS 7 “Quality Residential Developments” in that it failed to demonstrate the creation of a quality and sustainable residential environment.  The scale, form and appearance of the proposal would result in overdevelopment of the site; and

·           the proposed development was unacceptable in that 0.33 hectares of the site was zoned for social housing in draft BMAP and it had not been demonstrated that the proposed scheme made adequate provision to meet identified housing needs in the area. 

Notification from the Roads Service of:

·            the proposed provision of a disabled parking bay at 33 Hopefield Avenue;

·            a proposed pedestrian facility at the north slip road section of Ravenhill Road at the Albertbridge Road junction; and

·            the M2/Trunk Road T7 Order (Northern Ireland) 2013.

Notification from the Department for Social Development of the intention to make a Vesting Order at property at 279 Albertbridge Road.

            Copies of the correspondence in relation 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 considered the undernoted report:

“1     Relevant Background Information 

1.1    The Council has received correspondence from the Department of the Environment, advising of a major planning application under Article 31 for the re-development of Windsor Park.  This is to provide an 18,000 seated national football stadium.

2       Key Issues

2.1    The new stadium at Windsor represents a significant investment by the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure and the Irish Football Association.  This contribution is recognised in the Council’s Investment Programme, and most significantly in relation to the transformation of the leisure estate.   The physical improvement of the leisure estate is dependent on the Council’s agreed medium term financial strategy, and maximising value for money through strategic opportunities such as the Windsor and Casement developments. 

Both the Windsor and Casement stadia are on an aggressive timeline for delivery.  Members have stressed the urgency of decisions in relation to these iconic investments, in order to realise the greatest potential socio-economic benefits and work towards an enhanced community provision.

2.2    Council officers from Environmental Health Services have worked closely with the applicant over the last 9 months, as part of a pre-application process, to resolve any issues prior to the application being submitted.

         A standard technical response in relation to environmental impacts is now being prepared by officers for submission to the Planning Service.  The response will indicate that Council officers have considered all potential impacts and identified no issues in relation to the application and will be recommending to the Planning Service that the application is granted, subject to a number of conditions. 

2.3   The major application is complementary to both the aims of the Council’s Investment Programme, as well as the principles underpinning the leisure estate transformation recently agreed by the Strategic Policy and Resources (SP&R) Committee at its meeting (25 January 2013).  The Council is committed to working with both stadia developers, in order to provide direct benefit to the city and its ratepayers in terms of the promotion of the city, as well as social and economic regeneration benefits. 

         As part of the leisure transformation plan, Members have stressed the need to maximise the opportunities for partnership investments, and the emerging physical transformation plan includes the stadia developments as part of Phase 1, agreed by the SP&R Committee.”

2.4    It is therefore recommended that the Committee urges the Planning Service and the Department of the Environment to make all possible efforts to avoid potential and unnecessary delays and to make every effort to expedite the matter by avoiding the need for the holding of a public enquiry and to determine the application by way of issuing a Decision Notice.

3      Recommendation

It is recommended that the Committee agrees that the Department of the Environment is requested to make every effort to expedite the application as a matter of urgency and to avoid any unnecessary delays.”

After discussion, it was

      Resolved - That the Committee recognises the benefits which the proposed development at Windsor Park would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 51.

            The Committee noted a list of new planning applications which had been received by the Planning Service from 8th January until 28th January, 2013.

            The Committee noted information which had been received regarding the dates for the holding of future appeals.

            The Committee noted the outcome of a planning appeal in respect of a proposed temporary open air car wash and store at 149 Sandy Row.

            The Committee noted a list of streamlined planning applications’ decisions which had been issued by the Planning Service between 9th and 29th January, 2013.

            The Committee noted a list of deferred items which were still under consideration by the Belfast Planning Office.

            At the request of the Planning Service, the undernoted item was withdrawn from the list of reconsidered items:

            The Committee considered further the undernoted planning applications and adopted the recommendations of the Divisional Planning Manager thereon: