Agenda item

            Lease of Part of Stables Block

            at Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park

            The Committee was advised that, following the recent relocation of staff within the Parks and Leisure Department, the refurbished first floor office accommodation within the Stables block at the Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park was currently unoccupied.  The first floor office area comprised approximately 1,350 square feet.  Following discussions between officers from the Parks and Leisure Department and the Belfast Marathon Office, it was proposed that the Marathon Office be located on the first floor accommodation above the Stables Restaurant.  It was proposed also that that occupation be regulated by way of a formal lease from the Council.

            The Committee was advised that Belfast City Marathon Limited was a company limited by guarantee which had been formed for the purpose of organising and operating the Belfast Marathon.  The company received annual funding from the Council in the region of £40,000 out of a total annual budget in the region of £300,000.  The nine Company Board members was made up of representatives from Athletics Northern Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland, an independent Chairman and three representatives from the Council (two Councillors and one officer).  Council assistance was provided also for the staging of the event by the Council’s Events Team.

            The Committee approved the lease to the Belfast Marathon Office of first floor accommodation above the Stables Restaurant, Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, on an annual renewable basis, at a rental of £11,000 per annum (subject to review after five years if the lease was continuing), with the appropriate terms being incorporated into a legal agreement to be prepared by the Legal Services Section.

            Annadale Embankment – Exchange of Land

            In accordance with Standing Order 60, the Committee was advised that the Parks and Leisure Committee, at its meeting on 14th October, had approved the disposal of approximately 541 square metres of land to and the acquisition of approximately 87 square metres of land from Northern Ireland Water at the Annadale Embankment for a sewerage pumping station for a net receipt to the Council of £24,500, subject to an appropriate legal agreement being drawn up by the Legal Services Section.

            The Committee approved the exchange of land on the terms outlined.

            Slievegallion Drive Open Space

            The Committee was advised that the Parks and Leisure Committee, at its meeting on 16th September, had approved the acquisition from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive of approximately 0.173 acres of land, on the basis of a long lease at a nominal rent, with use to be restricted to open space, subject to an appropriate legal agreement.

            In accordance with Standing Order 60, the Committee approved the acquisition.

            Grazing Licences

            The Committee was informed that the Council owned an 8.5 acre site at Glen Road which was located between St. Teresa’s Gaelic Athletic Club and the Glen Road Travellers Camp, and was held in the Corporate Landbank.  Part of the land had been used recently, without permission, by a person living in the near vicinity for grazing a horse. 

            The Committee was reminded that approval had previously been granted for the disposal of the area of land to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for social housing purposes.  Whilst there were proposals to develop both that area of land and the adjoining Northern Ireland Housing Executive and privately-owned lands for housing purposes, the sale of the land had been delayed primarily due to European Union procurement issues in terms of design and build restrictions affecting housing associations.  However, discussions regarding disposal were still underway and a report in this regard would be submitted to the Committee in due course.

            In addition, there were horses grazing also on another Council-owned site at Monagh Wood, again without permission.  That land was zoned as Green Belt under the draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan and an Area of High Scenic Value.

            The Head of Property and Projects explained that the main issue for the Council was to protect its land holdings to avoid facing any claims for adverse possession.  The Estates Management Unit had already taken steps to remove the semi-permanent structure from the land at Glen Road Heights which was being used as a stable. 

            It was proposed therefore to advertise in the local press the availability of licences to legalise grazing on the land.  The person grazing horses on the land would be given the opportunity to respond to the advertisement and the sites would be licensed to the persons offering the best terms to the Council.  The grazing licences would be subject to strict provisions that no structures, permanent or temporary, would be permitted on the land at any time.  The licensee in each case would be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the land and for ensuring, in so far as possible, that it was kept clear from the accumulation of litter or dumping.  In each case, the licence would be terminable in the event that the Council sold the land, wished to develop it or needed it for any other purpose or if there were any breaches in the provision of the licence.  There would be no security of tenure and any such arrangement would not be afforded the protection of the Business Tenancies Order, since Article 4(1)(d) excluded tenancy of agricultural land including farm houses and farm buildings.  The licences were seen as the best course of action as the boundaries for both sites would be difficult to secure and the alternative would be to take enforcement action against those currently using the land for grazing but that could prove to be a costly and time consuming option.

            The Committee approved the use of the aforementioned lands for grazing purposes following expressions of interest being sought and subject to the regularisation by way of a grazing licence to be prepared by the Legal Services Section.

Easement at North Foreshore

            The Committee was advised that Phoenix Natural Gas Limited was laying a new mains gas pipeline from North Belfast to the Odyssey Arena complex in East Belfast via the Duncrue Road, Corporation Street and the Queen Elizabeth Bridge.  A short length of the pipeline would cut across the south-west corner of the North Foreshore site and therefore Phoenix Gas would require a five metre wide easement for pipe maintenance purposes.  This would be accessed by way of the existing cycle track which was in Council ownership.  A right-of-way would extend over the cycle track to its junction with Dargan Road.

            The Committee approved the grant of an easement and right-of-way to Phoenix Natural Gas Limited on the area of land outlined, subject to the drawing up of an appropriate legal document by the Legal Services Section.