Agenda item

The Committee was reminded that the former Shadow Planning Committee, at its meeting on 11th March, had agreed to support proposals which had been formulated by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to list the corporate headquarters of the Danske Bank in Donegall Square West and the headquarters of the Belfast Telegraph in Royal Avenue/Library Street. At the meeting of the Council on 1st April, that decision had been referred back to the Planning Committee for further consideration to enable deputations from both the Danske Bank and the Belfast Telegraph to attend a future meeting to outline their concerns in this regard.

Belfast Telegraph

The Chairperson welcomed Mr. R McClean, Managing Director of Independent News and Media NI, together with Mr. D. Stelfox, who was acting as a consultant for the group in this matter. The Committee was advised that the Belfast Telegraph site comprised of a number of buildings, including an original four-storey 1886 Victorian redbrick building and four extensions. Mr. Stelfox gave an overview of the architectural merits of the buildings. He acknowledged that, whilst the original redbrick Victorian building was of historical and architectural interest, the various extensions were not of such importance to be afforded listing status. He therefore requested that the Committee would agree only to support a proposal that the original 1886 building be listed.

            Mr. M. Deery, Assistant Director with the DoE’s Historic Environment Division, outlined the rationale which had been utilised by the Department in determining how buildings were considered for listing status. Regarding the Belfast Telegraph buildings, the Committee was advised that the principal interest was in the original 1886 building, but that an extension which had been completed in 1907 complemented its character and the existing streetscape, which contained the Belfast Central Library and the former Frames Complex. The views of the Committee on the listing of that extension would also be considered. He added that the other buildings within the Belfast Telegraph site were not being proposed for listing. 

Moved by Councillor Armitage,

Seconded by Councillor McAteer and

      Resolved – that the Committee agrees, given their architectural and historical importance, to support the proposals of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to list the 1886 original Belfast Telegraph building in Royal Avenue, together with the associated 1907 extension in Library Street.

Danske Bank – Donegall Square West

            The Committee then received Dr. T. Quinn, Planning Consultant with Braniff Associates, who was in attendance to outline, on behalf of Danske Bank, their opposition to the proposals to list the bank’s corporate headquarters in Donegall Square West. The Committee was advised that the proposal to list the building would be unnecessary for the following reasons:

·        there were sufficient safeguards to protect the building in that it was located within a Conservation Area, which prevented it from being demolished and which meant that only sympathetic modifications could be made to its exterior;

·        the Northern Ireland Environment Agency report which had set out the rationale for listing the premises had failed to note that it had been altered significantly in 2008 through the addition of a sixth floor and the infilling of the central area, which had undermined its architectural merits for listing; and

·        theDanske Bank, as one of the largest employers in the City centre, would be opposed to having unnecessary constraints imposed upon its business operations.

            Mr. Deery indicated that the Agency had considered the architectural and historical merits of the building and, given that it was regarded a unique example of mid-twentieth century modernism, it was being proposed that it be afforded listing status.

Proposal

            Moved by Councillor Hutchinson,

            Seconded by Alderman McGimpsey,

      That the Committee agrees not to support the proposal of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to list the corporate headquarters of the Danske Bank in Donegall Square West. 

            On a vote by show of hands, five Members voted for the proposal and six against and it was declared lost.

Further Proposal

            Moved by Councillor McDonough-Brown, 

            Seconded by Councillor Armitage,

      That the Committee agrees, given the architectural and historical merit of the building, to support the proposal of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to list the corporate headquarters of the Danske Bank in Donegall Square West. 

            On a vote by show of hands, five Members voted for the proposal and five against. There being a parity of votes, the Chairperson exercised his second and casting vote in favour of the proposal and it was declared carried.