Agenda item

(Councillor Canavan left the meeting at this point)

            The case officer provided the Members with the key aspects of the application for a change of use from retail to an amusement arcade.

            He explained to the Committee that the application sought the relocation of an existing amusement arcade from 13 North Street to facilitate redevelopment of the area.

            The Committee was advised that the site was located within Belfast City Centre and Cathedral Conservation Area, and fell within the primary retail core of the city centre.  The case officer pointed out to the Members that there were a number of listed properties within the immediate location of the site.

            He confirmed to the Committee that DfI Roads and the Historic Environment Division (HED) had been consulted and had no objections to the application.  The Members were advised that Environmental Health had requested an amended noise impact assessment and that their comments were outstanding in this regard.

            The case officer explained that ten objections had been received and that the Planning Service’s assessment of those objections had been addressed within his report.

            A Member expressed concerns regarding the site’s proximity to the Belfast Central Library, which was used by school children, the offices of Start360, which provided support to vulnerable people, and the offices of Extern and the Probation Board NI.

            The case officer explained to the Committee that Building Control had advised that the proposed change of use did not comply with one of the Council’s Amusement Permit Policy criteria (May 2013), namely “retail vibrancy and regeneration of Belfast”, as it was a new arcade in that location.  He advised that Building Control had confirmed, however, that the proposal complied with the other four criteria of that Policy, namely, the cumulative build-up of amusement arcades in a particular location, the impact on the image and profile of Belfast, proximity to residential use and proximity to schools, youth centres and residential institutions for vulnerable people.

            In response to a Member’s query, he stated that, as the application was for the relocation of an amusement arcade to facilitate redevelopment, as opposed to an additional arcade, it was considered that it would not result in the proliferation of non-retail units in the retail core and was therefore acceptable in Planning terms.

            The Divisional Solicitor clarified to the Members that it would be for the Licensing Committee to determine if the proposed amusement arcade met the requirements under the Council’s Amusement Permit Policy, where the Policy would perhaps carry more weight. 

            She confirmed that the concerns raised by the Planning Committee in relation to the proposed site’s proximity to the aforementioned venues, including Belfast Central Library, would be submitted to the Licensing Committee for its consideration.

            The Committee was advised that a Section 76 Planning Agreement would be drawn up to ensure that both the existing and proposed premises would not operate concurrently as amusement arcades.

            In response to a Member’s concerns, the Director of Planning and Building Control and the Divisional Solicitor confirmed to the Committee that the Section 76 Agreement could restrict the publically accessible floor space of the premises at 115-119 Royal Avenue.

            The Committee granted approval to the application, subject to the imposing of the conditions set out within the case officer’s report and delegated power to the Director of Planning and Building Control for the final wording of the conditions and, in conjunction with the City Solicitor, to resolve the outstanding issues and the Section 76 Planning Agreement.