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Planning
Updated on Wednesday 12 November 2025
In our Plan Strategy (PS), we made a commitment to prepare Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) to support and clarify policies included within the Local Development Plan (LDP). LDP Policy CC1 - Development Opportunity Sites enables us to identify and target Development Opportunity Areas (DOAs) across Belfast city centre which have significant capacity for new housing, commercial and other development linked to existing or potential improvements to public realm and public transport accessibility.
We developed SPG documents for Sailortown, Greater Clarendon and City Quays (DOA_01) and Cathedral and North East Quarter (DOA_07). We provided a comprehensive masterplan approach to the future development of both DOAs with an emphasis on placemaking principles and good urban design practice.
We began a 12-week public consultation on Thursday 6 November 2025. To give us your views on both masterplans, go to YourSay (link opens in new window) and complete the online survey. For more information, email [email protected] or call 028 9050 0510. The public consultation closes on Thursday 29 January 2026 at 5pm.
Comments we receive during the consultation will be assessed in respect of the need for potential amendments to the SPG. We will set out this consideration, along with any proposed changes, in a consultation report. Following this consultation and subject to any further amendments considered necessary, we intend to adopt the SPG to support the assessment of relevant development proposals and decision-making.
Section 7 of the Planning Act (NI) 2011 places a statutory duty on councils to prepare and keep under review a Timetable for the preparation and adoption of the council’s Local Development Plan.
Belfast City Council adopted its initial Local Development Plan Timetable on 1 June 2016. This Timetable has been subject to continual review as the council progresses through the LDP process. Statutory revisions were adopted and published in April 2018, November 2018 and July 2020. Following the adoption of the Belfast LDP Plan Strategy on 2 May 2023, the Timetable has been further revised and was approved by the Department for Infrastructure in October 2023.
In accordance with Regulation 8 of the Planning (Local Development Plan) Regulations (NI) 2015, Belfast City Council hereby gives notice of the adoption of its revised Local Development Plan Timetable.
The revised Timetable may be examined between the hours of 9am to 5pm (Monday to Friday) at Belfast City Council, Planning Service, Cecil Ward Building, 4-10 Linenhall Street, Belfast, BT2 8BP.
View the revised Timetable. Copies can be obtained, by writing to the above address, by emailing [email protected] or call 028 9050 0510.
In accordance with section 12 of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, on 3 April 2023, we resolved to adopt the Belfast Local Development Plan – Plan Strategy (May 2023). This followed the Direction issued by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to adopt the Plan Strategy with specified modifications. The Plan Strategy was adopted on 2 May 2023 and took effect from that date.
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