Monitoring

We monitor a range of statistics. This helps us to check that our planning policies are doing what they are meant to do.

It also helps provide the evidence we need for developing future policies and helps to inform decisions we make on planning applications.

Annual Monitoring Report

The Planning Act (NI) 2011 requires us to make an annual report to the Department for Infrastructure assessing how well the objectives set out in the Local Development Plan are being achieved. We’re preparing a new Local Development Plan for Belfast and will start preparing these Annual Monitoring Reports once it is adopted.

Housing Land Availability Monitor

The annual Housing Monitor measures how many additional homes are built in the city. It helps to inform the preparation of our new Local Development Plan for Belfast, contributing to future decisions about where houses should be built. It provides a picture of the amount of land available for new houses as of 1 April each year.

Monitoring has been ongoing across Belfast since the late 1990s under the former Department for Environment’s (DOE) Planning Service. The future Housing Monitor in Belfast will operate with a baseline position of 31 March 2015, which is when the responsibility for planning transferred to the council.

Housing Land Availability Monitor Summary Reports

There are reports available covering the periods from 2015-2016 to 2022-2023.

The following reports are available to download from the Local Development Plan document library:

2018-2019 report
2017-2018 report - updated July 2019
2016-2017 report
2015-2016 report

You can also request a copy of the Housing Land Availability Monitor Reports by emailing planning@belfastcity.gov.uk.

Housing Land Availability Monitor Viewer

Information on the location and details of sites monitored as part of the most recent Housing Land Availability Monitor can be accessed using our online Housing Land Availability Monitor Viewer (opens in new window).

About the Housing Land Availability Monitor Viewer

Background

The primary purpose of the Housing Land Availability Monitor (referred to as the ‘Housing Monitor’) is to inform the formulation of the Council’s new Local Development Plan. However, it will also help the Council identify where a shortfall in potential land supply might exist and can inform house-builders on the availability of land that may be suitable for housing.

The information collated will allow a clear view of the overall progress in meeting the housing objectives of the existing development plan and in identifying issues likely to require intervention.

The Housing Land Availability Monitor Viewer (referred to as the ‘Housing Monitor Viewer’) has been created to provide users with information on the location and details of sites that were monitored as part of the most recent Housing Monitor, the results of which are published in the annual Belfast Housing Land Availability Summary Report.

Employment Land Monitor

In line with paragraph 6.92 of the Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS) the Employment Monitor seeks to monitor the take-up and loss of land allocated for economic development purposes as defined in Class B of the Planning (Use Classes) Order 2015).

It helps to inform the preparation of our new Local Development Plan for Belfast. It provides a snapshot of the amount of land available at 31 March each year.

Employment Land Availability Monitor Summary Reports

The latest report is now available.

View the 2022 - 2023 report

About the Employment Land Monitor Viewer

The Employment Monitor’s purpose is also to inform the formulation of the council’s new LDP. It seeks to monitor the supply of employment land and floorspace to ensure the employment objectives of the emerging LDP are met. It also provides information that is useful for developers and investors to quickly identify potential sites that were suitable for development.

The Employment Land Monitor Viewer has been created to provide users with information on the location and details of sites that were monitored as part of the most recent Employment Monitor. It can be accessed using our online Employment Land Monitor Viewer (opens in new window).

For more information on the Housing Land Availability Monitor and Employment Land Monitor, including their methodologies, refer to the latest summary reports.

Web browser compatibility

The Housing Monitor Viewer and the Employment should work with most web browsers including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari and Opera. However there may be performance issues when using Internet Explorer.

Help and support

A ‘Help’ section on using the viewer can be found under the ‘Option’ tab. Not all the functionality described in the Help section is available with the current version of the Housing Monitor Viewer.

If you have any queries or would like to provide feedback on the Housing Monitor Viewer, contact the Planning Office at localdevelopmentplan@belfastcity.gov.uk and include ‘Housing Monitor’ in the subject line.

Disclaimer and copyright

Belfast City Council (BCC) does not accept any liability for any loss incurred or damage to any person or property caused as a result of any inaccuracy in the data shown in this map viewer. The data is supplied “as is” and BCC shall not be held liable for the data not being fit for your purpose.

The Housing Monitor Viewer contains Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI) Intellectual Property (IP) and is reproduced with the permission of Land & Property Services (LPS) under delegated authority from the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, © Crown copyright and database right 2019, CS&LA156.

This IP may not be further shared, sub-licensed, sold, demonstrated, lent or otherwise transferred or exploited without the prior written permission of LPS (except where permitted by the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988 (as amended)).