Eight-storey office building at Surface level car park at lands to east of Lanyon Place Station Mays Meadow, Belfast

What was proposed

An eight-storey building would provide seven office floors, ground-floor retail and business units, parking, cycle storage, plant areas and public-realm improvements.

“Committee Date: 10 th March 2026 Application ID: LA04/2025/0574/F Proposal: Erection of eight storey building comprising seven floors of grade A office accommodation, ground floor retail / business units together with car parking (15 no. spaces), cycle parking and plant areas: and public realm improvements including dedicated drop-off area to front of building…”

“This application relates to the car parking area east of Lanyon Station, May Meadows. Full planning permission is sought for the erection of a 8 storey building for Grade A Office premises with retail and business units at ground floor, together with car parking (15 no. spaces), cycle parking and plant areas: and public realm improvements including dedicated drop-off area to front of building.”

Officer report

The site

The site is a tarmac surface car park beside Lanyon Place train station and existing office blocks, accessed from Mays Meadow.

“The site is currently a tarmac covered surface level car park which is adjacent to two existing office blocks (Allstate and Concentrix) and Lanyon Place train station. The site is accessed from Mays Meadow which is linked to the main thoroughfare at East Bridge Street further to the east of the site. The application site is located on land sitting lower than East Bridge Street.”

Officer report

Earlier planning history

Earlier permissions covered a secured compound and cycle facilities on the site, plus office, parking, cycleway and landscaping schemes on surrounding land.

“LA04/2018/2074 – Permission Granted 5 th April 2019 - The installation of a secured compound including the erection of a 2m high fence. Extension of existing wall, mono- pitch roof and gates around cycle storage facilities.”

“LA04/2018/2913/F - Permission Granted 21 May 2019 - Amendments to previously approved site layout (REF Z/2015/0090/F) to include a two-storey extension, relocation of cycle parking, rationalisation of car parking and erection of bin compound…”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended permission because the city-centre location supported sustainable office, retail and business uses, high-quality design and economic activity.

“The site is within the City Centre and is a highly sustainable location for new office development. The proposal would provide office, retail and business accommodation which would have a positive impact in terms of investment and economic activity.”

“The proposed building is of a high-quality design appropriate to its location.”

Officer report

Main planning considerations

The assessment considered land use, design, heritage, amenity, climate change, open space, transport, health, environmental protection, drainage, nature and consultation.

“The main issues relevant to consideration of the application are set out below.”

“Principle of the proposed uses • Design and placemaking • Impact on heritage assets • Impact on amenity • Climate change • Open space • Access and transport • Health impacts • Environmental protection • Flood risk and drainage • Waste-water infrastructure • Natural heritage • Waste management • Employability and Skills • Pre-Application Community Consultation…”

Officer report

Consultation responses

No third-party objections were received; NI Water objected over network capacity, while other consultees generally raised no objection subject to conditions.

“DfI Roads – waiting final response. DfC HED – no objection. DfI Rivers – no objection. DAERA – no objection, recommends conditions. NI Water – objection due to network capacity…”

“Planning Service Urban Design Officer – no objection. Environmental Health – no objection, recommends conditions. BCC Landscape and Development – no objection, no significant adverse impact on the townscape and the proposal will likely assimilate within its surroundings. Shared Environmental Services (SES) – no objection with conditions. Belfast City Airport – no objection…”

Officer report

Who spoke

The Principal Planning Officer presented the application and gave an overview of the proposed office development, retail uses and public-realm improvements.

What members considered

The presentation highlighted the proposal’s planning issues, absence of third-party objections and the proposed condition addressing NI Water’s network-capacity concern.

“Principle of the proposed uses; • Design and placemaking; • Impact on heritage assets; • Impact on amenity; • Climate change; • Open space; • Access and transport ; • Health impacts; • Environmental protection; • Flood risk and drainage; • Waste-water infrastructure; • Natural heritage; • Waste management; and • Pre-Application Community Consultation.”

“She reported that no third-party objections had been received and that the Council’s Environmental Health Service and Urban Design Officer had raised no objections. She explained that NI Water had objected due to network capacity issues but that it was considered unreasonable to withhold planning permission on those grounds as an appropriate planning condition could be imposed to restrict development until a satisfactory agreement was reached with NI Water.”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The Committee granted planning permission subject to conditions and delegated authority for finalising wording and addressing non-substantive further consultation matters.

“She stated that, having regard to the Development Plan and other material considerations, it was recommended that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions.”

“The Committee granted planning permission, subject to conditions and delegated authority to the Director of Planning and Building Control to finalise the wording of the conditions and deal with any other issues that might arise, including those raised in the further consultation responses from DfI Road Services, provided that the issues were not substantive.”

Minutes