25m telecommunications mast at Loughside playing fields, Belfast

“Summary Date of Committee: 10 th March 2026 Application ID: LA04/2025/0951/F Proposal: Proposed 25m monopole with 6no. antennas, 4no. transmission dishes, 2no. equipment cabinets and ancillary development thereto.”

“Site History LA04/2023/2665/F – Loughside Recreation Centre, Shore Road, Belfast BT15 4HP. Replacement of existing all weather playing pitch with 3G pitch, new fencing, floodlights and dugouts. Permission granted 03/05/2023.”

“The application has been neighbour notified and advertised in the local press. No third party representations have been received.”

“The Principal Planning officer summarised the application and drew the Committee’s attention to an error in the report and clarified that the application had not been made by the Council, however, the application site was Council owned land.”

“She reported that the proposal was contrary to Policies ITU1 and OS1 of the Belfast Local Development Plan: Plan Strategy 2035 as the siting, height, scale and design of the proposal would negatively impact on the area of protected open space and that the application did not demonstrate that community benefits would decisively outweigh the loss of the open space.”

“The Committee agreed to refuse the application and delegated authority to the Director of Planning and Building Control to finalise the wording of the refusal reasons and to deal with any other issues that might arise, provided they were not substantive.”