Seven ball-stop systems at Woodlands Playing Fields, Belfast
Summary of planning committee decision
Decided by Belfast Planning Committee on 20 Jan 2026.
What was proposed
The application sought seven ball-stop fencing systems, each 30 metres long and 12 metres high, at the playing fields.
“The application seeks planning permission for 7no. proposed 30m (length) x 12m (height) ball stop fencing.”
Officer report
The site and surroundings
The council-owned site has six GAA pitches, changing facilities, parking and boundary trees, with homes, a school and other uses nearby.
“The site is located at Woodlands Playing Fields, Finaghy Road North, Belfast which is a Council site consisting of sports pitches, a changing facilities and associated parking. There are a number of mature trees around the site periphery.”
“The site is located at Woodlands Playing Fields, accessed via Finaghy Road North, Belfast. The site is council owned with 6x GAA sport pitches, changing room facilities and associated parking. Trees are found along the boundary of the site.”
Officer report
Officers recommended approval
Officers considered the proposal acceptable because it supported continued sports use and would not harm residential amenity or the area’s appearance.
“The principle of open space / recreational development has already been established and is deemed acceptable at this location. The proposal retains the use as existing open space and supports the continued use as a pitch as per Policy OS1. The proposed 7x ballstop systems support the continued use of the site as an intensive…”
“The proposal is incidental to an exiting use within an area of open space and will have no adverse effect on the sporting potential of the facility it will assist with the overall functioning and recreational use of the sports grounds. The proposal complies with Policy OS1 of the Belfast Local Development Plan.”
Officer report
Who spoke
The Senior Planning Officer summarised the application, its key issues, consultation responses and recommendation for approval.
The committee decision
The committee granted planning permission subject to conditions and delegated authority to finalise their wording and handle non-substantive issues.
“The Committee granted planning permission, subject to conditions and delegated authority to the Director of Planning and Building Control to finalise the…”
Minutes
Sources
- Belfast Planning Committee minutes, 20 January 2026
- Agenda and papers (council website)
Source: Plota analysis of Belfast's committee minutes and officer report. Quotations are the council's own words; headings and summaries are Plota's.
Committee decisions and nationwide planning applications, in one API
The Plota API returns planning applications from every council we cover, each with its decision, whether a committee or officers decided it, and the committee date. Build it into your own tools.
See the API →At the meeting
- Committee
- Belfast Planning Committee
- Council
- Belfast
- Date
- Tuesday 20 January 2026
- Recommendation
- Officers recommended approval
- Committee decided
- Approved
- Minutes
- The council's minutes
- Meeting
- Agenda and papers (council website)
- Application
- The application (council website)
- All decisions
- Belfast committee decisions →
This committee's year
45 decisions in the 12 months to this meeting, 5 against officer advice.
Source: Plota analysis of the committee's minutes.