07/11/2025
BCC Unveils Two Major Belfast Development Plans
Belfast City Council has published two draft masterplans, known as Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG), to identify and guide development within two critical 'Development Opportunity Areas' in the city centre. The SPG masterplans are now open for public consultation for a period of 12 weeks, until Thursday, 29 January.
The two areas covered by the guidance are:
1. Cathedral and Northeast Quarter of the city centre.
2. Sailortown, Greater Clarendon, and City Quays areas.
The SPG is non-statutory planning guidance designed to support and clarify policies contained within the Council's adopted Local Development Plan (LDP). It provides a comprehensive masterplan approach to the future development of these areas.
Councillor Ryan Murphy, Chair of Belfast City Council's Planning Committee, stated that the plans aim to promote "plan-led investment" to support the city's community plan, the Belfast Agenda: "These will promote plan-led investment and help to encourage more housing and mixed-use development... They include a greater focus in placemaking and a heritage approach that will facilitate the creation of a high-quality environment for future residents and visitors and will provide more greater certainty for inward investment."
The masterplans are intended to guide developers, communities, and local representatives during the planning process and will be used when assessing planning proposals. Since the Belfast LDP was adopted in May 2023, the Council has developed 18 SPGs providing non-statutory guidance.
To respond to the consultation on the two draft masterplans, visit the council's Your Say platform and complete the survey - yoursay.belfastcity.gov.uk/ldp-sailortown-and-cathedral-quarter-doa
You can also email comments to localdevelopmentplan@belfastcity.gov.uk or send by post to Belfast Planning Service, Cecil Ward Building, 4-10 Linenhall Street, Belfast, BT2 BBP.
For more information on the council's Local Development Plan (LDP), visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/ldp
The two areas covered by the guidance are:
1. Cathedral and Northeast Quarter of the city centre.
2. Sailortown, Greater Clarendon, and City Quays areas.
The SPG is non-statutory planning guidance designed to support and clarify policies contained within the Council's adopted Local Development Plan (LDP). It provides a comprehensive masterplan approach to the future development of these areas.
The masterplans are intended to guide developers, communities, and local representatives during the planning process and will be used when assessing planning proposals. Since the Belfast LDP was adopted in May 2023, the Council has developed 18 SPGs providing non-statutory guidance.
To respond to the consultation on the two draft masterplans, visit the council's Your Say platform and complete the survey - yoursay.belfastcity.gov.uk/ldp-sailortown-and-cathedral-quarter-doa
You can also email comments to localdevelopmentplan@belfastcity.gov.uk or send by post to Belfast Planning Service, Cecil Ward Building, 4-10 Linenhall Street, Belfast, BT2 BBP.
For more information on the council's Local Development Plan (LDP), visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/ldp
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