BELFAST City Council has rejected a proposal to build a 14-storey skyscraper in the Market area.
Planning permission for the £55 million office block on Steward Street was originally granted in 2016. However, in May 2018 it was quashed in a Judicial Review taken on behalf of the Save the Market campaign.
Revised plans for the development, which were presented to the Council’s Planning Committee last night, were rejected by councillors despite being recommended for approval by Belfast City Council officials.
Commenting on the decision, South Belfast MLA and Save the Market campaigner, Deirdre Hargey, said: “This was down to our campaigning and activism over the last few years. I’m so proud to be a Market woman.
“We took to the streets, we went to court, we went to council to fight this development and we have been vindicated. It shows that community and political activism works, street action and campaigning works.
“I want to thank the MDA (Market Development Association) for their campaign and hard work, this would not have been possible without you.
“To all those residents who took to the streets, signed petitions and lobbied local elected reps. To Lizzie Conlon who took the legal action that got us to here.”
Ms Hargey thanked the children from St Malachy’s Primary School who made a video and wrote to the Planning Committee.
REJECTED: An artist's impression of how the high-rise would have looked
“This shows when you work together for common good you can overcome, our future is bright with them,” she added.
“I want to thank our legal team Nicholas and O’Muirigh solicitors and also our planning advisors Ciarán and David and to Martin for the videos, there are so many who helped.
“A big thanks to the planning committee tonight who rejected this application. To my own party Sinn Féin who proposed to refuse the application; Greens who seconded the proposal and the SDLP, PBP and Alliance who all supported.”
Fionntán Hargey from the Market Development Association said: “This shows that the interests of the communities like the Market who built, sustained and gave this city its unique character are now placed at the heart of the planning system.
“The residents were vindicated in the Judicial Review Court. They were vindicated by the MAG report. They have now been vindicated by the Planning Committee.
“We congratulate the residents on setting another historic planning precedent in this city, and hope for their sake that the skyscraper threat is gone for good, and that this community will now be given the space to pursue their regeneration ambitions with the Tunnels Project.”
Deputy Chair of the Planning Committee, SDLP Cllr Gary McKeown said: "While everyone would like to see this site come into productive use, it must be done in a way which is in keeping with the area and benefits the community.
"I have never seen a level of concern among residents about a planning proposal as high as was the case with this one.
"I hope that any future plans are codesigned with the local community to find a sustainable, positive solution for this location which delivers appropriate development, protects the historic tunnels on the site, and is beneficial to the wider community."
