Decision on controversial £500M Tribeca development in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter deferred

By Q Radio News

A decision on planning permission for a controversial £500 Million development in Belfast has been deferred.

Revised plans for the 'Tribeca' scheme in the city's Cathedral Quarter were granted outlined planning approval back in January. 

However, last night councillors voted unanimously to delay the final decision, until they can find out more information on a number of issues. 

Welcoming tonight’s decision by Belfast City Council Planning Committee members to defer the decision, Agustina Martire, Acting Chair of the Save CQ campaign said:

“Amongst the many outstanding issues with the Tribeca Belfast development - including heritage, public space and arts and culture - we are delighted that the planning committee members recognised the issues regarding housing.  With no social housing or family housing on site, just 14 children could be accommodated in the 367 housing units being proposed.  

The current development also proposes that vulnerable people from Choice Housing could potentially be moved away from the site.  We are pleased that the members recognised that this does not live up to the aspirations of the emerging Local Development Plan, which states that 20% of housing *on site* should be social and affordable. 

We generated over 130 objection letters to the current proposal in just two days - as opposed to one letter of support received by the Planning Department since January - so the current proposal is obviously something which does not live up to the demands of the people of Belfast.