The homeless centre has received 67 objections and 149 letters of support
The new homeless centre at King Street has been used as a service for vulnerable people for months, without planning permission
A controversial application for a homeless centre in the middle of Belfast has been delayed after a Sinn Féin request, despite being recommended by council officers for approval.
The new homeless centre at King Street has been used as a service for vulnerable people for months, without planning permission, and there have been large numbers of representations sent to Belfast City Council objecting to the application, as well as in support.
At the February meeting of the Belfast Council Planning Committee, the application – a retrospective change of use from ground floor taxi passenger terminal, cafe, office and newsagent to a Homeless Centre, at 35a King Street, Belfast, BT1 – was listed for a decision.
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The applicant is Belfast Homeless Services, who were previously based at Amelia Street. They explain in the application that their former building was deemed no longer safe due to its structural condition.
At the Planning meeting held this week at City Hall, Sinn Féin Councillor Natasha Brennan asked for the application to be deferred “on the grounds there is an outstanding environmental health report” and to “show due diligence given the massive amount of responses.” Elected members agreed unanimously.
The application states the centre will provide meals, washing and changing facilities and an internal social amenity area for users, on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week from 4pm to 10pm. It has been operating since May 2025.
Council officers are recommending that planning permission be granted subject to conditions. 67 objections have been sent to the council raising concerns about anti-social behaviour, the impact on residential amenity, and community cohesion. Objectors have said it has a negative impact on the health and well-being of locals, and is “detrimental to placemaking.”
The council has also received 149 letters of support in relation to the application. Supporters say the scheme will help combat the homelessness problem within Belfast, and that the centre was successful in other locations. They add that the anti-social behaviour policies are adequate, with a “zero tolerance drug and alcohol policy,” and say with an accessible city centre location the centre “provides a local need.”
The council planning officer report states: “The proposal will provide an important support service for vulnerable people in a sustainable, accessible location close to public transport and local services. The use is similar to other community-type facilities. BCC Planning therefore believe the indoor facility will meet the needs of the homeless community in City Centre Belfast.”
Regarding objector concerns, the council report states: “BCC Planning note that the noise generated from the proposed use will be of no greater impact than the previous taxi passenger terminal with café, offices and newsagents. Therefore, the proposal will not harm the amenity of adjacent and nearby land uses by way of noise.
“Environmental Health has been consulted and have raised no concerns with regard to impact on the amenity of local residents from the proposal. Any general disturbance in the area is for the PSNI to deal with accordingly.
“The daytime use of the centre minimises the potential for impact on residential amenity during antisocial hours, normally considered to be between 11pm and 7am. A condition has been added to ensure that the day centre is only operated between 4pm-10pm. The addition of the day centre to the city centre, will assist the issue of homelessness and ensure that there is a safe place to attend, which will be managed by staff at all times.”
The council says the agent has submitted a management plan for the centre, stating there will be “zero tolerance” for antisocial behaviour, and those guests involved in antisocial behaviour, inside or outside the centre, will be issued temporary exclusions. The agent says repeat offenders face permanent exclusions from the service, and all incidents are reported to PSNI when necessary.
Alcohol is strictly prohibited inside or outside the centre, there are protocols for safe litter disposal, and three volunteers are stationed outside the centre during operating hours to monitor compliance.
During the consultation, the PSNI representative said: “The carefully considered opinion of my team is that it is probable there will be an increase in what is perceived as anti-social behaviour if this becomes a homeless centre. It is harder to confidently say there will be an increase in crime but again it is a potential outworking.
“While I have no doubt the venue will continue to be managed internally to a very high standard, the staff and volunteers of Belfast Homeless Services can have little control over what will happen as persons make their way to and from the venue, or if they are refused entry or removed. This will then be for the PSNI to manage.”
At the end of 2023, there were 8,725 homeless households in Belfast, with North and West Belfast areas experiencing the highest concentrations. Since then there has been a steady increase according to Homeless Connect – 9,661 households with homelessness status were listed in February 2025.
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