Consultation on city centre byelaws
Consultation has concluded
Background and overview
The council is inviting members of the public to give their feedback on proposed new byelaws aimed at reducing noise nuisance in the city centre and making the area more welcoming to visitors and shoppers.
The council has encountered issues in recent years relating to loud busking, religious preaching and various other activities involving the use of amplification devices and/or the display of graphic imagery in the city centre.
When developing the byelaws, the council has sought to strike the balance between freedom of expression and the need to tackle the nuisance that can result when multiple individuals or organisations come together in busy pedestrian areas to share their views, ideas or performances, often using amplification devices.
The proposed permit scheme recognises the council’s role in creating a vibrant, diverse and welcoming city centre and reflects feedback received from traders, residents and visitors on how the cumulative impact of some activities has had a negative impact on some areas.
Under the initial proposals, anyone who wishes to use an amplification device in the city centre, including the primary retail core, would require a permit from the council. This would include any situation where on-street amplification is used, such as busking, preaching and outdoor performances.
The same rules would also apply to anyone wishing to place a stand, stall or vehicle carrying any form of promotional literature or other information, regardless of its purpose. This would include displays of graphic imagery.
It is proposed that a modest annual fee will be charged to cover the costs of administering the permit scheme.
Consultation
We are consulting on the proposed byelaws and welcome your comments. A link to the draft byelaws can be found within the "Key Documents" section or by clicking here.
Comments received during the course of this consultation will be collated, analysed, and the results of that analysis will be presented to the elected members of Belfast City Council for consideration when finalising the byelaws. It is expected that further changes may be made to the byelaws as a result of the feedback received during the consultation period.
This consultation is the opportunity for you to have your say about the proposed new byelaws. Please fill in our online survey by clicking on the link below. A PDF version of the consultation document and survey questions is available upon request.
The consultation will run for a 14 week period and will end on 4 March 2024.
Equality Screening
A link to the draft Equality Screening Assessment, which has considered the equality and good relations impacts relating to the proposed city centre byelaws, can be found within the "Key Documents" section or by clicking here.
