A Belfast planning application site at the heart of a controversial application for a homeless centre is already being used as a service for 鈥渧ulnerable people,鈥 without planning permission, councillors have alleged. Sinn F茅in have asked for advice concerning a site visit for a deferred planning application, stating that they had received evidence that the King Street site, off Castle Street in the city centre, was already catering for 鈥渧ulnerable people鈥 despite not having the required planning permission to do so. At the June meeting of the Belfast City Council Planning Committee, elected representatives deferred an application for the change of use from a taxi passenger terminal, cafe, office and newsagent to a category D1 homeless day centre, at 35a King Street, Belfast. READ MORE: DUP Cllr wants Belfast Council action over “predatory” behaviour at playparks READ MORE: Councillor warns of “blank cheque” for Belfast Stories project The plan is that the centre will provide meals, washing and changing facilities and an internal social amenity area for users. Applicants hope the centre will operate Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week from 4pm up until 10pm. Neighbours to the site have received notification of the planning application. The Planning Portal shows a large swathe of local residential and business objections to the application. Many of the objectors come from the nearby Tannery residential building. The Welcome Centre at Townsend Street, a homeless drop-in centre, was burnt out last year, following what was described as “community tensions鈥. The Welcome Organisation has since found a new home at Centenary House off Waring Street in the city centre . Last December the Belfast Homeless Service announced it was moving to King Street in an effort to expand the vital work it does supporting the most vulnerable in Belfast. The service has been based at Blackstaff Square on Amelia Street for 10 years and plans to move to King Street to increase its operations from three nights a week to seven. It does however have to go through the planning application system, and gain approval from the council鈥檚 Planning Committee. Consultation on the application is ongoing, with responses from the Stormont Department for Infrastructure Road Division and Environmental Health at Belfast City Council still pending. At the June meeting of the Belfast Planning Committee at City Hall, Sinn F茅in Councillor Matt Garrett aired his concerns about the site visit on the application. He said: 鈥淲hat I am aware of, and have a bit of concern about, is that it is already being used, providing services for people who are clearly very vulnerable. Now I am also aware there may be some sort of enforcement. 鈥淎s planned, we will be there to deal with the planning application. If there is enforcement action, and I don鈥檛 know if there will be, it will be to remedy the issue in terms of the application. But nonetheless we may potentially have people in there that are getting services and are vulnerable.鈥 A Planning officer replied: 鈥淚 can confirm that is a matter we are looking at through enforcement, which I can鈥檛 talk about any further because of various restrictions in terms of investigation.鈥 Later, at the June meeting of the council鈥檚 Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, Sinn F茅in Councillor Ryan Murphy said: 鈥淲e do have a serious concern about the information being brought to us, that there is already a service operating out of that building, without the appropriate planning approvals in place. It is a service which is targeted at vulnerable people, ensuring they are getting help and support.鈥 He added: 鈥淚 would have concerns around the insurance they have in place when they are currently operating. What enforcement options are open? If anything was to happen, and hopefully it doesn鈥檛, (how is) the council protected? How do we make sure that we are doing everything in our gift, to keep us above board?鈥 A council officer at the S,P & R committee said: 鈥淲e have had an observation, in terms of enforcement, on that property. We have made visits to that property, and have advised people that operating without planning permission means they are operating at their own risk – rather than the risk falling on the council. We are looking into that from an enforcement point of view.鈥 For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter