To ask the Minister of the Environment what action his Department is taking to ensure that the appropriate enforcement action is being taken to close off-site car parks operating around the Belfast International Airport without the appropriate planning permission.

The Department is aware of 13 car parks that have been or currently are operating outside the lands zoned for such uses around Belfast International Airport.

As a result of effective enforcement action, 6 of the sites of unauthorised car parks in this area have ceased to operate and 1 is operating lawfully as established by the Planning Appeals Commission.

The Department continues to investigate the operation of 6 alleged unauthorised car parks, one of which has had an enforcement notice served, two are subject to planning (enforcement) appeals, one is subject to a current planning application, one has a court hearing pending and one continues to be investigated.

The Department will continue to deal with such breaches of planning control robustly and use those enforcement powers available as appropriate. To date, the Department has brought prosecutions against the operators of 2 of the remaining unauthorised car parks; both operators have been fined with 1 amassed fines totalling £40,000 from 3 successful prosecutions.

I keep this matter under close scrutiny in an attempt to ensure breaches are addressed.