Bid to curb city airport's growth

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Residents challenging the expansion of George Best Belfast City Airport have won the first round of a legal battle.

The current passenger cap at the east Belfast airport is 1.5m but its owners want to increase this by one million.

Five residents groups were granted leave at the High Court to apply for a judicial review, to be heard on 30 May.

It means that there will now be a full examination of a ruling by the Planning Service that such an increase was not deemed a change in its main use.

The ruling was made in June 2003, but only came to light last May during a process known as an examination in public.

Mr Justice Weatherup granted leave to challenge the change of use ruling and also whether it was procedurally correct to make it without notifying interested parties.

The challenge is being made by three residents associations in Belfast - Old Stranmillis, Holyland Regeneration and Park Road and District - along with associations close to the airport at Cultra and Kinnegar in County Down.