New film studio granted planning permission by Belfast City Council

The planned new film studio at Giant's Park on Belfast's North Foreshore has been granted permission

An application to build a new film studio complex on the shores of Belfast Lough has been approved by Belfast City Council's planning committee.

The project, estimated to be worth up to £14m, will see film production facilities and workshops built at Giant's Park on the North Foreshore.

The planning application was submitted by Belfast Harbour.

Permission for the scheme was granted during a meeting of the committee on Tuesday evening.

Councillors were told the project would "create and support hundreds of jobs during construction and operation phases".

A late objection to the project was received by the committee from Titanic Quarter Ltd.

However, as this was not an objection to a planning matter, it did not impact the committee's decision.

A statement from the council said: "The objection lodged by Titanic Quarter was not based on planning issues, but procedural ones, which have been addressed."

Northern Ireland has become a popular filming location for international crews in recent years, with the US TV drama Game of Thrones among its best-known productions.

In 2014, analysis by the government-backed film and TV agency, Northern Ireland Screen, suggested that existing studios have been worth £120m to the local economy.

The North Foreshore of Belfast Lough is former landfill facility which has been transformed into the largest development site in the city.