Omniplex Holdings has filed papers at the High Court in Belfast to judicially review Finance Minister John O'Dowd's decision to pause the ReVal2026 business rates revaluation process.

The company claims the pause breaches the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and the Ministerial Code. It also violates a legitimate expectation held by most non-domestic property owners that a new Net Annual Value list would take effect in April.

Lawyers for Omniplex seek to quash the decision. They argue it disadvantages businesses that expected lower rates under the revaluation.

In January, Minister O'Dowd announced the pause. He cited concerns over potential bill increases for pubs and hotels.

Omniplex operates 15 cinemas where rates bills were set to decrease under ReVal2026. The company states it now stands to lose nearly half a million pounds in savings.

Solicitor Peter Bowles, representing Omniplex, said two-thirds of Northern Ireland's 75,000 non-domestic ratepayers would have seen reductions. He noted the pause followed lobbying by a sector covering less than 2% of ratepayers, without consultation.

Bowles added that O'Dowd failed to present the decision to the Executive Committee. He pointed to transitional relief options used in England, Scotland and Wales as alternatives not considered.

The case awaits an urgent preliminary hearing later this month.