A local authority has granted permission for drone flights to take place near Hydebank Wood prison in south Belfast, temporarily overriding park byelaws that ordinarily prohibit the activity.

The Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council communities and wellbeing committee agreed to the request, which seeks to operate a small unmanned aircraft system at Hydebank Playing Fields. The flights are scheduled for either a 5am to 7am or 9pm to 11pm window on a single future date.

The playing fields lie roughly one mile from the young offenders’ centre and women’s prison. The applicant described themselves in a letter to the council as a professional robotics scientist with experience in unmanned aerial systems operation.

The letter, which did not include a signature and whose author was not named during the committee discussion, stated that a site-specific risk assessment would be carried out and that all reasonable measures would ensure public safety, privacy protection and legal compliance.

Downshire West Alliance councillor Gretta Thompson asked for clarity on the purpose of the flights and the identity of the requester, while highlighting data protection and safety obligations.

A council officer told the chamber the drones would not carry recording devices and were being used for training. Signage and personnel would be present to advise the public. The operator would have to supply the council with risk assessments, insurance documentation and evidence of GDPR compliance before flying.

There is no suggestion the applicant has any connection to the illicit use of drones to smuggle contraband into prisons, a method that has been detected at other secure facilities.