Under Article 8 of the Airports (Northern Ireland) Order 1994 an airport operator may, request the Department to make an order for control over land in relation to the safe and efficient operation of an airport.

The specified areas of land subject to such control and which may be subject to directions made by the Department are identified by means of a map marked “Belfast International Airport – Specified Areas of Land”, signed and sealed with reference to this order. The map is available for inspection at any reasonable hour at the office of the Department for regional Development, Clarence Court, Adelaide Street, Belfast, BT2 8GB.

The Department may give directions in relation to the specified areas of land for any of the purposes set out in Article 8 (3) of the Airports (Northern Ireland) Order 1994.

Article 5 confers a right of appeal on any person who is aggrieved by a decision of the Department to refuse consent under paragraph (3) (a) of Article 8 of the 1994 Order or to give its consent subject to conditions.

The order empowers the Department to authorise any person to carry out work to bring any structure, building, tree or apparatus within the specified areas into conformity with the requirements of the direction and gives a person so authorised power to enter into land for these purposes.

An airport operator must pay compensation in respect of any expenditure reasonably incurred by any person for carrying out work which is required (by a direction given under Article 8 of the Airports (Northern Ireland) Order 1994) to be carried out in relation to an airport.