Published Tuesday, 10 August 2010
According to the Planning Appeals Commission, it is unable to go ahead with the process as the Department of Environment has not supplied all the necessary information.
In a statement, the Commission said: "The information on 3rd party representations is incomplete and it has asked the Department to address the adequacy of the Environmental Information about the application."
The Commission has also taken the decision to publish all correspondence between itself and the DoE, due to the "substantial public interest".
In March of this year, Environment Minister Edwin Poots announced that an inquiry would be held into the controversial proposals, following opposition from some east Belfast residents.
Plans to lengthen the runway by nearly 600 metres would allow planes with heavier fuel loads to use the airport, opening up the possibility of flights to and from extra destinations in Europe.
Residents' group, Belfast City Airport Watch, has maintained noise pollution levels would soar as a result.
Following the latest development, the Chair of the Belfast City Airport Watch Steering Group voiced support for the Commission's decision.
"We are really glad that the Commission has stood its ground against a shameful proposal by the Planning Service which would have given a really unfair advantage to the airport," Dr Liz Fawcett said.
"Had the airport been allowed to submit further information at the last minute, residents and other objectors would have had scant time to scrutinise it properly and we would have been at a real disadvantage.
"We're also glad that the Commission has seen the patent flaws in the noise data submitted to date by the airport - information which was heavily criticised by the Civil Aviation Authority in a report commissioned and initially suppressed by the Planning Service."
A Planning Service spokeswoman said officials were considering their position.
The planning application to lengthen the runway by 590 metres in the Holywood direction was lodged in November 2008.
The extension would not result in a change in operating hours from 6.30am to 11.59pm.
City officials also claim it would not affect the number of flights operated from the airport each year, which is capped at 48,000.
A spokesman for the Airport said: "Whilst we are aware of the recent correspondence between the Planning Appeals Commission and the Planning Service we cannot comment further until we receive direct notification regarding the next steps in the process.
"As has always been the case we wish to see the Public Inquiry handled in a timely fashion."
Alliance East Belfast MP Naomi Long said: "The PAC is right to expect full disclosure at the outset and I would urge the airport to provide the required information. "
"The airport's original objection was the delay, and yet by not providing this information upfront they are at risk of causing further delay unnecessarily."