If you operate certain food premises, you may need to be approved by NHDC.
Examples of types of premises that are required to be approved by local authorities are stand alone (i.e. not attached to a slaughter house, cutting plant or game handling establishment):
- meat processing plants
- meat preparation plants
- minced meat processing operations and mechanically separated meat processing plants
- cold stores
- business that provide foods of animal origin to other businesses, which amounts to more that 25% of your business
You should contact the Council to see if you require approval.
Apply online
What does it cost?
There is no fee for this application.
What happens to the information given on the form?
We will consider your application and arrange to visit your premises. We will tell you if we require you to undertake works to your premises or make changes to your food hygiene systems.
A register of addresses and the type of business carried out at each will be open to inspection by the general public. Records of the other information provided will not be publicly available.
What happens next?
We aim to acknowledge your application within 3 working days and inform you if any further information is required before an officer visits your establishment.
Following the visit an establishment may be approved, conditionally approved (in which case a further visit will be conducted in 3 months) or refused approval. You must not operate until the premises has conditional or full approval.
What happens if something changes?
If you make any changes to your business, including changes to the company name, premises or the foods that are handled, you need to tell us before you make the changes. This will allow us to consider if changes to the approval are required.
These notes are provided for information only and should not be regarded as a complete statement of the law.
Applicant/Licence Holder Redress
If you are unhappy about the way that we have dealt with your application, the Council has a formal mechanism for dealing with such issues. Please see our Comments, Compliments & Complaints page or call our Customer Service Team on 01462 474000.
Other useful contacts:
Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland (LMC)