A controversial plan for a new luxury housing development next to Belvoir Park Forest has been put on hold by Belfast City Council to work out issues over path connections at Lagan Meadows.
A plan for 18 top grade detached houses to be built on a green space beside Hampton Park, Galwally was deferred at the recent monthly meeting of the council’s Planning Committee (January 18), for assurances by the applicant, D and J Enterprises, that the development would not negatively affect connectivity around one of Belfast’s most popular areas of outstanding natural beauty.
The plan has received 410 objections from locals, as well as opposition from Councillors Donal Lyons and Brian Smyth, and Paula Bradshaw MLA. A planned development for 35 dwellings on a large portion of the site was previously received permission.
Complaints include the lack of notification to residents, the potential for the proposal to detrimentally affect biodiversity and plans to develop the waterways, that it will block potential pathways along the southern bank of the River Lagan, and reduce access to the River Lagan.
Objectors say the proposed development will ruin views from the towpath, and negatively affect parking in Hampton Park, and it will affect the water table, increasing flood risk. Questions have also been raised regarding the proportion of affordable housing within the proposed development.
Despite this council officers recommended the application. The council report states: “It is considered that the proposal is acceptable having regard to the development plan, retained planning policies, consultation responses, representations and other material considerations.”
Teresa Degenhardt, an objector, told the Planning Committee “a small village” could be built by developers close to the Lagan, with a total of 53 new houses planned for the area with other “connected” developments. She said: “We need to re-wild nature, not build more luxury houses.”
She added: “We need brave people able to say no to powerful interests - each vote is for progress towards a sustainable future. I ask you to object to this plan and ask for a revision of other developments limiting the number of houses they can develop in light of the promises made in relation to the blue and green infrastructure, and the time passed since the first approval for the site.
“Let’s not forget why you are elected - you are elected to protect the public good, and not somebody’s pocket. We can change things, those houses are not yet built - the green land, the flora, the fauna, the badgers are still there. Please vote for the public good, vote that this area becomes effectively protected.”
SDLP Councillor Donal Lyons told the committee: “The exceptionally high number of objections shows the strength of feeling. What is also interesting about those objections is not just the locality, but also a broader range of Belfast has stepped forward to object to this.
“It demonstrates that this site and this area is one that is seen as an amenity for the wider area of Belfast in terms of accessing the river corridor and in terms of providing a green and unspoilt area of wilderness.”
Green Councillor Aine Groogan said: “I am uncomfortable with this application, I am not happy about it, but in terms of planning policies, with the extant permission there, we are very limited in terms of what we can do as a planning committee.”
She proposed to defer the application to legally ascertain if conditions could be placed on the developers to ensure rights of access throughout the site for the general public, if the committee was minded to grant the application.
Minutes from an August Council meeting state that there “is an extant planning approval on a large portion of the site for 35 dwellings”.
It added that a “recent application for a Certificate of Lawfulness for existing use/development... confirmed that works have been carried out in accordance with the previously approved development... can lawfully be completed”.
The permission granted previously was for 35 houses. The current application is for 18 houses, however that includes the “revision of site layout” of seven dwellings included in the original 35 and “an additional” 11, meaning the total number of houses in the pipeline is 46. Work is currently ongoing at the site.
