Dundonald £36m development approved amid concern zoning rules broken

A £36m development on the former Rolls Royce site in Dundonald has been approved as the "lesser of two evils" amid concerns a council's zoning policy could now be compromised.
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s (LCCC) signed off on the Lagmar Properties Limited application on Monday (Dec 2) for a second time after a nine month delay over an 11th hour green belt objection.
Original plans identified the site at Carrowreagh Road for employment and retail, however Sainsbury's vision for a 60,00sq ft unit was dropped in late 2013.

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An application then went forward as 91 home scheme with 20% affordable housing and 31 business units for the land, which the chamber heard has attracted anti-social behaviour since it was vacated 20 years ago.
LCCC head of planning, Conor Hughes told the chamber: "Zoned land can be considered for alternative use under exceptional circumstances if economic development proposed is lost."
Lisburn North DUP rep, Jonathan Craig said: "This is a site I have great fond memories for. We are being told from council that a 100% commercial level for the site is not a viable option.
"I would love to have seen another Rolls Royce type factory on the site, however, this could be the lesser of two evils."
Officers said that a public consultation was carried out, but no pre-application notice (PAN) on a change of the plans was provided to council as a "judgement was made...with the designs still within planning parameters".
Correspondence from NI Water (NIW) from November 2022 approved designs for sewage and storm water connections. The chamber heard NIW approval was only valid for 18 months.
An officer provided a second letter from NIW dated September 2023, which made reference to its previous agreement "still applicable on the NI Planning Portal".
Lagmar planning agent, Gary Dodds said: "Retail has been removed including a petrol station and four retail units. An agreement has been made with NIW and it is just a matter of implementing that prior to any occupation on the site. There has been a 60/40 split of the lands with the lands also extended. A pre-application consultation was carried out."
LCCC had approved the updated development design in February, but then faced a late representation from Gordon Duff a member of the Dundonald Green Belt Association (DGBA) highlighting his “serious concerns” over the approval and his bid to “prevent an urban sprawl” in East Belfast.
His objection letter, on the NI Planning Portal, also alleged the Council had provided “incorrect facts” to members of the committee, based on details of the council’s local development plan.
Mr Gordon stated for this reason LCCC was “highly vulnerable to legal challenge".
A head of planning report put before elected reps, stated: “The advice contained in the main report is not changed. In respect of the objector’s representation that this site should be refused planning permission based on the fact it is zoned employment land and that it cannot be developed for mixed use development until it is decided if the land needs to be reallocated through the Local Policies Plan process is not sustained.”

Voting against the application, planning committee chairperson, Alderman Martin Gregg (Alliance) said: "This was land accepted as employment land, how can we put housing on land zoned for employment? I am surprised that this application is before us again and that no fresh PAN has been made to planning.
"I am surprised NIW's approval is from two years ago when it is only valid for 18 months, when things can change so quickly where NIW is concerned. This is the first time officers have presented it as zoned land, as in February they said it was un-zoned. It is now majority for housing when it was employment land and still zoned for it.
"I don't see how this can comply with policy for zoned land. If you read the Invest NI report on loss of land, it is not to be progressed with if land is zoned in the local development area.
"You could now have a number of application changes in zoned lands as they do not want to wait for the 2028 adoption of the Local Policies Plan. There is now housing on employment land, I can't support this. It would have been great to see employment as Dundonald needs it."
A vote of seven in favour, and two against, approved the application with Alderman Gregg and Cllr Uel Mackin (DUP) against.

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