A £23m Lisburn development has been labelled a social housing "Trojan Horse" following a planning change to "significantly delay" its commercial element.
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) previously signed off on almost 100 homes and six industrial units on the Moira Road in August 2023.
However, the plans by Lacuna Developments in co-operation with Choice Housing, were varied in chambers last week due to "finance costs" making the agreed plan timeframe "unviable".
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An agent on behalf of Lacuna Developments said: "What we want to do is deliver, in partnership with Choice Housing, this high-quality mixed-use scheme, however the requirements of Condition 12 is restricting the timely delivery of the much-needed social housing and impacting the viability of the scheme."
Works on the site commenced in September 2024, including the demolition of an old animal feed mill. The planning 'Condition 12' requests the developer to build and occupy no more than 47 homes before the six industrial units are fully constructed.
However, the variation asks that 66 homes are built before infrastructure is put in place to build the commercial units. It adds that only two commercial units would be fully constructed prior to the 91st home being occupied and the foundations for the remaining four units built.
The variation requests to increase 66 homes to be built before infrastructure is put in place to build the commercial units, with only two fully constructed by the 91st home occupied and foundations for the remaining four units then built.
The agent added: "Based on the latest figures there are currently 1,480 people on the Northern Ireland Housing Executive waiting list of whom 1,189 are in housing stress.
"Since the submission of the pre-application discussion (PAD) in May 2021 and planning application back in August 2022 both construction and finance costs have increased significantly impacting viability.
"We have incurred significant upfront costs to demolish and remove contamination from the previous use on the site. We can currently only build 47 homes and then must build the six commercial/industrial units which results in the scheme being unviable.
"Without this variation Choice Housing will be unable to secure funding for the remaining affordable housing units within this financial year, which runs to the end of March, which will result in the non-delivery of much needed social housing units.
"We believe the proposed variation will enable rather than restrict the delivery of the scheme."
The variation request faced only one objection from the planning committee in a recorded vote on March 3 with "significant concerns" over a delay to industrial development.
Lisburn North SDLP rep, Pat Catney said: "In 2023 the council permitted this development for a mixed use scheme, on the strength of the social, economic and community benefits, and that it constituted sustainable development.
"The permission was granted despite part of the site being zoned for industry, and it being located in a predominantly industrial and economic employment area. It is disappointing that less than one year later the highly experienced developer is seeking to water down the conditions for the delivery of the industrial units on the basis of economic viability of the scheme.
"I have significant and well-founded concerns around the delivery of the six industrial units given the significant demand for industrial floorspace in the immediate locality with applications having been submitted by Coca Cola, PRM, McGrath’s, British Steel, Kelly’s in recent years."
He added: "I am not against social or affordable housing as it is greatly needed. But the previous plans went out to public consultation and have now been changed without further public notice.
"Unfortunately, time will tell as to whether the developer's intention was always to build housing on the lands and that the original application was simply a 'Trojan Horse' to obtain a housing scheme that would have otherwise been refused on an industrial designation contrary to the local development plan."
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