An application to tear down a facility for young deaf people, a charity and an electrical store on Holywood Road to build new apartment blocks has been withdrawn.
Developer P McClean of Lisburn Road withdrew an application for outline planning permission for the demolition of existing buildings at 385 Holywood Road, and the erection of 36 apartments in two blocks of three storeys, with associated basement car parking, and landscaped areas.
The application was listed to appear at the most recent meeting of Belfast City Council ’s Planning Committee, but was withdrawn before the meeting. Belfast Council officers had recommended elected members refuse the application.
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The site currently comprises two storey commercial buildings that are occupied by two businesses and with a separate building south west occupied by a community group.
Eds and Eds, part of the KEW Electrical Group, is located in the first two bays of the larger building fronting onto Holywood Road. In the smaller unit fronting Holywood Road is Action Deaf Youth, a community outreach group.
The two bays to the rear of Eds and Eds are occupied by Foster and Sons removal company, the Christian Science Reading Room, the Cause Charity and Thorn lighting. Behind this at No. 391 is Denis D Evans commercial printers.
The council planning report states: “The existing use of the land is as employment and (policy) sets out where land is used for employment, it should be retained. Whilst the applicant demonstrated that there are locations that the employment use could be relocated to, the proposal still fails to meet the tests of the policy, as set out in the report.
“Therefore, it is considered that the proposal is contrary to (policy) in that (it) would result in the loss of existing economic development uses as proposed. In addition, the introduction of an incompatible land use, i.e, residential use to an employment sitex, has the potential to result in the loss of the remaining employment uses by potentially prejudicing the effective operation of the remaining employment use and potentially impacting the amenity of new residents by way of nuisance and disturbance.
“The scale, mass, and design of the buildings is considered to be unacceptable and out of character with the area. The layout is unacceptable as it results in an unsatisfactory access and serving arrangements for prospective residents.
“In addition, servicing of the site is reliant on an area shared with the economic development uses adjacent. This arrangement has the potential for conflict and is unacceptable.”
The report states that Stormont’s Department for Infrastructure Rivers Agency had concerns over drainage and flood risk, while the same department’s Roads Agency had concerns over parking and reliance on the motor vehicle. The council’s Environmental Health team requested further information on noise, while NI Water has recommended refusal due to insufficient capacity.
The council received three letters of objection. They related to the potential loss of economic development use, and voiced concerns regarding security, access, rights of way and service arrangements for the existing employer adjacent to the site.
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