A Stormont department’s ‘call-in’ on plans for a £13m Lisburn road have been labelled “political interference” during a council development committee meeting.
The one mile Knockmore link road to the M1 is a key piece of infrastructure to be built by a private developer close to the site of a 1,300 home application approved by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council in March 2021.
However, the link road plan for the £250m residential construction was called in by the Department for Infrastructure in January 2022 with no outcome given as yet leading to major delays to both the housing and road development.
READ MORE: Lisburn: More than 1,300 homes, new link road and 200-bed hotel get the green light.
Castlereagh East Alderman, David Drysdale said: “Look at the minister at the time these call in decisions were made, it was Nichola Mallon. This the same minister who made the decision to reject the incinerator for Arc21 and its six councils.
“This was an SDLP decision and it is political interference in both matters. More delays might now put off the developers.”
Downshire East UUP councillor Alex Swan said: “This road application has been called in by the Department for Infrastructure in January of last year, some 44 weeks after LCCC approved the plans in 2021.
“It is now almost two years since LCCC’s planning committee passed the application and we are still seeking a final determination from DfI. I don’t dispute the right fo the department to call the applications in for scrutiny and to make their determination. There have been many meetings with this council on the matter, the time for a decision is now well over due.”
A council official told the chamber that they would “appeal to the department to get an update” on the call in of the Knockmore link road.
In regards to a response from the DfI, chairman of the LCCC development committee Alderman Allan Ewart added: “I wouldn’t hold my breathe.”
READ NEXT:
Arc21 chairperson labels concerns over Co Antrim incinerator "propaganda".
Four Winds planned houses would be built on "only scrap of green land", councillor says.
Derriaghy Primary School: Councillor criticises "lack of focus" on development plans.
Lisburn and Castlereagh CEO labels council 'worst in NI' during debate on rubbish plan.
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.
