PLANS for a new car park at the site of the former Down Council headquarters in Downpatrick have sparked an angry response from local residents.
The site of the local authority’s old base at the Strangford Road is currently being used as an unofficial parking area for bin lorries and other refuse vehicles.
Now a planning application has been submitted to formally designate the area as a car park for not only council refuse vehicles, but staff cars as well.
Concerned residents who live nearby and Downpatrick councillor Dermot Curran have expressed opposition to the move and are seeking an urgent site meeting with council officials to discuss the application.
They have described the unofficial parking area in front of the remains of the town’s former workhouse as an “eyesore” and highlighted the noise created by heavy refuse vehicles starting up in the morning.
Council officials say they have sold part of the existing Strangford Road site to the Education Authority to pave the way for the development of Down High’s new multi-million pound campus.
They explained that part of the land which has been sold to provide a new main entrance to the school includes an area which is currently used for council staff parking.
The local authority confirmed that it is seeking planning approval to develop remaining land at the front and side of the old workhouse to provide parking for staff and its fleet of vehicles.
Over the past number of months, council officials have been debating the future of the Strangford Road site — where its maintenance depot is also based — in secret.
But the Recorder understands that potential options include selling both the remains of the workhouse and the maintenance depot to potential investors.
While no final decision has been made, the future of large site is due to be one of the many items that will have to be decided by the new council following the May 2 local government elections.
In the interim, council officials are pressing ahead with a proposal to provide additional parking provision at the Strangford Road, with Cllr Curran keen for them to meet with local residents opposed to the move.
“This issue was brought to my attention during a canvass last weekend,” he explained. “I also noticed a number of bin lorries parked up and immediately wondered if there somewhere else they could be located.
“Bin lorries were never parked here when Down Council was based here and it would appear that when the old administrative headquarters were bulldozed, this area became an unofficial car park, with no consultation with residents.
“Now we have an application to formally designate the area as an official car park which, in my opinion, will do nothing for the image of this part of the town. The current area is unkempt and I share residents’ views that it is a bit of an eyesore. I am concerned that what we are looking at here is a permanent bin lorry park.”
Cllr Curran said that while a number of Strangford Road residents were notified by planners about the plans for the site, there was no formal consultation. He said this must happen as soon as possible.
In addition, he said those with “understandable concerns” about the planning application require additional information and revealed he wants to know was an environmental impact assessment conducted as part of the planning application process.
Cllr Curran said he believed there was other land which formed part of the local authority-owned site that could be used as a lorry park.
He added: “Residents’ concern about this planning application need to be addressed and I fully understand where they are coming from.”
A council spokesman confirmed that the local authority sold part of its Strangford Road site to the Education Authority to allow the development of the proposed new Down High School.
“The sale includes land which is currently used for staff parking at the front and side of the old workhouse,” said the spokesman.
“This planning application is to develop the remaining site under council ownership to provide parking for council fleet and staff vehicles.”
The council spokesman also confirmed that the future of the Strangford Road site was “currently under consideration”.