Minister is urged to veto building refusal

Minister is urged to veto building refusal

1 February 2012 - by DAVID TELFORD

STORMONT Environment Minister Alex Attwood is to be asked to overturn a Planning Service decision to refuse permission for a new dwelling at a caravan site in Bryansford.

Local planners have ruled the development should not proceed, but Down councillors argue the proposed living accommodation for the manager of the site at the Slievenaman Road should get the green light.

They say the caravan site has been a tremendous success since it opened and plays a key role in the local economy. In addition, politicians say it’s exactly the kind of development which sits perfectly with the Stormont Executive’s tourism policy.

Councillors unanimously agreed at their monthly meeting on Monday night to express their concerns to Mr. Attwood and seek a meeting with the district’s chief planning officer.

Councillor Eamonn O’Neill said caravan sites similar to the one in Bryansford were the kind of things Down Council should be encouraging in rural areas.

“The site in Bryansford is so successful that it requires a manager’s house. This caravan facility is just the sort of thing we want to see in our district and if planners were aware of the success of the Bryansford facility they may be minded to take a more favourable view of the current application,” he said.

Councillor Willie Clarke described the caravan site as a “successful rural tourism business” and agreed that the council should be encouraging facilities of this kind.

“The Bryansford facility requires someone on site 24/7 and that’s not currently happening. This particular planning application addresses that,” he added.

Councillor Éamonn Mac Con Midhe argued other caravan sites across the district had permanent manager’s accommodation and asked planners to reconsider the decision to refuse permission for the new dwelling at the park in Bryansford.

Councillor Dessie Patterson said accommodation for a manager to look after such facilities was important, given that people arrived at caravan sites at “all times of the day and night.”

Planning official Annette McAlarney said the planning department’s consideration of the application focused on rural planning policy, not tourism, explaining that manager’s homes were located at other caravan sites as they were open all year-round.

Mrs. McAlarney described the Bryansford park’s operation was “seasonal” and the owner lived a short distance away in Kilcoo.

She also confirmed that approval could not be justified and that planners had sufficient information to “stand over the refusal notice.”