Residents claim they have objections to company plan

Residents claim they have objections to company plan

23 November 2016

A LOCAL politician said objectors to a planning application for a key part of one of the district’s leading business have a number of concerns about its operation.

Lignum Interiors — which manufactures and installs a range of custom-built joinery products including bars — last week warned jobs, securing new contracts and the long term future of the operation could be put at risk if it fails to secure retrospective approval for its bespoke workshop at the Ballydonety Road outside Downpatrick.

It is one of three sites the business operates from, with its main workshop located in Crossgar and an administrative, storage and distribution base at the Down Business Park at the Belfast Road in Downpatrick.

Only two staff are based at the Ballydonety Road site where planners are currently considering a application to allow this arm of the business to remain in place. They are expected to make a final decision ahead of next month’s meeting of Newry, Mourne and Down Council’s Planning Committee.

Rowallane councillor Patrick Brown, who has met with people opposed to the application, said they have “valid concerns” which include an increase of commercial traffic on a narrow, rural road, particularly the possibility of HGVs.

“Other concerns include waste dust, sawdust and wood chippings being spread by wind on to neighbouring land and vegetation, noise pollution from a diesel generator previously used at the site, air pollution from paint, varnish and generator fumes, disturbance caused by working anti-social hours, potential contravention of safety measures including makeshift wiring and cooling solutions, livestock worrying, ribbon development in a rural area, loss of civic amenity and failure to blend in with the rural character of the area,” he said.

Councillor Brown said while the owners of the business and a number of councillors have emphasised the negative impact a refusal of the application would have, he believes the focus should be on why the business was able to operate without planning approval at the Ballydonety Road whilst in receipt of Invest NI funding.

He claimed that prior to submitting the retrospective application for the Ballydonety Road operation, Lignum Interiors was facing enforcement action.

Councillor Brown continued: “While I am fully supportive of the drive and entrepreneurship undoubtedly shown by Lignum, it must still operate within the rules of planning policy. There has been no proof of claims by Lignum that failure to secure planning approval could lead to contraction of business output and risk to jobs.

“There has been no proof in the form of a business case or economic appraisement to show why Lignum is not able to move the jobs of two staff from the Ballydonety Road or continue running its full operation at either of its other two sites which are both within areas of designated development.”

“One has to ask, why does a small business like this require three sites? Could it be it is planning to move all operations to the Ballydonety Road at some point in the future?” asked councillor Brown.

He added: “There are seven letters of support for this application, six of which are from councillors and there are 12 letters of objection, two of which are from councillors. This begs the question as to what extent councillors have critically analysed the facts of the case they are supporting.”