Stormont minister’s Finnebrogue warning

Stormont minister’s Finnebrogue warning

25 September 2013

MONTHLY site inspections by the Planning Service at one of the district’s leading firms have been described as “unprecedented” by a local Assemblyman.

Finnebrogue — which employs almost 200 people — is being inspected by planning officials on the direction of former Stormont Environment Minister Alex Attwood, a move welcomed by South Down MLA Jim Wells.

Last July, Mr. Attwood wrote to Finnebrogue owner, Mr. Denis Lynn, after the businessman secured retrospective planning approval for a building constructed without permission.

In his letter, Mr. Attwood noted the history of building at the Finnebrogue estate “without first lodging a planning application” and the number of enforcement notices issued. He also pointed to the failure of Finnebrogue at times to co-operate with planners’ requests in relation to the site.

Mr. Attwood warned if there is any future unapproved building at Finnebrogue, planners have been instructed to “act promptly and take all appropriate enforcement action to remedy the situation.”

The former Stormont minister said he would not tolerate “further disregard of the planning process” and made it clear while he wished to support business, including Finnebrogue’s commercial activities, “the law and planning policy must be respected.”

Mr. Wells described Mr. Attwood’s letter as a “vindication” of the stance taken by local residents who oppose the activities of Finnebrogue and confirmation that there have been a series of unauthorised developments at the site over many years. The MLA said retrospective permission for these was only sought when residents objected and forced the Planing Service to act.

“Basically, this company ran a coach and horses through planning legislation for over a decade and the planners meekly gave in and granted approval for everything that was done without approval,” claimed Mr. Wells.

“I have absolutely no doubt that had the company actually bothered to apply for permission before building, many of their applications would have been refused. As usual, the response from the planners when contacted by objectors was ‘what do you expect us to do; sure it’s already built’.”

Mr. Wells said this sends out a very clear message to other developers in South Down to go ahead and do what  they want as “planners will give permission for something which would never have been approved if an application had been lodged before construction work stated.”

He continued: “The conduct of the Planning Service during this whole saga has been nothing short of disgraceful. Countless written promises given to local objectors were broken and the enforcement powers available to planners were never properly used. The only good thing that has come out of this whole debacle is the commitment that monthly inspections will be carried out at the Finnebrogue site to make sure that no further unauthorised development has taken place.”

Mr. Wells said this “totally unprecedented decision” is a clear admission by the Planning Service that it has made so many errors in the past when dealing with this factory. He also revealed he has written to new Environment Minister, Mark Durkan, asking for the results of the first inspection at Finnebrogue and intends to do this on a regular basis in the future.

Mr. Lynn said Finne-brogue has grown into a “fantastic local business” and is the leading artisan sausage maker in the UK.

“Last year, we turned over £20m for the local economy and we currently employ 190 people. We have caused no harm at all to the Finnebrogue estate or the environment and brought only good to a local community,” he said.

“We have done all this despite Jim Wells trying to close us down. I can’t understand why Jim behaves like this. It is is not good for the local economy. Onwards and upwards.”