Elected reps will work out their reasons for refusing plan at Tullynagardy Wood
A controversial plan to build five upmarket houses in a County Down woodland has been deferred – but with local councillors already “minded” to refuse the application.
An application to build the detached houses at Tullynagardy Wood, on land beside the Crawfordsburn Road on the outskirts of Newtownards, has been deferred by the Ards and North Down Borough Council Planning Committee for councillors to hone their response.
Elected representatives unanimously voted to defer the matter at the Planning Committee meeting this week, but with the announcement that the chamber would “be minded” to refuse the application. Councillors will be working out a legally watertight case to refuse the application before the next meeting of the Planning Committee, listed for September 2.
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Council Planning officers at Ards and North Down Borough Council contest the description of Tullynagardy as “ancient” woodland. They highlight the application site as being largely in a clearing area, and state 18 trees would be felled, 13 of them for health reasons. New planting is proposed. Tullynagardy Wood is mapped on the Northern Ireland Ancient Woodland Inventory.
Council officers recommended the application, by WJ Law Bespoke LLP, for approval. None of the statutory consultees objected to the application.
At the time of the latest Planning Committee meeting, a total of 53 objections from 38 different addresses were received in relation to the proposal, mostly from local residents.
Objectors said the development would damage ancient woodland, destroying a rare and unique ecosystem of flora and displacing wildlife. Particular concerns were noted about the impact on deer, bats, hedgehogs, badgers, owls and butterflies.
One objector said the underground water system of the woodland would be disrupted. Overall, respondents said the development contradicted council biodiversity policy.
The trees on the site are protected under a Tree Preservation Order, but such orders can be overridden by the council. The Woodland Trust has said that the development proposal threatens an irreplaceable habitat, will harm local wildlife, and undermine efforts to reduce carbon emissions and restore nature.
At the Planning Committee meeting this week, DUP Alderman Stephen Mcilveen said: “I would like to make the proposal that we are minded to refuse the application. It is quite a complex issue, and this proposal will afford time for members to submit a detailed reason as to why they would be minded to refuse.
“I have concerns particularly over the non-designation of it as being an open space. Other members have expressed issues around the impact on the wooded area, and I think it will give us an opportunity to collate those thoughts together and make an appropriate coherent response to the issue at a later date.”
At the meeting Alliance Alderman Alan McDowell seconded the proposal, which was passed. Alderman McDowell said: “This is probably one of the most important planning decisions for Newtownards in quite a considerable time. As you can see by the number of objections there is quite a considerable public interest. But it is not just that, there are a number of planning issues, the responses to which certainly I have not been satisfied with.”
He added: “I would urge councillors to support this proposal, on the grounds of irreversible environmental harm, policy non-compliance, and public opposition.”
Last week, Strangford MLA Nick Mathison said that the woodland is a vital piece of nature in the area. He said: There have been attempts to develop in this woodland for the last couple of decades. It’s an ancient woodland, so that means if we go back to the 1830s, maps have shown woodland on this site. So it’s a really, really vital part of the natural environment here in Newtownards, which is not well provided for in terms of trees or green space.
“In my mind, it would be an absolute scandal if anybody were to develop in this woodland, but we’re now in a scenario where a developer has had plans that have been recommended for approval by the council, and I am struggling to understand the logic or the rationale for that.”
He added: “There’s lots of sites in Newtownards which would be ripe for housing development, we don’t need it in an ancient woodland at a time of an absolute biodiversity and climate crisis.”
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