Council issues statement after coffee hut forced to close over planning dispute

Ards and North Down Borough Council issue statement following widespread outrage at closure of The Lane in Ballywalter

Ards and North Down Borough Council have issued a statement after a rural coffee shop was told it has to close due to a planning dispute.

There has been widespread outrage after The Lane in Ballywalter announced that it would have to close its doors after losing a planning commission appeal. It had been refused planning permission for the premises after it was served an enforcement notice following a complaint from a neighbour in 2022.

Jess Green, owner of The Lane, told Belfast Live that following this she received no details from the local authority about the nature of the complaints against them.

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There has been widespread outrage in the local community since the news of the closure, with a petition calling for The Lane to be saved being signed over 4,200 times.

Ards and North Down Borough Council have now issued a statement saying that it started enforcement action due to the “unauthorised operation of a coffee shop” and claims that it attempted to work with the owners to resolve this.

A spokesperson said: “An enforcement case was initiated in March 2022 regarding the unauthorised operation of a coffee shop in the countryside without planning permission. In line with the Ards and North Down Planning Enforcement Strategy, the Council acted reasonably and provided the owners with ample time to resolve the matter and attempt to regularise the breach on a without prejudice basis.

“Despite repeated correspondence from the Council, the owners did not take steps to address the issue. Consequently, an Enforcement Notice was issued in June 2024. The owners were kept informed throughout the process.

“The owners exercised their right to appeal the Notice to the independent appellant body, the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC), which held a hearing and issued its decision on 20 August 2025. The PAC refused planning permission and upheld the Enforcement Notice, confirming that the use does not comply with planning policy.

“The Council has a statutory duty to uphold planning regulations and protect the integrity of the planning system. In this case, the business was established without prior planning permission, and the owners made little effort to engage with the Council to resolve the matter.

“We recognise that the closure of any business is difficult. However, the Council must apply planning rules fairly and consistently to ensure that all businesses operate on a level playing field and that development in the countryside is appropriately managed.

“The Council remains committed to supporting sustainable economic development and local businesses, but it cannot ignore breaches of planning control. We will continue to ensure compliance in line with our Planning Enforcement Strategy and regional legislation.”

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