The SDLP has said it is “adamant” there cannot be a bonfire at a north Belfast interface on land under the responsibility of Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon.
The pyre is located off Duncairn Gardens at the interface between the nationalist New Lodge and loyalist Tigers Bay districts.
It is understood the minister, who is also an SDLP MLA for the area, will make the final decision about the bonfire.
It is believed to be one of three major bonfires sites the PSNI said this week said are “causing concern”.
Last week members of a Belfast City Council committee agreed to send contractors into two bonfire sites in north and east Belfast considered to be a risk to life and property.
SDLP sources last night said the party is determined that the bonfire cannot take place.
“We are adamant that there cannot be a bonfire at this interface site,” a source said.
“There are efforts happening at a community level to resolve the situation but ultimately it can’t go ahead as it’s currently planned.”
A spokeswoman for DfI said: “The Department is aware that a bonfire has been constructed close to the interface in Adam Street, north Belfast, on land under the responsibility of DfI, and options for dealing with this issue are being considered.”
A spokesman for the PSNI said its role is to support landowners.
“Police have no specific statutory responsibility to remove bonfires or waste material which has been left at bonfire sites,” she said.
“Local agreement between land owners, the local community and bonfire builders is always most effective means of addressing these issues.
“Our role is to support landowners and other statutory agencies to carry out their roles if required.
“Public safety is always our priority.”
Meanwhile, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said suggestions loyalists may hold a rally in Dublin in opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol may be “no more than kite flying”.
The Irish News revealed last month that an anti-protocol protest may be held in Dublin after July 12.
Prominent north Down loyalist Jamie Bryson said at the time: “Maybe that will make the Irish government realise that if they are intent on imposing instability within Northern Ireland, then instability will be brought to their country via peaceful protests.”
Mr Harris said he had not “seen anything by way of firm plan or intention”.
“I’m going to wait until we see something definite before responding to, in effect, what are tweets which I think might just be no more than kite flying at this moment in time,” he said.
“Let’s actually see if there’s something which we need to plan for and prepare for.
“On the other side of this, I would say we are a very capable organisation in terms of keeping the peace and making sure that Dublin is a safe city.”
Elsewhere loyalists are planning to hold a “protest against the protocol” at Belfast Harbour Estate today.
A spokesman for the PSNI said: “Police are aware of social media posts and will continue to keep the situation under review.”
