THE Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has intervened in a bid to develop a hotel next to an Applegreen service station near Ballymena.
Planning officials at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council had recommended refusing the bid for a 65-bed hotel on the site of the former Fort Royal complex along the A26 Crankill Road.
But despite the road safety concerns over access to the proposed development on the busy dual carriageway, the council’s planning committee voted in favour of granting approval in May.
Now a Stormont department has become involved, ordering the council not to grant permission until further advised.
In a letter to the council, DfI said: “The department has decided to issue this direction to allow it time to consider whether or not the proposal raises issues that require the application to be referred to it for further consideration and determination.”
It’s understood the PSNI oppose the development on “road safety grounds”.
Kilrea-based Chic Ltd is behind the bid for the 45,000 sq ft Crankill Hotel.
The company is owned by well-known retailer Kenny Bradley, who owns a chain of supermarkets and fuel forecourts across the north.
