Northern Ireland

£250m riverside park, 200-bed hotel and 1300 housing proposed for Lisburn

The site is near the M1 motorway in Lisburn South
The site is near the M1 motorway in Lisburn South The site is near the M1 motorway in Lisburn South

Major plans to transform parts of Lisburn have been brought forward with proposals to build a riverside park, healthcare facilities, hotel, and houses on a large area in the south of the city.

The £250m development, lodged by Neptune Carleton LLP, will see a “sustainable mixed use neighbourhood” built, if approved, near Blaris.

The plan includes 1,300 dwellings, 770,000 sq. ft. of commercial floorspace and a new 1.6km road and bridge over the River Lagan to connect the M1/A101 at Sprucefield.

The master plan for the neighbourhood will see the creation of a riverside park alongside the Lagan with attractive landscaped and woodland walkways connecting to a range of new housing.

A 200-bed hotel, community hub of local shops and facilities will benefit following the realignment and upgrade to Blaris Road.

Agent Clyde Shanks, on behalf of the applicant, said the plan would bring a “high-quality” and “much needed” expansion to Lisburn South.

It’s also estimated that at least 10% of the total number of residential housing (130 units) would be used for affordable housing.

Meanwhile, the council officers said the new neighbourhood would generate £193million to the economy.

Around 9,000 jobs would be created over the next 20 years because of the ambitious plan, according to LCCC officers.

The application was brought forward to a Special Planning Committee meeting of the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council March 22.

The development – the only major application of the day – drew three objections.

Objectors said the proposals would have an impact of existing wildlife,  increase traffic and have a potential negative impact on the character of the area.

Several councillors also raised their grievances at the pre-determination sitting on Monday.

Alderman James Tinsley questioned whether the land would be susceptible to flooding, asking if the land would be left as a floodplain.

In his response, agent Clyde Shanks said: “When you look at the riverside park aspects, it’s certainly hoped that you would effectively have towpath-style, pedestrian cycle connection in there.

“It’s very much something that the residents in and around the wider Lisburn area benefit.

“What we intend to do is to make it a really key leisure corridor where residents in the northern part of the site can really utilise it.”

DUP Councillor Jonathan Craig raised concern over the level of “sufficient” waterworks and sewage treatment the site would have.

He added: “We have that infamous meeting with Northern Ireland Water a numbers of years ago where they talked about their infrastructure difficulties across Belfast and Lagan Valley.

“While at that time they said they had capacity, it was their infrastructure links that was the issue. I wonder what sort of difficulties this development will create?”

Northern Ireland Water Services representative Rory Mooney confirmed that there were a number of issues with the water and sewage network for the site.

“We are currently going through the process of going through network capacity checks or the sewers and the water mains to determine what will be required,” Mr Mooney said.

“As it currently stands we would not be able to fully service this development with water and sewage services. There will be upgrade works required and the developer has been engaging with us.”

Deputy Chair of the committee, Alderman David Drysdale asked for reassurances that a employment zone nearby wouldn’t create “unhappy residents” due to noise pollution.

Meanwhile, Mr Shanks added that an additional £500,000 would be awarded to Translink with the aim of creating a new park and ride system.

The planning consultant added that the link would be finished before the summer of 2023 if granted approval by LCCC’s Planning Committee.

Alderman Owen Gawith, Chairman of the committee, said a final decision on applications LA05/2018/1154/O and LA05/2018/1155/F would be made in the “coming weeks”.

The next Planning Committee is currently scheduled for April 12.