Friday, January 08, 2010
“exactly the kind of building that conservation area designation set out to protect.”
The BBC reports that a High Court judge has quashed decisions to demolish a 19th Century linen warehouse within the Belfast City Centre Conservation Area after the Department of Environment withdrew their objections to a legal challenge brought by the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society. They don’t detail whether the original decision was made by a Minister, and if so which one. From the BBC report
A lawyer for the DOE said it was recognised that the conservation area architect should have been consulted. It was also accepted that the Society had a strong argument over costs for alternative schemes not being prepared.
The lawyer added that it was “not obvious” why the strong recommendations of the conservation officer were not followed. “We recognise that there is a public interest in this type of case, in ensuring these things are conducted properly and also there is an interest in ensuring developers’ planning permission applications are dealt with expeditiously and properly,” he said.
Pete Baker @ 08:54 PM
No Minister involved in this (as far as I am aware although FoI could suggest otherwise); just incompetent planning officials with the exception of the conservation officer who, as your report correctly states, was ignored.
Why should a small charity have to resort to potentially expensive legal action only to see the DOE cave in in complete recognition of their decision making failures?
Why are the DoE not proposing to introduce a 3rd party right of appeal system (as exists south of the border) so that access to affordable environmental justice is open to more than simply property developers (who have a right of appeal to the Planning Appeals Commission in the event of a planning refusal)?
Posted by on Jan 08, 2010 @ 10:13 PM“They don’t detail whether the original decision was made by a Minister, and if so which one”
The one not offered a kickback in cash.
Posted by on Jan 08, 2010 @ 10:16 PMThis issue perhaps gets to heart of the political problems we in Northern Ireland face as opposed to the sectarian jokers who run the joint. Planning laws favour developers full stop. Those who oppose planning have all the donkey work to do to even get their voices heard and are then given criteria which suits the developers who only need to submit a plan. The need for an EPA (Enviromental Protection Agency)or some sort of an environmental ombudsman to evenly weigh up all planning proposals is urgent, not only for holding onto what we have left of our heritage or for environmenal reasons but for politics to be seen to be above and beyond the sweetners that the main political parties derive from developers. Come to Tyrone and see how unauthorised quarring is gouging out pristeen countryside and then listen to the deafening silence from the bigger political parties who all have some sort of vested interest. The political system as well as the planning system needs to come into the 21st century with all the openness and transparancy required to participate in a modern democracy. Anything else will eventually gorge and gorge until it devours itself leaving an country not worthy of a Government.
Posted by on Jan 08, 2010 @ 10:44 PMI am overjoyed at this decision. As is often said, to say any of our built heritage in Belfast, you have to look up. This is a little corner of Belfast which has been saved and rightfully so.
I couldn’t count how many times I have posted on here about the absolute rape of built heritage across this region - and that is before we talk about the natural environment.
Any one of our towns across the North Coast suffers from the same. One individual developer, who Nevin mentions on occasion, blatently leads the charge.
Bravo to UAHS on this.
Posted by on Jan 08, 2010 @ 11:15 PM
