Co Antrim hotel applies for planning permission for rooftop spa - application open for comments
An application has been made to create a rooftop spa at a Co Antrim hotel.
The Leighinmohr House Hotel in Ballymena had said back in spring that it was hoping to have the spa up-and-running by "early in 2026".
Now its blueprints have been formally submitted to the planning authorities - sparking objections from nearby residents.
It has also met with an unfavourable response from officers in Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, and NI Water.
An Instagram post in March from Adrian Fullan, managing director of Black Rock Hotels (which owns the Leighinmohr) said: "The thermal spa will incorporate a therapeutic hot tub, cold plunge pool, heated relaxation loungers, a sauna, steam room, and tropical shower. We hope you enjoy."
His message got 288 'likes'.
The council's Public Protection, Health and Wellbeing department is among those to have been consulted on the plans.
It said the proposed development "is in very close proximity to a number of existing residential receptors", adding that it "would have concerns that the proposal could have potential noise and artificial light impact on the residents of these existing dwellings".
NI Water said it recommended refusal because of a "network capacity issue" creating "significant risks of detrimental effect to the environment and detrimental impact on existing properties".
There are eight residents’ objections uploaded to the planning website.
One of the objectors said they were doing so "mainly on the grounds of noise pollution," but also that because "aesthetically, a large overbearing wall 15 metres from our boundary is an unwelcome change to the present view of the old Leighinmohr House and its traditional architecture".
"An open roof spa would be impossible to control noise spilling out into what has always been a quiet residential area," he said, adding that there is already "noise pollution" stemming from the hotel.
"I’m all on for the development of local business but not at the expense of our quality of life," he wrote.
The Department for Infrastructure's roads division has also been consulted about the plans, but has yet to submit a response.
To submit a comment, go to planningregister.planningsystemni.gov.uk/application/701856 .