Major blueprints lodged with planners to increase size of Co Down town

The development comprises 362 homes on the south-eastern edge of Comber, roughly between the Comber River and the Free Presbyterian Church near Copelands Link roundabout.

According to the 2011 Census there were 18,260 people living in 7,300 homes in Comber - an average of 2.5 people in each home.

Assuming that the new houses also have an average of 2.5 people, the planned phase of development would increase the population by just over 900 people.

The application also includes “open space including a linear walkway and saltmarsh creation, access roads, pumping station and other associated works”.

Documents lodged with planners indicate that this is the latest phase of plans for the area - a roughly 112-acre site, which has been named Enler Village by the applicant.

An initial phase of 17 homes was completed early in 2019.

If approved, work will be split between each of the three companies within the Comber Consortium - Hagan Homes, Antrim Construction and Connolly Homes.

Ultimately, the vision is for the whole site to contain about 900 homes - made up of a mixture of detached, semi-detached, townhouses and apartments.

The final development also aims to incorporate a business park, nursing home, sheltered accommodation, creche and retail units.

Jim Burke, Director of Sales and Acquisitions, Hagan Homes: “Enler Village is our largest ever development and offers residents the opportunity to live in the desirable country village atmosphere of Comber and avail of the abundance of amenities, facilities and activities available there.”

TUV councillor Stephen Cooper, who has lived in Comber since he was a child, is concerned about the ability of the town’s infrastructure to absorb all the new residents.

He said that “traffic congestion is already a huge problem”.

He added: “Where are these people going to go for doctors’ surgeries, or dentists? Schooling as well – schools are overcrowded as they are in Comber. It’s not rocket science to see what the problems are going to be.”

The plans were submitted to shortly before Christmas, and have now come to light after the News Letter trawled through a database of recent large-scale planning applications.

It is being handled by the government’s Strategic Planning Division, which looks at major or controversial developments.

The information in the publicly-available government planning portal website also says that the consultation for the development expired on February 26, with neighbour consultations to expire on March 4.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has requested an extention of the consultation dates until March 20 “due to the large volume of information to be assessed”.

The Department for Infrastructure is currently considering the request.