Plans for a £15million hotel and spa near Portstewart's NW200 pits deferred again following issues over 'land ownership'

Although politicians from the five main parties have backed the £15million bid to build the four-star venue next to the NW200 paddock on Ballyreagh Road, North Antrim MLA and prominent objector has raised further concerns over Planning Application Certificate issues regarding the ‘accurate certification of who owns land and who has been notified’ by Council.

Despite a planning officers’ report issued to members recommending approval, the proposal was the subject of a pre-determination hearing which took place on November 17. At this meeting, Mr Allister objected to the application outlining ‘substantive issues, not already addressed in the Planning Committee Report and Addenda’.

He stated that the Council must not entertain this application as notice under Certificate C of Section 42 of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 ‘has not been served on a third party’ and advised that ‘it would have been appropriate for the Planning Department to have issued a new Planning Committee Report’.

In response, members were made aware of Addendum 4 at today’s (Wednesday) planning meeting, and it was recommended that committee ‘agree to defer the application pending being satisfied on the position regarding the challenge to the Planning Application Certificate. This recommendation supersedes the recommendations provided in the Planning Committee Report and subsequent addenda.’

Members unanimously agreed to defer the application until all planning application certificates were updated.

Speaking after the decision, Mr Allister, said: “A relevant owner over whose land the access is planned was never contacted. Thus the ownership certificate essential to a lawful application was erroneous. Hence, the parking of the application until the council satisfies itself on the owner certificate issue.”

Acting in a ‘personal capacity, not as an MLA and on behalf of Ballygelagh Village residents’, Mr Allister, added: “It is right to defer it as S42 of Planning Act NI 2011 says Council must not entertain an application where the ownership certificates are inaccurate. Surprisingly, it was only when I identified the issue last Friday by producing the relevant land Folio that the applicant and the Council realised there was a problem!’

Plans for the Merrow Resort and Spa scheme were first lodged in 2016 and currently has 136 letters of objection, 188 letters of support, one petition of support, one petition of objection and two non-committals. The scheme is to include two restaurants, a spa and conference and banqueting facilities for up to 350 people as well as nine holiday cottages, a NW200 visitor attraction and demonstration restaurant located next to the circuit’s paddock.

Approval granted in 2019 was quashed by the High Court following a judicial review launched by Mr Allister who, at the time, owned a holiday home next to the site.

Following the judicial review, plans were resubmitted and the company has reaffirmed its commitment to the project. The application remains ‘under consideration’ and planners continue fielding comments from supporters and objectors. Earlier this summer, Mr Allister wrote to planners to reiterate his objections to the proposal.