Movement over 'eyesore' bus depot site in County Down town but concern over community’s travel needs
There is movement to tackle a former Co Down bus depot labelled an ‘eyesore’ but plans for the Saintfield site have raised concerns over the local community's travel needs.
The Saintfield site sits at the entrance to the village and its condition has deteriorated since it closed down over a decade ago.
Landowner Translink has now confirmed it is seeking a dual development for the site, believed to include housing, but has kept its plans for sale under tight wraps.
DUP councillor Callum Bowsie said: “Over the last few years the DUP has had meetings with Translink to get them to address this eyesore coming into Saintfield, which they finally agreed to do two years ago.
“The first step was dedicating a section of land for a proper bus layby, and this has been finalised. Step two is deciding the future of the main site. Translink have finished seeking expressions of interest for repurposing the site by the public sector.
“No expressions of interest were formally made and therefore the land is set to be sold off, most likely for housing.
“We believe this is a rash decision and ignores our plea over recent years for any repurposing of this land to put the needs of the existing community first, which has consistently been a call for a park and ride to better manage commuter parking in the village.”
The Belfast Road depot was previously used for a bus service linking Downpatrick to Belfast with part of the site functioning as a horse riding business and later as a car wash.
A Translink spokesperson said: “We are working with the Department for Infrastructure to repurpose the former Saintfield bus depot site, in order to create an enhanced bus layby and improvements to the footway at this location. A section of the site will be sold.”
DUP MLA Edwin Poots has called for a park and ride to be prioritised. He said: “Saintfield is a commuter town with congestion, parking pressure and no park and ride.
“Government transport policy talks about modal shift and integrated transport, yet a former transport site in Saintfield is being sold on the open market.
“It doesn’t make sense. Once this land is sold, the opportunity is gone forever.
“Decisions like this should be taken as part of long-term transport planning, not short-term land disposal.”