New housing development will add to Larne West traffic woes, claim

Nineteen new homes are planned for a site at Ballyhampton Road opposite the derelict Ballyloran House.

East Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA John Stewart has said previously that there should be a “moratorium on new approvals until the link road is completed to take the pressure off Donaghy’s Lane” just a few hundred yards from the site.

Commenting on the recent approval, Mr Stewart said: “Last year I called for a moratorium on house building in the Ballyhampton area and sent an objection letter to this application on the grounds of inadequate roads infrastructure.

“I am amazed that this application did not even go to the council planning committee for comment and adjudication by elected councillors.  It was passed internally, behind closed doors, by planning officials.

“There had been houses approved in principle on this site previously, but I am deeply disappointed that the council did not take the opportunity to attach conditions to the approval, linking it to the completion of the nearby Ballyloran Link road.

“Council planners should have insisted on conditions. They keep saying the roads network  is ‘developer led’ in this area, but they just keep on passing new houses with no roads upgrade in the area.

“Planners have conditioned house building out the Ballyboley Road with the signalisation of the Antiville Road/ Donaghy’s Lane junction so there is precedence.

“As it stands, the existing residents of Larne West are going to face yet more congestion on Donaghy’s  Lane and an opportunity to alleviate that congestion has been passed up.”

Meanwhile, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is seeking a meeting with Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon for the completion of a link road in the area.

Elected representatives have been calling for the development of a stretch of land at the bottom of the Ballyloran link road in a bid to improve traffic flow in the area.

However, a letter received from the Infrastructure Minister stated the construction of the Larne West distributor road is the “responsibility of the developers of the adjacent lands”.

The letter also said: “The planning approval grant for further housing in this area is conditioned to provide additional transportation infrastructure.

“These road improvements including Donaghy’s Lane and Antiville Road will assist traffic movements and progression in this area.”

It is understood that as many as 600 new homes are planned in the Larne West area.

East Antrim MLA Gordon Lyons has said previously: “Traffic congestion on Donaghy’s Lane and the Linn Road has been a long-standing frustration for local people trying to go about their daily business. As the number of homes in the Larne West area continues to grow, this problem has only gotten worse.

“Developing the small stretch of road which connects Millbrook to the Ballyhampton Road is one option which the Department must explore to help ease the congestion.”

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter

Click here to read: Larne West link road upgrade campaign given fresh impetus

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