A Dundonald waste water pump has been approved despite concerns about local schoolchildren's safety
A Dundonald waste water pump has been approved despite concerns for local school children’s safety and “sewerage stench”.
The Northern Ireland Water (NIW) application was approved by a majority of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s planning committee before a public consultation deadline closed.
The Brooklands Drive station is being developed due to “unsatisfactory” sewage overflows into the nearby river, but residents say over 600 children will be impacted.
A spokesperson for residents objecting said: “This will sacrifice a council owned site that is used by pupils of a nearby school…there are child safety concerns.
“This is a protected land and the council has a duty to protect it. It is an open space that is well used by people which helps them with mental health and fitness, as well as over 600 pupils on an almost daily basis during school terms.”
The green lands for the site at Dungoyne Park are owned by the local authority.
The proposed station underground works close to playing fields will include a combined sewer overflow storage tank.
The spokesperson added: “This is a hectic crazy place for school drop offs… 80% of kids go through this area to the entrance of the school. That would make this site not a top choice for a waste water application.”
Twenty objection letters appear on the Northern Ireland Planning Portal, with one reading: “This possible construction so close to people’s homes is unacceptable with the stench that the sewerage will generate and the lights in the evening, no thought or consideration has been given to the residents at all.”
At the committee, a NIW spokesperson said: “There have been eight potential sites looked into.
“If the application is approved there would be a traffic management plan put in place during construction. Any land disturbed would be put back to council specifications.”
Councillor John Laverty said: “The volume of school traffic and pupils going across that piece of land would surprise you. Further consultation with neighbours surely should have been done.”
Councillor Nicholas Trimble added: “Looking at an online street view, it shows this place to be choc-a-bloc around the school with traffic.
“I would say in regards to the council notification time frame, lessons could be learned here.”
A majority vote of 5-2 approved the application.