Row over plan for ‘nationalist homes’ near Orange hall

The DUP has said it will be raising objections after the green light was given for a new social housing development just yards from Clifton Street Orange Hall in Belfast.
The proposed development site is only yards from Clifton Street Orange Hall. Pic by GoogleThe proposed development site is only yards from Clifton Street Orange Hall. Pic by Google
The proposed development site is only yards from Clifton Street Orange Hall. Pic by Google

Belfast City Council’s planning department recently granted approval for a new development of four houses and six apartments on a vacant plot beside the Westlink.

But the DUP has questioned the legitimacy of the process and said members will be raising objections with senior council officials.

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“We are deeply concerned that this decision was taken by planning officers under delegated authority without the application being brought before the council’s planning committee, or the full sensitivities of this site being given due consideration,” a DUP spokesperson said.

“DUP representatives have previously met with the housing association on a number of occasions, and also with council officers and the PSNI, to highlight the very sensitive nature of this site on a main arterial route into the city centre utilised by both sides of the community in north Belfast including for loyal order parades departing from Clifton Street Orange Hall. They were left in no doubt as to the robustness of our concerns and they committed to come back to us.”

The spokesperson insisted that letters of objection were sent to the housing association behind the project – Choice Housing Ireland Ltd.

“We are alarmed that, on this occasion, it appears that no consultation correspondence was sent to the Orange hall, which is a direct neighbour of this site, across the Westlink, by either the council or the housing association, whereas they had previously been notified of an earlier proposed scheme.

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“We will be assisting the hall management committee in its intention to challenge the legitimacy of this process and we are raising our objections, in the strongest possible terms, with senior council officials regarding the failure to give this application the due consideration it requires.”

Meanwhile, Choice Housing Ireland Ltd has given an assurance that the homes will be allocated to people on the basis of need rather than political persuasion.

The housing association offered the assurance after a report in the Irish News described the proposed new residential development as “nationalist homes”.

“We allocate all our properties from the Common Waiting List under the rules of the Housing Selection Scheme,” a spokesperson told the News Letter.

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The Alliance Party criticised yesterday’s reports of “nationalist” homes.

Trevor Lunn said: “All public space is shared space. Areas are not unionist or nationalist, nor are homes. It is time we got away from labels such as ‘nationalist’ homes.

“These homes should be available to anyone willing to take them and not pre-determined based on their area ...Whether someone is unionist, nationalist or other should not come into the equation at all.”

A spokesperson for Belfast City Council last night said: “Belfast City Council’s Planning Service has given approval for a social housing development, comprising of four houses and six apartments, on lands at Stanhope Street. No objections were received to the development, which is led by Choice Housing (Ireland).”