Green Party slams planning go ahead for luxury hotel

THE Lagan Valley Green Party has criticised the Minister of the Environment for approving plans for a luxury hotel within Lagan Valley Regional Park.

Party spokesperson, Dr Luke Robinson, said: “In our opinion the project on the Hillsborough Road is in breach of several of the policy statements within the Lagan Valley Regional Park Local Plan. Specifically within the Park there should be a presumption against development unless strict criteria are met.

“In addition, there will be loss of habitat and risk to biodiversity. Unfortunately, in this instance, Minister Alex Attwood appears to have given undue weight to economic arguments. Good planning needs to take place regardless of short term economic demands and must always strike the right balance between the concerns of the local area, the environment and the broader economy.”

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Dr Robinson continued: “More generally we are concerned that if this project proceeds it will continue to shift the seat of economic activity within Lisburn to Sprucefield rather than the city centre. With potentially two hotels operating in close proximity at Sprucefield there is little incentive for an operator to establish a city centre hotel that could be the hub of a rejuvenated night time economy.

“This decision by Minister Attwood highlights all that is wrong with the planning system in Northern Ireland. This is the right project in the wrong location,” he concluded.

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