Larne drainage upgrade to cost £30m

At a council meeting on Monday evening, chief executive Anne Donaghy told councillors a number of planning applications have been held up over discharge concerns.

The chief executive said: “There have been a number of planning applications that have been held up due to NI Water not permitting discharge because of capacity of the waste water treatment works.

“A number of proposed developments are facing challenges over the waste water discharge. It leaves a heavy burden on potential investors who have been examining other ways to deal with this by purchasing their own systems.

“It is very concerning for us that the chief executive of Northern Ireland Water has said that the problem can’t be resolved until the major investment of £2bn is made across Northern Ireland.

“The imminent decision of how we deal with development investment in Larne is at a critical stage.”

She reported that NI Water has highlighted £30m is needed to tackle the issue in Larne.

The chief executive warned that the situation in Larne is “at a critical stage” with regard to investment.

“I wrote to the chief executive of NI Water inquiring about the capacity load for discharge in the Larne area asking her if it could be re-calculated.

“We have had quite a number of businesses that have closed and the flats have been demolished and other examples of where the capacity, we believe, could be reduced and if that capacity is not being used in full, then we would like to see that it would be re-calculated and that may lead to a position where the existing capacity will allow for future development of premises etc.

“There will also be a number of issues on specific applications and specific investment proposals that will be shared with her at the meeting. We will also be inquiring from her an update on the recently announced £15m and how that could be in some way in part  used to help the ongoing problems in Larne.”

A tender for a new drive-through McDonald’s restaurant was successful in the  council’s development brief bidding process for the lorry carpark site at Circular Road, which was on the market for £350,000.

However,  lack of drainage may put a dampener on plans for the return of the fast food giant to Larne. NI Water has stated that although “several options have been explored, none have proved viable” at the proposed ramp lorry carpark site .

Buyers have been asked to provide details of how their proposed development meets the statutory and wider planning considerations of the site.

The anticipated return of McDonald’s has been heralded by the council as a “major economic and employment boost for the borough with the prospect of a global giant investing locally”.

A spokesperson for NI Water has said: “It is currently an undeveloped site as there are no pre-existing connections to either NI Water’s water or sewer network.

“The waste water system around Larne is constrained and although several options have been explored, none have proved viable for this site.

“NI Water is working proactively with the council and developers to accommodate development in Larne where possible.

“We will continue to work with the council to facilitate development opportunities wherever possible, acknowledging the very constrained conditions within the Larne area.”

A spokesperson for McDonald’s said: “We have nothing to say currently on possible plans in Larne.”

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter

Click here to read: Sewerage ‘error’ leads to cost fears

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