Markethill: bungalow plans approved despite sewerage concerns
ABC Planning & Regulatory Services committee members have approved plans for eight bungalows in the vicinity of Willowdean and Forest Park in Markethill, despite some concerns regarding plans for a temporary treatment plant to deal with foul sewerage
The planning application was lodged by David McMaster Architect Ltd, Portadown, on behalf of Gosford Park Properties Ltd, Belfast.
Speaking at the latest Planning & Regulatory Services committee meeting, Alderman Gareth Wilson (DUP, Cusher DEA) was concerned about potential odour issues – some nearby residents had expressed serious concerns too in letters of objection to the ABC Planning officers.
Ald Wilson commented: “It looks like a Kingspan unit, like a self-contained process and effluent release tank, but I’m just wondering in terms of how that’s maintained, because I know some of them are powered by electricity.
"How will that be operated? Is it going to be like a management company? How will that be looked after, because I know I’m aware of other cases where private ones have been put in, but they’ve sort of fallen by the wayside, and there’s issues with the cost of them and the running of them from NIE’s perspective, in terms of outstanding amounts.
"How is that going to be agreed to? Is it going to be like a management company that people will pay into, to ensure that the treatment plant is looked after?”
Principal planning officer, Roisin Hamill replied: “We consulted with the Environmental Health Department with regard to the location and the proposal in terms of the temporary treatment plant, and they had advised that there may be intermittent odour and noise from the plant, usually around the time it’s being maintained or desludged, but certainly it wouldn’t be something that they felt would be such that it would have an impact on residential amenity.
"They did quote a British standard that said they shouldn’t be within seven metres of residential properties, and in this case they’re well in excess of that. I think they’re 23 metres from the proposed houses and over 50 from existing houses.
"In terms of the actual plant itself, we’re saying no development shall commence until we have full details of the plant that is actually going in, so that we can consult with NI Water and Water Management Unit, just to make sure that we’re satisfied with the details of the actual plant. The plant itself I assume will be owned and maintained by the developer.”
Architect David McMaster explained that there would be a statutory obligation to have the treatment facility properly maintained, adding: “There will be a management company. The treatment works is hopefully only temporary.
"In Markethill there is a proposal to upgrade the whole sewerage system. It was to start about a year ago, but [there are] financial constraints. In the interim this will be covered under part of the open space management company to maintain it, and hopefully in the future, when they do upgrade, it will have systems designed so that we can then connect into the main sewers, subject to the normal statutory approvals.”
Alderman Gordon Kennedy (UUP, Cusher DEA) asked: “Was the temporary [treatment facility] a case of getting these buildings passed over the line until the sewerage system is upgraded?”
Mr McMaster replied: “No, it’s well outside the scope of odours, it would be no different than a single unit in the countryside having its own septic tank or biodisc, we’re talking of that level of odour, if any.”
Councillor Paul Duffy (Sinn Féin, Portadown DEA) was under the impression that the proposed bungalows looked quite big for that type of accommodation.
"I just have a question about the dimensions. Some of them seem pretty big for bungalows,” he said. “I was just going to ask the architect, do they all fall within the bungalows dimension size? And the gable in the front elevation, are they all standard?”
The architect pointed out that that developer had built similar bungalows elsewhere, adding: “Yes, it would be. In fact, the same bungalows were built out in the countryside towards Annaghmore, the same developer built some about four or five years ago.
"Perhaps you’re talking about frontage width and sizes. They not overly big bungalows, but there is a demand for bungalows at the moment everywhere. These are three-bedroom units, so they are a standard-size bungalows, they’re not oversized.”
The recommendation to approve the planning application was proposed by Alderman Kennedy, and seconded by Alderman Wilson.