Plans for a Royal Hillsborough house have raised concerns over the protection of the Castle wall

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s planning committee agreed to defer its decision for an on site inspection to take place.

The house designs for the backyard area of Main Street had been recommended for refusal by planning officers, but the application was called in for review.

Committee chairperson James Tinsley asked: “How confident would you be of no damage caused to the wall?”

An application spokesperson said: “There are clearly other backyard developments in Hillsborough including a children’s play park and modern housing developments.

“I am very confident there would be no damage to the wall.

“We would be willing to apply for listed consent before construction.”

Hillsborough Castle is the official Northern Ireland residence for the British Monarchy with a boundary wall around an area in the village required to be protected due to its historic nature.

There have been 18 objections on the NI Planning Portal against the Main Street application.

One objection stated: “If approved, this will set a serious, unwelcome precedent for Hillsborough Conservation Area” with claims of “a lot of Airbnbs on the street”.

However, the chamber heard from an application spokesperson that the Historic Environment Division (HED) has been “impressed with the sensitive and considered nature of the plans” for the former bakery site.

According to a council report “consent” was given for a separate application for the demolition of an existing bakery buildings to rear of 17-19 Main Street, Hillsborough in April 2025 for the same developer, ‘Bedside House Ltd’.

This was to allow for the renovation and extension to the existing houses, to provide three guest apartments, three guest houses and off-street parking, according to the council paper.

Documents on the NI Planning Portal show communication with the ‘Historic Royal Palaces’, but that it has not been requested to consider the works on the latest application.

Though, it has confirmed the wall in question forms the boundary to the Hillsborough Castle Gardens.

Councillor Jonathan Craig said: “You suggested a site meeting to assess the boundaries of this rear development….this is a modern design for Hillsborough.”

The initial objections from the council centred around conservation concerns with many buildings in the village including the castle structures being listed.