“We have had communication from HED and they have said they have no objection, subject to conditions being made”
Plans for a Co Down house have been unanimously refused amid concerns for the King’s Castle Wall despite a last minute approval from a Stormont agency.
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s planning committee turned down the Main Street (17-19) application this week following an onsite inspection close to Hillsborough Castle.
The Department for Communities’ Historic Environment Division had emailed the chamber during the meeting on conditions it would allow the development, but the committee heard further policies on council conservation had not been met.
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A spokesperson for the application said: “We have had communication from HED and they have said they have no objection, subject to conditions being made.
“We would be willing to hold off on any works until a structural assessment is done on the wall.”
A council officer responded: “We have just literally received an email from HED.”
The HED is the government department contacted on any queries about listed buildings or any aspect of the historic environment in Northern Ireland.
Lisburn North UUP councillor Nicholas Trimble said: “Is there no risk to the integrity of the wall?
“Are officers saying that the HED matter couldn’t be a proper condition in the application?”
The location of the site to the rear of Main Street, runs close to a boundary wall of Hillsborough Castle dating back to the early 1800s, which is now the Northern Ireland residence of King Charles III.
A council report states the Main Street development would mean a need for excavation of approximately three metres in depth close to the castle walls to accommodate the dwelling.
The committee was paused for the HED information to be taken into account with a key condition of an English Heritage survey of the wall.
A council officer said: “There is no material weight afforded to the committee today.
“There are eight reasons for refusal with the HED matters covering two of those.
“The English Heritage survey it suggests should be with the application now.”
Downshire West Alliance Alderman Owen Gawith alluded to the possibility of deferring the application for “the HED conditions to be met and other necessary work to be done”.
However, the matter did not gain support for a proposal over concerns on delays to planning “processing times” with the application then refused.
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