Council is being urged to to open negotiations with Southern Regional College (SRC) in a bid to return land at Craigavon Lakes to Council ownership.
Alliance Party councillors are calling on Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council to regain control of one of the borough’s most valued community assets.
The motion – tabled by Councillor Robbie Alexander – is to be brought before full council on Monday evening.
Cllr Alexander said: “I am delighted to bring forward a motion asking Council to formally engage with SRC to enable us to assess the feasibility and understand the options available to ensure land at Craigavon Lakes returns to the rightful ownership of ABC Council.”
He said the community had been “outraged” when the land was sold, adding that the Council must now take steps to protect the site’s future.
“Craigavon Lakes is one of the jewels of this Borough and it is essential that we are proactive in shaping its future,” he continued.
“Alliance believes that Council should be firmly in control of how this land fits into the wider vision for the Lakes and ensure environmental protection for future generations.”
Alliance colleague, Councillor Jessica Johnston, who is supporting the motion, echoed those concerns.
“Craigavon Lakes is one of the focal points in our Borough and is a place enjoyed by so many residents and visitors,” she said.
“The space supports health and wellbeing, leisure, biodiversity and brings an important connection to nature. It is long past time that Council explores the option of bringing this portion of land back into Council ownership.”
Last year, Armagh I reported that legal costs around the failed SRC development exceeded £1.3m.
The project was halted after a Judicial Review concluded that planning permission had been wrongly granted for development on land designated for recreational use.
The prolonged legal fight has cost ratepayers heavily, with Council spending more than £1.3 million in associated costs:
– £402,039.90 in legal fees relating to the initial Judicial Review
– £297,148.70 for proceedings at the Court of Appeal
– £387,977.84 towards the applicant’s legal costs
A further £165,397.00 in Council legal costs and £7,579.92 for a consultant during the original planning process.
At the time Alliance Upper Bann MLA Eóin Tennyson had described the total bill as a “scandal”.
“That the cost of this botched planning decision has now swelled to a staggering £1.3 million is nothing short of a scandal,” he said.
“This is money which would have been far better invested in frontline services, rather than in defending an ill-judged planning decision which was not supported by the community in the first place.”
He said lessons must be learned to ensure public money is not wasted again, and that efforts now need to focus on safeguarding the park and finding a suitable alternative location for SRC within central Craigavon.
The legal challenge had been led by members of a long-running campaign group set up to protect Craigavon’s parks and lakes, who argued throughout that the planning process was fundamentally flawed. Their Judicial Review ultimately succeeded, resulting in the college development being halted.
Cllr Alexander said Alliance now wants to see constructive steps taken.
“Alliance wants to see Council begin this negotiation process as soon as possible and do what is right for our community and for the future of Craigavon Lakes,” he said.
