A planning application for the erection of two dwellings and domestic garages for members of the Travelling community has been refused at 27-29 Lough Road Lower, Lurgan, despite some strong representation from Craigavon Traveller Support Committee.
The planning application was lodged by McKeown & Shields Assoc. Ltd, Coalisland, on behalf of William and Joseph Gentle, Ulster Street, Lurgan.
In correspondence to ABC Planning officers, manager of Craigavon Traveller Support Committee (CTSC), Lisa Hogg, had argued that there was a pressing need for such facilities in the Craigavon area.
She wrote: “Craigavon Traveller Support Committee write to express our strong support for [this] planning application, given the serious lack of culturally appropriate accommodation for Traveller families in the area.
“Currently, there are only seven serviced and five transit pitches for Irish Travellers to legally reside in the ABC Council area.
“Craigavon has one of the largest Traveller populations in the North. The 2021 Census records 2,600 Irish Travellers living here. In total, there are only 42 Traveller pitches in Northern Ireland.
“The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, in their report Out of Sight, Out of Mind, Traveller Accommodation in Northern Ireland 2018, highlighted the shortage of sufficient, adequate, culturally appropriate accommodation in Northern Ireland.
“We refer you to the decision in the John Boswell v Planning Appeals Commission 2009.
“The judge ruled in favour of the applicant, an Irish Traveller who applied for planning permission for a serviced site on greenbelt land that he owns.
“The judge ruled that the decision maker has a positive obligation to facilitate the applicant’s way of life, and that traditional bricks-and-mortar accommodation is not always a suitable alternative for Travellers.
“We refer you to the similarities, the Gentle family have applied to build a serviced provision on land that they own.
“As this is not an application to build social housing, we question why a needs assessment from NIHE is required.
“Several planning matters have been brought to the attention of CTSC in the last 18 months and we are working closely with Phoenix Law to identify possible human rights breaches, as well as what could be perceived as institutional racism in the planning system when dealing with Irish Travellers.”
The applicants had hoped to build two dwellings for members of the Travelling community. Image: ABC planning portal
ABC Planning officers justified their decision to refuse the planning application as follows: “Planning permission will only be granted where the application is made by a registered Housing Association, and where a demonstrable need has been identified by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive which cannot readily be met within an existing settlement in the locality.
“This application is not lodged by a registered housing association, nor is it supported by information demonstrating that the potential to locate the proposal within a settlement limit has been explored.
“The information submitted is a summary of planning policy and in no way gets into the figures of Traveller provision in the Craigavon area, Traveller population number within this area, or any statistics that can be used to demonstrate that there is a need for residential units on this site.
“Therefore, limited weight can be accredited to the supporting information.
“It is appreciated that the site is a smaller portion of a larger field. The proposal will not appear prominent on the site, and there is mature vegetation screening the site from Kinnego Embankment and the M1 Motorway.
“The site is within a hollow in the landscape which has almost been carved out by the surrounding road landscape.
“For that reason, officers do not consider two dwellings on this site would be unduly prominent in the landscape.
“The site is located off Lough Road Lower, which is a short cul-de-sac road which serves numerous single houses to the west of this roadway.
“The proposal seeks to introduce two dwellings to the eastern portion of this roadway.
“Officers are off the opinion that the proposal, along with the approved stables on the wider site, would result in suburban style build-up when viewed from Lough Road Lower and portions of Kinnego Embankment, and therefore the proposal is contrary to [the relevant policy].
“In terms of siting, the proposed dwellings are to be located on either site of an access road which will run down the centre of the site, almost like a road within a residential development located within an urban area, with the two houses facing each other.
“Officers are of the opinion that this does not reflect the traditional settlement pattern of the area, which is generally dwellings facing on the main road.”
