Sparks fly in council chamber after Desmond’s site development given green light
Thursday, 4 September 2008
by Stephen McKiernan.
"SHAME on you, Omagh District Council. All of you, hang your heads in shame!" Angry words, spoken by members of the Kevlin Road Residents' Association at Omagh District Council's monthly meeting on Tuesday night.
The council meeting proved to be another disappointment for the residents, hoping to block a controversial four-story planning development set for the former Desmond's factory site.
The planning application, by Galbally Properties owner, Dr Brendan McDonald, was given the green light, despite opposition, at the council's planning committee meeting on Monday night.
The following night, Kevlin Road residents took the opportunity to vent their anger at local politicians, who backed the development proposals.
At the planning committee meeting both Sinn Fein and the SDLP backed the development, and it was opposed by both unionist groupings.
Members of the residents' group, who sat in the public gallery at the council offices on Tuesday night, took exception to summations by both chairman of the council, Martin McColgan, and deputy chairperson of the council, Dr Jo Deehan, backing the developer.
Said Dr Deehan: "I would like to thank the members of the residents' group for the interest they have shown in the issue. They have this issue at heart and they have made considerable efforts to improve their standard of living. But it must be said, we take very seriously all the planning applications that come before us.
“Last night (Monday) we had the benefit of a planning officer, who told us that the planning application met all the statutory requirements. We, as a council, can only give a recommendation, but planning ultimately rests with the Planning Service.
“This council will be very aware how we have fought the Planning Service over PPS14 (a blanket ban on all rural new builds). In the past, this council also opposed high-rise developments proposed for Coolnagard. In respect of the Desmond's site, it's a key development for the town and will meet the requirements for this town. "I myself sought to intervene on behalf of the residents' association but did not succeed in getting the developer to meet with the residents. I very much regret that the communication between the two broke down because that is the only way we can work things. What we did do was get him (Dr McDonald) to reduce the development from five storeys to four, so he has gone some way to meet with the residents.
Monitor
“This council will continue to monitor development in the town but I feel that some degree of victory has been achieved. We are in a period of economic concern, which could lead to recession, and so, we need this development."
However, when Mr McColgan attempted to wrap up the debate, alluding to other developments of similar size already in the town centre, sparks began to fly.
“We have to take on the decision that was reached by the planning committee," began Mr McColgan. "It did get a pretty good airing then, when it was pointed out that the infrastructure of the area could cope with the development.
“A lot of things don't fit in in this town centre. We have a big building in the town that is higher than any on the Kevlin Road. I'm talking here about the PSNI station which..."
At this juncture, UUP councillor, Ross Hussey, who is also secretary of the Kevlin Road Residents' Association, interrupted, telling the chairman the PSNI station wasn't being debated.
“Councillor! Just behave yourself and show some respect to the chair. Let him speak and have some manners," interjected Sinn Fein councillor, Sean Begley.
At this point, the Kevlin Road residents angrily remonstrated with the council as they left.
“Shame on Omagh District Council. All of you, hang your heads in shame," said one individual.
“I hope this comes back and bites this council from behind," said another. "This is a shameful decision!"
Mr McColgan asked for order and the council meeting continued, albeit with the continuing echoes of vociferous residents reverberating outside the council chamber.
Ominous precedent
Speaking after the debate, Mr Hussey expressed his frustration at the outcome of months of hard work by the residents' group, and said this decision sets an ominous precedent for future planning applications in the town.
“Ultimately, it shows that the developer has won, rather than the people. This sets a dangerous precedent, in that, if other developers now propose four or five storey developments in Omagh, we, as a council, will be duty bound to make a recommendation, as we can't take favour with some and not another.
“I have to accept this decision because, as a democrat, I have to. But I'm not happy."
DUP councillors, Tom Buchanan and Clive McFarland, also expressed their extreme disappointment at the outcome.
Mr Buchanan said Festival Park, which will be open to numerous entrances to the new site, will effectively become 'a rat run' stating local residents will have to put up with a continual and constant stream of cars and pedestrians.
“It is also regrettable, due to developer greed, they have consistently refused to meet with local residents in order to secure their development," continued Mr Buchanan. "If they had taken time to listen to the issues, this development would be widely welcomed by all interested parties."
Mr McFarland said the irony of the recent publishing of Omagh's future town strategy is lost on councillors who backed the development.
“Unfortunately, the decision by Omagh District Council to support this development in its present form comes just after the council launched its visioning document for the future. It is clear, though, that those councillors who have been chief cheerleaders for something that is totally out of keeping in a residential area have absolutely no vision whatsoever.
“I also patiently await future decisions by Planning Service to approve further such developments across Omagh town using this as a precedent. I doubt, however, that the councillors who will inevitably oppose those applications will see the irony and hypocrisy of the fact that they played a role in making such decisions possible," said Mr McFarland.
Backing his decision to support the developer, Mr Begley said the town, as a whole, needed the development.
“I appreciate the residents' objections but the application has been bouncing around for six months now. The council wrote to both water and roads service about infrastructural requirements and they said they were happy, so we had no option. This development is going to create jobs. It is a town centre development, others might say otherwise but it is. It is a brown centre site and needs to be developed.
“People who are now objecting to the site were complaining about before, that something needed to be done about the site and that it was an eyesore.
“I have no doubt that the decision will not be overturned and that's the reality of life. It is the correct decision and I stand by it."
However, Mr Hussey made clear the residents would not finish their fight and have taken the matter to both the Environment Minister and the Ombudsman.
“We're not looking for the moon and the stars here," said Mr Hussey. "We want to see the site developed, and have no opposition to development. Its just the scale, 111 dwellings is too much.
“I've already wrote to the Department of Environment, so they have it in their in box."
Mr Hussey also made a final plea for the developer to meet with the residents in a bid to appease tensions,
“As secretary of the residents' association, I extend an invite to Dr McDonald to meet with us to solve the matter. It's never to late until the first brick is laid."
It remains to be seen when the first brick will be laid. At time of going to press Galbally Properties were unavailable for comment.
