Jordanstown housing plan: University to appeal refusal decision

The university has submitted plans to build 600 new homes, shops and car parking on part of its Jordanstown campus, following a planned move to a new state-of-the-art campus in Belfast.

The redevelopment masterplan also proposes the retention of sports facilities, student accommodation and the FireSERT research centre at the Shore Road site.

At their monthly meeting on August 17, members of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Planning Committee agreed with a planning department refusal recommendation for the multi-million pound scheme.

“In refusing the planning application the council considered that a quality housing layout had not been demonstrated, with the proposed development of 600 houses failing to respect the context of the site, and its specific features and constraints,” a council statement said.

It’s now been confirmed that Ulster University has lodged an appeal with the Planning Appeals Commission in a bid to get the council’s refusal decision overturned.

Jordanstown councillor Tom Campbell has expressed disappointment at the university’s intention to appeal the Planning Committee’s decision, describing it as “regrettable”.

“The creation of 600 houses has been ill thought out and is manifestly excessive, given the local landscape,” the Alliance representative claimed.

“The application was rejected in part because of its scale and density and lack of sympathy or regard for the local area in which it was placed.”

Accusing the university of failing to consult properly with the local community about its plans, Alderman Campbell added: “There is huge local opposition to these plans and previous efforts to get across to the university that the scale of the plans was unacceptable continually fell on deaf ears.”

A spokesperson for Ulster University confirmed that the matter has been referred to the Planning Appeals Commission, but said it would be “inappropriate to comment further until the planning appeal process has concluded.”

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