Moira park and ride has been put on hold as Stormont considers reviewing planning approval

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council’s (LCCC) planning committee signed off on the Moira train station north site development on March 4.

An alternative south eastern site by a private developer and lobbied for by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP in a letter to the council (March 3), was refused.

A letter the from the acting director of the Regional Planning Governance and Legislation Group within the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) was provided to councillors to advise direction on the planning approval.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) contacted DfI for clarity on the matter.

A spokesperson said: “The department received a third party ‘call in’ request in relation to the application following the council’s resolution at its planning committee to approve the application.

“In order for the department to have time to consider this request, a ‘holding’ direction was issued to the council on March 21, 2024, preventing it from issuing a decision on this application until it had heard further from the department.

“Officials are currently considering whether to ‘call in’ the application for determination under Section 29 of the Planning Act (NI) 2011. This process will be completed as quickly as possible.” The private developer has told the LDRS of their intention to appeal the decision on its own application and to consider options including judicial review for the Translink approval.