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A CGI image of the failed development plan at Annadale Avenue
A decision made at the Belfast City Council Planning Committee has ended the long running saga of an application for the proposed demolition of the former Bees Knees Nursery at 18 Annadale Avenue, BT7, by Cregagh Developments Ltd, of Grennan Road, Newry.
The controversial application involved the demolition of the existing Victorian building for the construction of a residential development consisting of 14 units. That would have involved nine apartments within a three-storey building, and five two storey terraced dwellings, along with associated landscaping and car parking.
The applicant submitted viability information regarding various potential options to retain and convert the existing building to other uses, making the case that retention of the existing building was not feasible. Of six options, the applicant said the only viable one was nine apartments and five townhouses.
The application had been in the system for over a year and a half, with committee members attending a site visit to the location in March 2024.
Some 21 third party objections were made to the council, including one from the MP for South Belfast and Mid Down, Claire Hanna, one from the SDLP MLA for South Belfast, Matthew O'Toole, and one from the Belfast Civic Trust, a charity promoting good architecture in Belfast. There was also an objection from Green Councillor for Lisnasharragh Brian Smyth and two objections from Alliance MLA for South Belfast Paula Bradshaw.
Objectors said the demolition of the existing building would have negatively impacted on the Victorian character of the area, would have been a great historical and cultural loss, and would have set a 'sustainable precedent' for the area.
They said the residential amenity would have been affected by loss of light and overlooking, arguing the proposed design was overbearing, with a lack of architectural detail. They added there was insufficient parking provision, no disabled spaces, with access to the road being too narrow.
Objectors objected to the planned removal of a cherry tree, said local biodiversity would be badly affected, and added that the development would devalue nearby properties. The Stormont Department for Infrastructure Rivers Division and NI Water objected to the proposals.
Despite this, council planning officers recommended the plan for approval, with a list of conditions.
A previous officer report on the application stated: 'It is a sustainable location with good access to shops, jobs, services, amenities and public transport. The site is considered a suitable location for housing; the proposal would make effective use of previously developed land and is of an appropriate density.
'No affordable housing is provided due to viability. The applicant has submitted a viability assessment which has been independently appraised, which concludes that the proposal is unviable with the inclusion of any affordable housing provision or commuted sum.
'The design, height, scale and massing of the proposed buildings are considered in keeping with the surrounding character and not considered to impact the surrounding listed buildings.'
At the August meeting of the council's Planning Committee held this week, the application went to a vote, with only six elected members supporting the application, all from the DUP, while 12 elected members, from Alliance, the SDLP and Sinn Féin, voted against the application.
A representative for local residents said at the meeting: 'We are quite concerned about the imposing nature of this build, and how close it is to our border. The southwest facade is quite overbearing, and we are even worried about our mature shrubs.
'It would be so sad to see this beautiful old building demolished. The incredible Victorian gardens at the back, with sweetpea and apple trees, would be turned into a parking lot.'
A CGI image of the failed development plan at Annadale Avenue
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An agent for the developer told the committee: 'Extensive investigations demonstrated that retention was not viable. Additional testing was then documented at the request of the committee, which was also done, and all options were independently verified to be unviable.
'While retention was not viable, the applicants committed to the sustainability principle to salvage materials such as red brick, roof tiles and stone sills for reuse in the proposed development. But importantly, the existing building is not listed, and is not located in the conservation area. A previous proposal for demolition and redevelopment for 14 apartments was granted in 2009.'
Alliance Party councillor Tara Brooks said: 'I have sympathy for the applicant, and the situation they find themselves in, but I propose we refuse planning. It does not sit right with me to vote to have this building demolished.
'I understand that it is not listed, and the applicant can go ahead and demolish it anyway, but I cannot in all conscience vote to permit its demolition.'
DUP councillor Dean McCullough said: 'The report is pretty clear. We all have aspirational ideas about what we want, but viability is viability. I think this applicant has gone out of their way to do everything they can, within a framework, to make this viable.
'I don't know what else they can do, they have come to this committee time and time again, with amendment after amendment, and are now probably running effectively at a loss.' He said the application was 'competent and sound' and would 'benefit the city'.
The committee gave planning officers delegated authority to finalise the precise refusal reasons. Read more
