AQW 8089/09

Mrs Naomi Long
Alliance Party
East Belfast

Tabled Date: 28/05/2009
Answered On Date: 09/06/2009
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of the Environment, in relation to the alleged breach of the Tree Preservation Orders at 135 Shandon Park, Belfast, to advise what legal or other advice has been sought by his Department on granting permission to Planning Application Reference Z/2008/0489/F; and what assessment he has made of the impact for any enforcement action or court proceedings in granting planning permission for this application.

Answer:

Planning application Z/2008/0489/F has not been granted planning permission. Planning Service is still processing the application and no decision has as yet been taken. Planning Service did not seek legal or other advice on the planning application and saw no reason to do so. Planning Service’s view is that any decision to grant permission to the proposed housing development will have no bearing on any enforcement action envisaged in relation to the removal of the TPO trees.