Second successful planning appeal in one month paves way for retail development in Ballyclare Town Centre

With the crux of this appeal being whether there was a suitable alternative site for the proposed retail development within the town centre, the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) found in favour of Gravis Planning as the appellant after our planning consultants demonstrated why 19 other sites in this area were unsuitable. This was based on a ruling by the UK Supreme Court from 2012, which established that the definition of ‘suitable’ in this context means “suitable for the development proposed by the applicant” and not “suitable for meeting identified deficiencies in retail provision in the area”, the latter being the approach that had been taken by the planning authority.

We are pleased to have succeeded in overturning the planning authority’s original decision to facilitate the development of retail units which will improve choice for consumers in Ballyclare.