A planning application for a new hotel outside Ballymena has been deferred until the New Year.
Mid and East Antrim’s Borough Council’s Planning Committee took the decision at a meeting on Thursday morning.
A 65-bedroom hotel adjacent to Applegreen Service Station on the A26 Crankill Road and site of the former Fort Royal complex has been proposed.
The three-storey development would include a lobby, bar and restaurant as well as a car park with 91 spaces. The site would be accessed at the Applegreen Service Station.
Paul Duffy, the council’s Head of Planning, went to say that the proposed development would increase traffic on the A26, a “protected traffic route” by five per cent.
He added that DfI Roads was consulted nine times over the application and advised that planning permission should be refused due to “unacceptable” traffic movement on this section of road and “intensification of use” on a main traffic protected route. Increased traffic inconvenience to road users was also noted.
He indicated that DfI Roads has requested more time to consider a technical report.
Larne Lough Alliance Councillor Robert Logan proposed that a decision on the application was deferred until a later date. His proposal was seconded by Bannside DUP Councillor Tom Gordon.
“I am happy to second the proposal to defer to consider this technical report that is critical to this application.”
