How To Object
Q Blog Sewer Overflows Water Why we wrote to WwTW
Why We Wrote to… The Ramsar Secretariat
A Call to Protect the Lagan Valley and Belfast Lough The Lagan Valley and Belfast Lough are under siege. What should be protected as vital ecosystems—home to internationally significant wildlife, ancient [...]
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Q Blog Sewer Overflows Water
Extrapolated Sewage Data
The Unseen Crisis: What We Learned from Extrapolated Sewage Data At the Quarterlands Group, we’ve long been concerned about the scale of untreated sewage entering Northern Ireland’s waterways. Recent extrapolated data [...]
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Q Blog
Why Drumbeg Is Unsuitable for Further Expansion
Lacking amenities and proper infrastructure, Drumbeg cannot support the proposed new development at Quarterlands Road. The strain on roads, schools, and healthcare would affect all residents. Help us prevent an unsustainable [...]
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Blue Green Algae Q Blog Sewer Overflows WwTW
Storm Overflows
Storm Overflows and Northern Ireland Water: Understanding the Impacts Storm overflows, also known as Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), are designed as emergency release valves in wastewater systems, venting untreated sewage with [...]
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Q Blog Sewer Overflows Water WwTW
Belfast Lough’s Dirty Secret: How Planning Failures Are Flushing Our Future Away
Belfast Lough’s Dirty Secret: How Planning Failures Are Flushing Our Future Away Northern Ireland’s waterways are drowning in a crisis. From the River Lagan to Belfast Lough, raw sewage and toxic [...]
reAD MORESearch the Site for the subjects that interest you. Most Popular are Storm Overflows, Sewage & Barn Owls
What’s Happening
Developers want to develop.
Their plans are to build many houses and hotels, carparks and roads in the middle of Our Lagan Valley Regional Park, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and SLNCI and Northern Irelands ONLY designated Regional Park. Destroying the green spaces we cherish. Due care and attention has not been paid to the Biodiversity and Infrastructure of our environment and we are therefore raising strong objection.
Putting more pressure on our already overloaded sewerage system and roads. With minimal public transport no local shops or schools this area needs care and investment.
This is the most recent of very many developments suggested for this area. The planning portal is broken. Objections are taking months to show there or are not showing at all and in the meantime the ‘planning process’ goes on. If we don’t speak up we will all lose what we all treasure and the green belt will be a sea of 1980s style houses and a barren desert bereft of wildlife.
[hit play button above mouseover the video and click expand screen icon to view]
Latest News and Stories
About this development the Lagan Valley Regional Park, Drumbeg and the State of Nature.
On page 53 of our Q5 document you can see the future –
Proposal drawings for developments of hundreds of houses in the lands beside this little development.
Q Blog
Planning Failures in Northern Ireland: Drumbeg Case Study
The Quarterlands development highlights issues in Northern Ireland’s planning process. Inaccurate information has led to approval of unsustainable projects—help us ensure our [...]
read more
19
Feb
Feb
Q Blog
Quarterlands Road Development
Summary of Major Issues with Quarterlands Road Development The development at Quarterlands Road has been marred by several significant issues, ranging from [...]
read more
13
Feb
Feb
Q Blog Sewer Overflows Water Why we wrote to WwTW
Why We Wrote to… The Ramsar Secretariat
A Call to Protect the Lagan Valley and Belfast Lough The Lagan Valley and Belfast Lough are under siege. What should be [...]
read more
06
Feb
Feb
Q Blog Sewer Overflows Water
Extrapolated Sewage Data
The Unseen Crisis: What We Learned from Extrapolated Sewage Data At the Quarterlands Group, we’ve long been concerned about the scale of [...]
read more
05
Feb
Feb
accidental activists Blaris Community Places Q Blog Sewer Overflows Water
Why YOU Must Object to the Blaris Project Development
Why You Must Object to the Blaris Project Before 7th February 2025 The proposed Blaris Project (click to see developers information) represents [...]
read more
31
Jan
Jan
News Q Blog Sewer Overflows Water WwTW
Why We Wrote to… NIEA
As part of our ongoing advocacy for the environment, the Quarterlands Group recently wrote to Dr. Theresa Kearney of the Northern Ireland [...]
read more
29
Jan
Jan
WHERE IS THIS
This what3words address refers to a 3 metre square location in the middle of our Hawthorn Hedge. Tap the link below or enter the 3 words ///clock.cool.actor into the free what3words app to find it. (once there try clicking the satellite view)
HAWTHORN HEDGE 2024
67+ Protected Species 21+ Priority Protected Species resident in and around a proposed building site along the Quarterlands Road in the Lagan Valley Regional Park, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Site of Local Nature Conservation in Northern Ireland on the outskirts of Belfast. All the photographs and videos were taken by residents in and around the site.
See how exotic and marvellous the nature we have all around us is?
Don’t Bulldoze Our Biodiversity –
Videos by residents with ambient sound.
Photographs by residents with music.
HERE YOU CAN DOWNLOAD SOME OF THE OBJECTIONs submitted by the QUARTERLANDS GROUP Since JAN 2022
Q1 (Quarterlands 1) : We researched many aspects of planning in the Lagan Valley Regional Park and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and have submitted these documents to the planning authority. This became known as Q1 (Quarterlands 1) or The Big Document.
Q2: The developers lodged a rebuttal document which you can see on the planning portal, Q2 is our response to their rebuttal. It also contains interesting maps showing the designation of land over time and asks about Lagan Valley Regional Park, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty being changed and zoned?.
Q3: In March 2023 the developers lodged more drawings with the planning office showing further changes to the boundary planting. The removal of part of the green at Hambleden Park and the movement of houses to facilitate further vehicle access to the land beyond the site. So we wrote Q3 in answer.
Q4: In November 2023 the developer submitted an ‘ecological report’ This is our response. Submitted to LCCC Planners 1.4.24.
Q5: In November/ December 2023 the developers lodged hundreds more pages on the Planning Portal. We read and responded to particularly the Ecological Appraisal Report our Q4. The Developers Rebuttal to our points, we understand to have been written by a KC our Q5.
Quick Q is the bullet point summary of our objections before the Committee Meeting Feb 2024.
Q6: In February 2024 we also drew attention to questions involving human rights, equality impact assessment and serious concerns about procedure.
Documents We have researched and written
33 Months on…
We have been surprised and disappointed by the lack of care for our community. The [...]
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Short Form: Main Objections August 2024
Update: There are currently over 400 letters of objection from individual residents in the area [...]
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Concerns Over Planning Application Process
Section 43 of the Local Government Act (NI) 2014 Dear Community, We wish to express [...]
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Footways and Footpaths, accidents by design??
Concerns on Proposed Development Site Design: Key Safety Points 1. PSD Maps for Review: Attached [...]
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FOI: re PDE further concerns
As we continue to navigate the intricacies of development application LA05/2022/0033/F, we wanted to bring [...]
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About
What We Want
No More Building in Lagan Valley Regional Park
Without
Transparent Community Consultation
Proper and clear information to all residents affected by the developments.
Full Regard for Climate Change
All construction to be planned and completed in line with current technologies in light of climate change. Heating, water usage, insulation, transport etc.
Improved Infrastructure
Changes and upgrades to water, power transport should be covered in part by all new developments as they occur for the resident community and the wider planet.
Protection of our Environment
Protection of biodiversity, species and habitats to be at the heart of ALL developments.
Don’t Bulldoze Our Biodiversity
About Quarterlands.com
We are Quarterlands Group and have as our aim protecting the Lagan Valley Regional Park by conserving Heritage Hedgerows and grasslands at Quarterlands Road to promote a healthy environment and biodiversity.
We are a voluntary group of concerned locals and others with an interest in conserving the LVRP with no financial interest in the matter in which they seek to influence planners.
We have created this website so that other voluntary groups are able to benefit from the work we undertake in this area of LVRP.
Where it began..
In Dec 2021 another developer dropped another planning application to the planners at LCCC.
In late January 2022 the notification landed on a handful of local doormats. With less than a week to respond to the application one of our number asked friends and neighbours what they thought. None of them had heard about it. A group of us got together on Zoom to talk about it and decided that we needed to find out more.
Quarterlands.com is part of the finding out. We’d like to know what you think and to ask for your support to challenge the flurry of applications and building projects in the area.
We live in Lagan Valley Regional Park, in an area of outstanding natural beauty and we genuinely fear that we will lose what makes this such a lovely place to live if we don’t challenge.
Quarterlands Videos
All taken in and around the proposed site.
If you are on an Accidental Activist journey Like ours
See this post in our Q BLOG
OUR LEAFLET
Some of our group have been sharing this leaflet in the area to tell more of our friends and neighbours about what’s happening here.
Our Leaflet
Latest News and Stories
About this development the Lagan Valley Regional Park, Drumbeg and the State of Nature.
Q Blog
Planning Failures in Northern Ireland: Drumbeg Case Study
The Quarterlands development highlights issues in Northern Ireland’s planning process. Inaccurate information has led to approval of unsustainable projects—help us ensure [...]
read more
19
Feb
Feb
Q Blog
Quarterlands Road Development
Summary of Major Issues with Quarterlands Road Development The development at Quarterlands Road has been marred by several significant issues, ranging [...]
read more
13
Feb
Feb
Q Blog Sewer Overflows Water Why we wrote to WwTW
Why We Wrote to… The Ramsar Secretariat
A Call to Protect the Lagan Valley and Belfast Lough The Lagan Valley and Belfast Lough are under siege. What should [...]
read more
06
Feb
Feb
Q Blog Sewer Overflows Water
Extrapolated Sewage Data
The Unseen Crisis: What We Learned from Extrapolated Sewage Data At the Quarterlands Group, we’ve long been concerned about the scale [...]
read more
05
Feb
Feb
accidental activists Blaris Community Places Q Blog Sewer Overflows Water
Why YOU Must Object to the Blaris Project Development
Why You Must Object to the Blaris Project Before 7th February 2025 The proposed Blaris Project (click to see developers information) [...]
read more
31
Jan
Jan
News Q Blog Sewer Overflows Water WwTW
Why We Wrote to… NIEA
As part of our ongoing advocacy for the environment, the Quarterlands Group recently wrote to Dr. Theresa Kearney of the Northern [...]
read more
29
Jan
Jan
Q Blog Sewer Overflows Water WwTW
Belfast Lough’s Dirty Secret: How Planning Failures Are Flushing Our Future Away
Belfast Lough’s Dirty Secret: How Planning Failures Are Flushing Our Future Away Northern Ireland’s waterways are drowning in a crisis. From [...]
read more
23
Jan
Jan
Community Places Q Blog
Community Voice Ignored in Quarterlands Planning
Local voices have been dismissed in favour of developers, jeopardizing Drumbeg’s future. Our community must stand together to demand responsible planning. [...]
read more
14
Jan
Jan
Why Get Involved?
We have the privilege of the Lagan Valley Regional Park an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Our biodiversity is rich. We have rare plants and animals, we have green spaces and watercourses which need our protection. Our infrastructure is in need of improvement. Our local amenities need to exist. We can see that developers are profiting and fear that local planning authorities may not be fully considering the whole picture.
If we don’t raise awareness and voices to protect and improve the area we will lose it for ourselves and the generations to come as it will simply continue to be built over.
What to do
How To Object
1
Write a Letter explaining your concerns to the planning authority.
Write your objection.
Quote the planning number
LA05/2022/0033/F
Email to Planning2
Sign the Petiton
Click Here and Sign on Change.org
Click me!Don’t Bulldoze Our Biodiversity
Quarterlands Group are residents of Lagan Valley Regional Park an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty south of Belfast.
We have rare plants and animals, we have green spaces and watercourses which need our protection. We can all see developers building across the park and zoning changes in what were once green belt areas. Profits are being made from our wild spaces, species are being harmed and lost. Environmental pressures from climate change are being dodged and we fear that local planning authorities may be missing the point.
We need to make our voices heard to protect what we have for ourselves and for future generations.
Please sign the petition and stand with your friends and neighbours to call a halt and a rethink.
3
Make Calls or Send emails
Our elected representatives should hear your thoughts on these matters.
Send copies of your objections to
MP
Emma Little-Pengelly –
emma.little-pengelly@mla.niassembly.gov.uk
MLAs
Robbie Butler (UUP) – robbie.butler@mla.niassembly.gov.uk
Sorcha Eastwood (ALL) – sorcha.eastwood@mla.niassembly.gov.uk
Paul Givan (DUP) – paul.givan@mla.niassembly.gov.uk
David Honeyford (ALL) – david.honeyford@mla.niassembly.gov.uk
Councillors
Andrew Gowan (DUP) – andrew.gowan@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk
Uel Mackin (DUP) – uel.mackin@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk
Aaron McIntyre (ALL) – aaron.mcintyre@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk
Kurtis Dickson (ALL) – kurtis.dickson@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk
James Baird (UUP) – james.baird@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk
4
Visit the NI Direct Planning Portal and register your objection.
Copy and Paste this planning number to find all the documents and register your objection.
LA05/2022/0033/F
PLANNING PORTAL