To ask the Minister for Infrastructure (i) for an update on the road adoption of Loughshore Manor, Newtownabbey; and (ii) whether there has been any movement from the developers on completing the scheme; and (iii) whether any enforcement action can take place, under the new Private Streets Enforcement Guidance, in order to complete construction and adopt the road.

Loughshore Manor is a private development accessed via a bridge over the railway line which was constructed in consultation with Translink in 2008. In 2015, planning consent was granted for a revised scheme which required the adoption of the road and footway over the already constructed bridge.

As the time of construction the bridge was not being considered for adoption and therefore technical approval was not required. Since the revised planning consent the developer has been working with the department to gain the necessary compliance requirements for the bridge to allow the adoption of the associated road and footways.

The developer has recently advised the Department they cannot achieve Technical Approval for the bridge and therefore the Department has determined the developer to have defaulted in their responsibility and enforcement action under the Private Streets Order may now be considered.

However, there would be significant challenges in progressing successful enforcement, particularly given the developer’s failure to demonstrate technical approval for the design and construction of the bridge and the financial shortfall within the bond funding which would be required to achieve adoption.