The team behind this objection

Right facility, wrong location: contrary to planning policy with no best practice site search, and four major schemes within 2.5 km that should be assessed together.

The Council’s environmental screening is open to challenge. NI Water says there is no wastewater capacity, and the precautionary principle requires a full assessment.

Senior counsel on the challenge to the Council’s determination under the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations.

Counsel on the challenge to the Council’s determination under the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations.

The impact on the setting of nearby listed buildings and on archaeology is not properly assessed, and the screening does not adequately address the setting of the Merchant’s Linen House.

Conservation architect advising on new build within the setting of a Grade A listed castle.

Eight confirmed bat roosts, a European protected species, and a floodlit scheme that may be impossible to licence. Breeding newts, badger and otter are present on site.

The visual assessment is deficient, with solar glint and glare excluded and no residential visual amenity assessment. 560 metres of priority hedgerow would be lost.

Only a 500 spectator event was modelled, not the 2,100 seats proposed for special events. The Galgorm roundabout is already over capacity, with no footway, cycleway or bus route.

About 60,000 m³ of cut and 120,000 m³ of fill to reshape the land. The required visibility splays cannot be achieved, and part of the site lies in a floodplain.

Testing the applicant’s roads and drainage modelling, and the earthworks needed to reshape the site.

The true rural baseline is about 42 decibels. A large event reaches about 59, roughly 17 above baseline, a significant adverse impact the applicant understated.

A genuinely dark sky, not the baseline claimed. 30 metre masts and 800 lux lighting would spill onto neighbouring homes.

The contamination risk assessment is deficient, and significant effects cannot be ruled out.

Independently testing the applicant’s usage, demand and economic benefit claims.

Reviewing the operational and business case: whether the programme, usage and management stack up on this site.

Advising on the design, scale and massing of the proposed buildings in this rural setting.