Other News In Brief

Man Fined For Waste Offences

A man has been fined £225 for three breaches of waste management legislation at Antrim Magistrates' Court.

Peter Antony Burke from Dunmurry, was also ordered to pay court costs of £148 and a £15 offenders' levy.

Officers from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency visited the site at Largy Road, Crumlin on 5 February 2014, where a quantity of waste tyres was deposited and stored on site without the relevant waste authorisation. Mr Burke, operating as BBR Recycling, did not hold the relevant waste management licence or an exemption to deposit or store waste tyres at this location.

Forfeiture was granted for the first time to the NIEA in respect of a 7.5 tonne goods vehicle (owned by the defendant) seized on site on 5 February 2014 under The Controlled Waste (Seizure of Property Regulations) (Northern Ireland) 2013.

Significant Rise In Home Building In NI

There has been a significant increase in home building in Northern Ireland, new figures have revealed.

A total of 3,223 new homes were registered in 2015, compared to 2,487 in 2014, according to the National House Building Council (NHBC).

Overall, the number of new homes registered to be built in the UK has topped 156,000 in 2015.

NHBC Chief Executive Mike Quinton, said: "We are pleased to report that 2015 was a year for continued housing growth in the UK. Both the public and private sectors have performed well and we have seen encouraging levels of house-building across most regions of the country.

"The detached home continues its resurgence, with our figures showing that house builders are building the highest number of detached properties for over a decade, with semi-detached homes also at their highest level in more than 20 years.

"There is still a way to go before we are building the levels of new homes that were seen before the economic downturn, but 2015 represents consolidation on the growth seen over the last three years."

Alliance Councillor Andrew Muir has thanked everyone who got behind the campaign to save Cairn Wood.

The Department for Regional Development Minister Michelle O'Neill announced the sale had been suspended.

Cllr Muir said: "At the beginning of this campaign, those who wanted to prevent the sale of Cairn Wood Forest and the surrounding land said we would not just stand by and allow it to take place. I am delighted the Minister has finally listened, taken on-board the views of the thousands of people who signed the petition and made this decision, despite her initially informing us she could do nothing about the issue.

"Coming a few hours after I met with her to discuss the issue, I want to say thank you to everyone who got involved and helped make this campaign one she had to option but to listen to.

"The campaign is however not over. We now need the option of a sale to the highest bidder to be permanently removed, full details on proposed transfer to Forest Service and the area kept in its natural tranquil state."

(CD/MH)