From the publication of our first “Protecting the Future” report onwards, CALNI has been convinced that Rose Energy obtained their site, a former agricultural small holding, and then built up a site selection case to justify their bargain purchase. Whilst CALNI can make such assertions freely, we thought it best to commission expert opinion as to what a properly considered site selection process should be.

Strategic Planning, a Holywood based consultancy have carried out such a study for us, and their report was submitted to the Planning Department in July, 2009. They concluded that their site selection assessment clearly shows that there are suitable sites that could accommodate the Rose Energy proposal, which would be more appropriate from a planning policy perspective than the current application site. Furthermore, there is one particular site, the Kilroot site, which although it is not the top suitable site, it has scored very well, and is currently available on the open market. The Kilroot site should, among the other high ranking sites identified, therefore be pursued as an alternative solution.

Click here to read or print the full report.