Anger over seafront land 'sale'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/8208339.stm

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Residents in north Down are stepping up their campaign against part of the seafront being put up for sale.

North Down Borough Council said it only decided to put the land at Old Quay Road in Holywood's Seapark on the market to test its valuation.

It said a decision on its sale would only be made after its potential market value was assessed.

However, campaigners have said 1,600 people have put their names to two petitions opposing the move.

"The land in question should never, ever have been put on the market, the proposal should never have got this far," Jackie Hagan of the campaign group said.

"It's a piece of land that I feel North Down Borough Council don't own - they are the custodians of this land, they're not the owners.

"This is for the people of Holywood, for their use and their benefit and also for the benefit of visitors and people from the further Belfast area."

Holywood councillors have been meeting to discuss the issue in recent days and it is likely to be raised at a North Down Borough Council meeting on Tuesday night.

DUP councillor Gordon Dunne said he opposed the decision in December to put the land on the market.

"I think it's very clear public opinion is against the decision, Holywood people are saying no to the sale of their land," he said.