There are concerns that Belfast City Council is considering proposals to transfer part of the 25-acre Mackies site in West Belfast to property developer Braidwater Homes for a private residential development, according to documents seen by PPR.

Plans to transfer ownership of the Mackies site to Belfast City Council from the Department for Communities are at an advanced stage according to the documents, released to PPR as part of a response to a Freedom of Information request.

Once Belfast City Council assumes ownership it appears its “Peace IV community greenway” project will occupy only part of the total site. The documents, mainly comprised of minutes of meetings of Council officials, refer to a proposed transfer of the remainder of the site to property developers Braidwater Homes for private residential development, although it is unclear how certain the plans are.

Braidwater is linked to already-approved plans for a large 200+ unit private residential development to the north of Mackies. Belfast City Council appears to be facilitating the expansion of that private residential development onto the publicly-owned Mackies land once it acquires the site from the Department For Communities.