MEA Council admits IFA National Football Centre environmental screening decision was unlawful

CGI of the proposed IFA National Football Training Centre outside Ballymena

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has admitted that its decision that the proposed Irish FA National Football Centre at Galgorm did not require an Environmental Statement was unlawful and has committed to carrying out the assessment again.

The significant development comes after Sarah and John Herbison threatened judicial review proceedings, challenging the council’s handling of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening process for the major development proposed on Fenaghy Road.

In a letter dated 25 August 2026, one day before the deadline set by the Herbisons for the council to reconsider its position, the local authority accepted that it had “erred in law” and said the planning application will now be re-screened.

Crucially, that re-screening will take account of newer consultation evidence, including responses from Shared Environmental Service and the council’s Environmental Health Department which raise outstanding issues around wastewater, noise and artificial lighting.

Council: screening decision ‘was unlawful’

The council’s admission relates specifically to its EIA screening determination dated 3 July 2026.

In its response to the Herbisons, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council stated:

“The Council accepts that it erred in law in undertaking the 3 July 2026 screening in that it did not provide adequate and sufficient reasons for the screening determination made.

“The Council accepts that the EIA Screening Determination dated 3 July 2026 overall did not contain ‘sufficient information to make it possible to check that it was based on adequate screening carried out in accordance with the’ legislation (see Bateman at [9] and [21]-[22]).

“The Council therefore accepts that the 3 July 2026 screening decision was unlawful.”

The admission does not mean the council has now determined that a full Environmental Impact Assessment or Environmental Statement is required.

Instead, it means its previous decision that one was not required cannot stand on the basis of the screening process and reasoning used. The application must now be screened again.

Fresh assessment will consider new evidence

The council has also confirmed that its new assessment will not simply repeat the previous exercise.

It said:

“The Council accepts that it should conduct a re-screening of the application in light of this, and in light of additional information received by the Council since 3 July 2026, including the consultee responses which post-date 3 July 2026 (including those from the Shared Environmental Service and the Environmental Health Department) and the information provided with the pre-action letter dated 12 August 2026.

“The Council will re-screen the application.”

That is potentially significant because some of the subsequent statutory consultation responses have identified environmental matters which remain unresolved or require further information.

Noise and lighting among issues identified

As previously reported by Love Ballymena, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Environmental Health Department has examined assessments covering contaminated land, air quality, artificial lighting and noise.

While it agreed with assessments finding negligible contamination risks and no significant effects on local air quality, its response identified potential concerns around noise and artificial lighting.

On noise, Environmental Health said predictions showed levels likely to exceed 50dB LAeq during large-scale events at several assessed receptors, with other predicted increases over existing ambient or background levels.

Its conclusion was:

“Therefore these results show there is likely to be an adverse impact from noise on these receptors during these scenarios.”

The department also requested further information about the potential cumulative noise impact if the community pitch and training pitches operate simultaneously, along with clarification of assumptions used in the applicant’s noise assessment.

On artificial lighting, Environmental Health said modelling indicated the potential for an impact on the amenity of two surrounding receptors during certain match-day scenarios, although the applicant’s assessment proposes mitigation and limits on some floodlit activity.

These findings do not themselves determine whether the development is acceptable. They will, however, now be among the information available when the council carries out its fresh EIA screening.

Wastewater assessment also outstanding

Shared Environmental Service (SES), responding on 7 August, identified another outstanding issue concerning wastewater.

Its assessment noted that NI Water had recommended refusal in its consultation response because of network capacity issues and what NI Water described as a significant risk of detrimental environmental effects.

NI Water’s response states that while there is capacity at the receiving wastewater treatment works, the downstream sewerage network is constrained by an overloaded sewer.

It also identifies an Unsatisfactory Intermittent Discharge at Spencestown TPS which discharges to the Braid River.

However, NI Water’s refusal recommendation is not necessarily its final position.

Wastewater and Water Impact Assessments are in progress and NI Water has stated that, subject to agreement on implementing any solution identified and subsequent re-consultation, it may reconsider its recommendation.

SES has requested either confirmation of an agreed Wastewater Impact Assessment and details of any engineering solution required, or full details of a proposed interim wastewater treatment plant.

It wants that information before progressing its Habitats Regulations Assessment.

Legal challenge followed earlier screening decision

The council’s latest position follows a pre-action letter sent by Sarah and John Herbison on 12 August, challenging its conclusion that the National Football Centre did not require an Environmental Statement.

The Herbisons argued that the scale, location and potential effects of the proposed development meant the council’s screening determination was legally flawed.

Their letter stated:

“Indeed, the very idea that a twenty-two hectare site in the open countryside being developed for a national football training centre with six football pitches capable of accommodating thousands of people does not constitute EIA development is, on its very face, an absurd proposition.”

They gave Mid and East Antrim Borough Council 14 days to reconsider its determination, indicating that otherwise an application for judicial review would proceed.

The council responded on 25 August — one day before that deadline — accepting that its 3 July screening decision was unlawful and agreeing to undertake the exercise again.

What does re-screening actually mean?

Environmental Impact Assessment is a statutory process used within the planning system to identify and assess the likely significant environmental effects of certain developments before a planning decision is made.

For developments falling within the relevant categories, the planning authority carries out a screening exercise to determine whether the likely environmental effects are significant enough to require the full EIA process.

If the development is determined to be EIA development, an Environmental Statement must accompany the application, setting out matters including its likely significant environmental effects and proposed measures to prevent, reduce or mitigate those effects.

The important distinction in the Galgorm case is that the council has not yet reversed the substantive outcome and declared that an Environmental Statement is necessary.

It has accepted that its previous screening decision was unlawful and must now make a fresh determination.

The outcome of that exercise could therefore be that an Environmental Statement is required — or the council could again determine that one is not required, provided the fresh decision is reached lawfully and is adequately reasoned on the evidence before it.

Major National Football Centre proposed for Galgorm

Planning application LA02/2026/0169/F seeks permission for the National Football Centre on lands around 125 Fenaghy Road, between Galgorm and Cullybackey.

The approximately 22-hectare proposal includes six football pitches — five outdoor and one indoor — with three hybrid and three artificial surfaces. Three pitches would have floodlights and one would be designated as a community pitch.

Plans include a 1,100-seat stand and two 500-seat stands, providing 2,100 seats across the proposed spectator facilities.

A two-storey multi-purpose building would provide training, changing, medical, catering, administration and media facilities.

The development also incorporates a community pitch building, PV panels, internal access roads, lighting, fencing, car parking, landscaping and accesses from Fenaghy Road.

A development attracting support and opposition

The application has generated substantial public interest and competing representations.

Information recorded on the online planning application and reviewed by Love Ballymena shows around 110 representations in support and 64 against, from a total of 174.

Those figures represent submissions to the planning process and should not be interpreted as a representative opinion poll of the wider community.

Support has come from local businesses, schools, sporting organisations, community representatives and politicians, with supporters arguing that the centre could provide a permanent home for Northern Ireland football, strengthen grassroots and youth development and bring significant economic and tourism opportunities to the Ballymena area.

Among those supporting the plans are Wrightbus, Galgorm Resort, Ballymena Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ballymena United FC, Cullybackey Blues FC, Cullybackey Community Partnership, Randalstown Rugby Football Club, Netball Northern Ireland and the Northern Amateur Football League.

Local schools including Gracehill Primary School, Ballykeel Primary School, St Brigid’s Primary School, St Colmcille’s Primary School, Buick Memorial Primary School, Ballymena Academy and Slemish College have also submitted support, highlighting opportunities for young people, community access and the potential to inspire greater participation in sport.

Opponents, including the Right Facility, Wrong Location campaign, say their objection is to the Galgorm location rather than the principle of developing a National Football Centre. Concerns raised include traffic, road safety, noise, artificial lighting, ecology, drainage and flooding, the countryside setting and potential effects on existing neighbouring activities.

Irish FA: ‘We are taking concerns seriously’

Responding to concerns surrounding the proposed development, an Irish FA spokesperson told Love Ballymena:

“At every stage of this process, we are committed to listening carefully, engaging openly and constructively with stakeholders, and taking concerns seriously. Where possible, we will address and mitigate issues raised as the project progresses.

“We remain steadfast in our vision to create a state-of-the-art National Football Centre that will become the beating heart of football in Northern Ireland – providing a permanent home for our national teams, inspiring the next generation, supporting grassroots football and youth development, and creating meaningful opportunities for community engagement, which is central to both this project and the values of the Irish FA.

“This project represents a unique opportunity to deliver a world-class facility and a once-in-a-generation investment in football, communities and sporting infrastructure.”

What happens now?

The immediate consequence of the council’s admission is clear: its 3 July EIA screening decision cannot remain the basis for concluding that an Environmental Statement is unnecessary.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council must now re-screen planning application LA02/2026/0169/F, taking account of the additional material received since that determination.

Only when that exercise is completed will it become clear whether the council again concludes that the development does not require an Environmental Statement or determines that the proposed National Football Centre should be subjected to the fuller environmental assessment process.

For one of the most closely watched planning applications in the Ballymena area, the question of whether a full Environmental Statement is required is therefore open again — and this time the council will have to reach and adequately explain that decision against a broader body of environmental evidence.