Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

At a special meeting of council on Wednesday 18th March it was decided, with cross-party support, that the council would close its facilities to the public with immediate effect.

 Listen to a recording of the meeting

CLOSURE OF CEMETERIES

In keeping with emergency legislation, the council is required to close its cemeteries to the public from 5.00pm today (Monday 30th March).

Access will only be permitted for funerals/burials and limited to immediate family only (maximum of 10 people).

We regret to inform you that tending to graves or memorials at cemeteries is not permitted under The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020.

The council appreciates this decision will be emotive for many and it will reopen its cemeteries once it is allowed to do so.

*Interments in council cemeteries*

Due to the current COVID-19 Pandemic, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council has put measures in place to ensure disruption to burial services is minimal during this difficult time.


To protect the Health and Safety of council staff, Funeral Director’s and members of the public attending committals, the council has implemented the following measures:
1. Attendance at gravesides will be limited to immediate family only (maximum of 10 people);
2. Family attending the graveside must adhere to the 2 metre social distancing guidance from the Public Health Agency. Family members must also remain at least 5 metres from the grave.
3. All interments are restricted to a maximum of 15 minutes.

The council will regularly review its processes in line with any further guidance in relation to interments.

We trust that families understand, appreciate and respect the need for the council to impose such measures. The council, appreciates these are extremely difficult times for families and will endeavour to continue with a dignified and respectful committal service.



FACILITIES TO CLOSE

All council play parks will close from 9am on Monday 23rd March until further notice. This is arising from the COVID-19 epidemic and is in line with guidance aimed at reducing the potential for cross infection.

  • Parks including Moira Demesne, Wallace Park etc.
  • Castlereagh Hills Golf Course
  • Aberdelghy Golf Course
  • Lisburn Market
  • Public toilets
  • Lagan Valley Island
  • Bradford Court
  • Lagan Valley LeisurePlex
  • Dundonald International Ice Bowl
  • Lough Moss Leisure Centre
  • Grove, Glenmore and Kilmakee Activity Centres
  • ISLAND Arts Centre - Box Office is now closed. All patrons requiring refunds should now be in receipt of these but if not, please direct your call to Barry at 028 9244 7506 or Paula at 028 9244 7505 between 10am-4pm who will endeavour resolve any issue. During these unusual and critical times, please do however stay in touch with us as we aim to bring you ISLAND Arts Centre as a ‘virtual service’! We are also looking for any suitable ideas of how you would like to connect with us from sending your paintings, drawings, photographs, short stories, poetry or any other ideas you may have to expand our virtual world. Simply contact Susannah at E: susannah.mckenna@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk
  • Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum
  • Bridge, Moneyreagh, Enler and Ballyoran Community Centres
  • Visitor Information Centres in Hillsborough and Lisburn.
  • Council football pitches
  • Bowling Greens
  • Dundonald Caravan Park
  • Household Recycling Centres: The Cutts, Derriaghy, Carryduff


FACILITIES THAT WILL REMAIN OPEN

  • Allotments


BIN COLLECTIONS

At this stage household collections of bins will continue as planned. Bins and containers will be emptied as normal. Bookings for bulky household collections will no longer be accepted and so far as possible existing requests will be honoured. Any changes to these service arrangements will be communicated via the council website, Facebook and Twitter.

INFORMATION FOR BUSINESSES

Dedicated business information is online at https://www.lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk/business


REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES

Following the strict new measures introduced by UK Government on Monday 23 March 2020, including the advice to ‘STAY AT HOME’ the Registration Services offered at Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council are now restricted.  Further information is available at: https://www.lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk/resident/registration-of-births-deaths-marriages-and-civil-partnerships


PLANNING FUNCTION

Development Management - LVI is now closed and there will be no public facing service until further notice. Applications and representations should not be brought to the building.  Instead they should be posted in along with the appropriate payment. The Unit will, however, continue to deal with email and telephone calls on planning issues. 

LDP - The Council will continue to operate its Local Development Plan function and process all counter-representations received to the draft Plan Strategy in accordance with the relevant regulations.  Given the current situation, however, representations submitted to the draft Plan Strategy may only be viewed online, and not at the Council’s Civic Headquarters. While the period for receipt of counter-representations closes on Friday 17 April 2020 the Council will retain a degree of flexibility regarding the receipt of any late counter-representation on a case by case basis.

 Please note that the Planning Committee meeting scheduled for April 2020 will now not take place.  Consideration is being given to current Government advice in relation to social distancing to see how meetings can be conducted safely.  Further advice will follow. 


TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF BUILDING CONTROL SITE INSPECTIONS

Our Building Control service is withdrawing its site inspection service in line with our Building Control Northern Ireland partner councils until further notice.

Following the recent escalation of the coronavirus response, this decision is also in line with the latest guidance from the Public Health Agency in respect of public safety and welfare.

Building Control shall continue to respond to any Dangerous Structure requests.

Anyone wishing to book an inspection is advised to do so by email at building.control@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk so that Building Control can keep a record of requests for future reference. These requests shall demonstrate the measures taken in difficult circumstances to attempt to gain compliance.

Builders/applicants are advised to take date stamped photos or videos for future reference before covering up the works.

Please telephone 028 9244 7300 to report any Dangerous Structure.


VITALITY MEMBERSHIP

Due to the closure of our leisure facilities all Vitality Memberships will now be suspended. You don’t need to do anything as no money will be debited during this period. All updates will be posted on our Vitality Lisburn Castlereagh Facebook page @vitalitylisburncastlereagh and Vitality Member App.


EVENTS

All events arranged by the council and events hosted in council premises between now and end of June will be postponed. If possible these will be re-arranged at a later date.


COMMITTEE MEETINGS

All Committee Meetings have been suspended until further notice.  Council will meet again at the end of April.


GUIDANCE

Please follow the current public health advice on PHA website and government guidance on the NI Direct website.

Look out for family, friends and neighbours who are vulnerable.

All updates will be placed on our website, Facebook and Twitter.