With half of Newry, Mourne and Down Council's Planning Committee unable or ineligible to cast a vote, the remaining six Councillors on the Committee have provided the following 7 reasons for approving the JC Campbell planning application, contrary to the professional planning officer's recommendation for refusal: 1. The proposed plan would provide more than 3000 sq metres of open space on the site, this equates to 30% which is 20% more than that required. 2. The proposed plan was in keeping with Policy LC1 in that:  It was not in an established residential area  Historically there was a four storey hotel with shops located on the site and the proposed design was of a similar scale and mass.  Locally sourced Mourne granite would be used in the build and the use of indigenous materials would not have a harmful affect – this has been confirmed by NIEA. 3. The proposal would add to the character of the area. 4. The economic appraisal showed that the proposal would create a benefit to the local and wider area and add to the long term sustainability of the area. It would also provide benefits in terms of jobs during the construction phase. 5. There was an ageing population with an increasing risk of higher instances of Alzheimer’s and dementia and the residential home would be a much needed facility. 6. The proposal would have minimal impact on tourism and the environment. 7. There would be an improvement to road safety with the reduction in the number of entrances. Given the absence of any supporting evidence, we are left wondering how these benefits to road safety, tourism and public health have been measured by the developer and by the Council? However, at a time when the UK's Secretary of State David Davis can get away with confessing that Brexit Impact Assessments "don't exist", it is little wonder that local government do the same. While each of these 7 reasons can be disputed, we are particularly considered about Cllr Willie Clarke's potentially reckless comments about this location being a suitable facility for dementia care. Cllr Clarke does not appear to have provided any evidence for this claim and a recent study identifying a link between living near a major road and increased dementia risk highlights that Councillors may not possess the necessary training and competency required to make such important decisions. https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/living-near-major-road-may-increase-dementia-risk/