Terry Hoey Chairman of the Palmerston Residents Association has set up The East Belfast Homeowners Coalition of Northern Ireland

The East Belfast Homeowners Coalition Northern Ireland why this Coalition has been formed I Terry Hoey has been Chairman of the Palmerston Residents Association since it was set up in 2007, we have met with many of our political parties in East Belfast. We have also met with many community groups and people who have not yet set up any sort of group in their own area, we have found just how hard it is to get our politicians to listen. As Homeowners we have seen our much loved areas being torn down only to be told by our politicians that its happening everywhere we have seen our trees cut down only to be told also that its happening everywhere. This is not the answer we wanted to hear we wanted them to act and get it stopped they failed to see that this was our area that we have all bought into and invested a lot of our money. It has taken us a lot of time to find a place where we wanted to live, Some residents have lived in their area all their lives and have bought and paid for their homes only to see their history and their children's history ripped down at will. They tell us we are against change we are against apartments that statement just is not true we are against developers moving in overnight to change our areas at will without consulting with the residents that already live in the area. If we buy a car and someone goes out and paints it a different colour we can take them up for criminal damage yet we buy a home in an area we love and developers can move into it and change it at will and we cannot do anything about it. The laws need to be changed we see our schools being moved or closed and still we are told its all down to someone else, but they fail to see we want them to act. The biggest changes in East Belfast are being planned now we as homeowners need to have a voice in what is taking place on our door steps we need to empower our communities and organise now. We need to let our politicians know that we want a say on what goes on in our areas and we want to be involved in the process and not be told what is going on by people who do not come or even live in the areas that they are planning to change. The East Belfast Homeowners Coalition is set up to empower Homeowner Residents Groups to form to gather and fight for the rights of all our Homeowner Residents groups while maintaining their own individual groups and to have Homeowner Residents Groups elect members onto The East Belfast Homeowners Coalition to lobby for change in their areas. Unite To Stop Unwanted Change Happening In Your Area.Join The The East Belfast Homeowners Collation contact terryhoey@gmail.com

Palmerston Residents Association Development Of More Apartments Planned On Palmerston Road Belfast Northern Ireland

0593/F 5 Palmerston Road Sydenham Belfast Demolition of existing Building and the erection of new residential development,comprising of 12 No.apartments with associated car parkin0593/F 5 Palmerston Road Sydenham Belfast Demolition of existing Building and the erection of new residential development and amenity space. Belfast Telegraph 21/03/2008

The Palmerston Residents Association is not against Development but is against all Developments that do not met the needs of the whole Community that includes our Senior Citizens and our Disabled Communities and that new developments fit in with the surrounding area

Palmerston Residents Association Has Received more Information on The Smiles Family Of Westbank House Palmerston Road Sydenham Belfast Northern Irelan

The Palmerston Residents Association has more information on the Smiles Family of West Bank House Palmerston Road Belfast Northern Ireland Smiles Capt William Alan Born29.4.1885 son of William Holmes Smiles and Lucy Smiles nee Dorling,West Bank Strandtown Belfast. His father who died in 1904,founded (in addition to the Royal County Down Golf Club at Newcastle)the Belfast Ropework Company with Gustav Wolff which was the largest in the world . His mother was half sister to Mrs Beeton, the famous Victorian cookery expert. He had seven brothers and three sisters his grand father the celebrated author of Self Help and other books was Dr Samuel Smiles.He qualified as a solicitor in 1905 and practiced at Belfast and Larne he became Deputy Crown Solicitor,Co Mayo in 1908. He applied for an army commission 15.08.1914 height 6 foot 2inchs weight 140 pounds. He was Commissioned to the 9th RIR,23.09 1914 he was promoted Lt. 23.11.1914 and then Capt 01.01.1915. he then joined C coy 2nd RIR,on the 13.03.1916 he was killed in action on the 09.07.1916. A report that his body was seen in a German 2nd line trench with shrapnel wounds to his back and that he died instantly were received. The gross value of his estate was £1,382.Probate granted to his widowed mother,sister Aileen and brother John Holmes Smiles, 37 Bedford Ave,High Barnet. He also had a Brother 2lt, Samuel Smiles who came from South America to join the Army,he received his commission in December 1916 from Queens OTC,and went to the front in May 1917 with the 1st batt RIR, he was killed 16.08.1917 and is Buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery Belgium. Samuel Smiles was 35 years old and a fine athlete who had won numerous golf prizes including the Argentine Centenary Cup, he was Partner in the firm of McEwan and Smiles Buenos Aires

Information by the Vice Chairman John Johnston Palmerston Residents Association

Palmerston Residents Association Says Thank You To Captain William Alan Smiles

The Palmerston Residents Association would like to thank Captain William Alan Smiles for his sacrifice on the 9th July 1916 at Ovillers Somme France.He is commemorated on Thiepval Memorial to the missing Son of William Holmes Smiles of Westbank House Palmerston Road Sydenham Belfast Northern Ireland the 34 year old solicitor was an active fund-raiser for the Ulster Hospital for children&women in Templemore Avenue. He received a commission in the 9th Royal Irish Rifles West Belfast Battalion,and he was later transferred to the 17th battalion at Ballykinlar,and returned to the front in march1916 with the 2nd RIR The Smiles family gave a lot to the people of Belfast including The Belfast Ropeworks and their son for the defence of our country. The Association wants to know when this great Family will be Remembered at the site where their home once stood. It was demolished with its history so what is our Heritage Service doing to stop the destruction of our history and our children's history? The Assembly must act now to change the laws on the listings of our historic Homes all over Northern Ireland.

The Palmerston Residents Association would like to thank its Vice Chairman John Johnston for the research of this article.

Palmerston Residents Association Concerns Grow Regarding 2-4 Station Road The Den The Home Of Gustav Wilhelm Wolff

The Palmerston Residents Association are still waiting on a reply from the Environment and Heritage Services in Northern Ireland the Association received a letter on the 21 February 2008 from the Director of Built Heritage where they point out our concerns regarding this site. The Association voice their own concerns regarding spot listing of the two cottages that stand on this site, the Association has also made contact with the Ulster Unionist Party the party that Gustav Wilhelm Wolff worked with and supported for some 18 years when he was a member of parliament for East Belfast in 1892, he sat unopposed for five General Elections in 1911 and was granted the Freedom of the City of Belfast . The Association has also been in contact with the Rt Hon Peter Robinson,MP MLA and Deputy Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party to enlist their support to save this part of our history for the people of Belfast. We can now confirm that the Rt Hon Peter Robinson MP MLA has made contact with the Department of the Environment Private Office of the Minister of the Environment asking the Minster to investigate how this site might be preserved because of its Historical association with Gustav Wilhelm Wolff. The Association feels that there should be a clear decision made regarding this site it needs to be protected it may not meet the criteria in some way for listing, but this would be a significant part of our history being wiped out. We see the great Ship Building History in Northern Ireland being replaced by the Titanic Quarter. The city should have held on to parts of the old yard for a prime visitors centre and museum for Ship Building World Wide, this site is only a small part of the history remaining that you can go to see and touch its not just a name. The association looks to all our members of Parliament to come out and fully back us in trying to protect this remaining part of our shipbuilding history of Northern Ireland. The association would like to thank the Deputy Leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland Naomi Long MP MLA for her full support in the fight to save this site for our children's history and for the fathers and grandfathers who worked and lost lives while working at Harland and Wolff on the great ships that the yard once built and the passengers of the Titanic who lost their lives.The association feels that this remaining part of our history must be saved for the sake of our children.

Palmerston Residents Association Can now confirm that the Proposal for apartments on Station Road has now been withdrawn

The Residents Association can now confirm that plans for change of use from dwelling to apartments,refurbishment and extension to provide 10 apartments at 28 STATION ROAD STRANDTOWN BELFAST BT4 1RF has now been withdrawn we are pleased with this outcome as the apartments did not meet the needs of the community the association feels that this type of development should be suitable for all our community including our senior citizens and our disabled