Two objections have been received to what would be the first-ever on-street diplomatic car parking spaces for the consulate general for St. Vincent and the Grenadines in Comber, Northern Ireland.
The Department for Infrastructure is currently considering a proposal to provide two dedicated parking spaces on the street outside the consulate general. No other diplomatic parking spaces of their kind currently exist in Northern Ireland, the Irish News reports.
The consulate was first set up by Canadian Dr. Chris Stange in 2018. It is understood Dr Stange had also run a chiropractor surgery out of the same premises as the consulate on the Glen Road in the Co Down town, the publication stated.
While the content of the objections has not been made public, it’s understood they relate to the limited on-street parking available in the area and were made during a consultation opened by DfI in August 2024.
If approved, motorists face a fine of up to £90 if they park in the designated spots.
Local Alliance councillor Patricia Morgan described parking capacity in the proposed area as “extremely tight.”.
Approval was granted in November 2017 by Ards and North Down for a full resident SVG diplomatic presence in Comber, with the consulate established the following year.
It was said at the time the consulate would serve the interests of a growing population of 1,200 people of Caribbean descent currently living in the north, although exact numbers of how many of those hail from St. Vincent and the Grenadines are unknown.
