Planners said pulling down 'architecturally significant' Kincora home would be against policy - but given 'difficult history' it was okayed

The name of the home had became synonymous with cruelty to children, and the building had lain derelict for some time.

Cranes and workmen yesterday moved in and started dismantling the building, which stood at 236 Upper Newtownards Road – not far from Cyprus Avenue and Strandtown Primary School, on the edge of the now-trendy Ballyhackamore district.

East Belfast MLA Robin Newton MBE hailed the fact it is “finally happening”.

"Many local folk, given the abuse suffered by former young residents, saw the property as a blight on the area,” he said.

"It’s taken a long time but this levelling work is welcome.”

In March this year, perission was granted to demolish the site and build nine apartments (down from an initial proposal of 12).

It prompted 18 objections, including from the principal of Strandtown Primary School.

Though the planning archive does not go into why each individual objected, a summary of the objections by planners cites reasons ranging from traffic disruption to “a memorial garden for victims of abuse would be more appropriate”.

It was built sometime in the late 1800s.

In their decision report, planners noted that “the building is considered to be of architectural merit... positively contributes to the character of the area, and is generally worthy of protection” – and that pulling it down would normally contravene conservation policy.

However, “given the difficult history of the site, it is considered that the demolition of the building would be acceptable,” it said.

It was set up as a working boys’ hostel in 1958, but was constantly understaffed.

It was meant to be for boys who had reached school-leaving age, but many who were still pupils ended up being homed there.

It closed in 1980, after seeing 309 residents pass through the doors.

Three men were convicted of abusing boys there in 1981, but accusations persisted they were just a part of a much wider problem .

A major enquiry into the abuse in 2018 reported “w e now know that 38 boys were abused at some point during Kincora’s existence”.

The report further moved to dispel long-stranding rumours of a high-level paedophile ring encompassing major establishment figures.

The report said: “There have been frequent allegations that various individuals, including Sir Maurice Oldfield, a former head of the Secret Intelligence Service, who was later the Security Coordinator in Northern Ireland, and a number of named and unnamed Northern Ireland Office Civil Servants, and unnamed business men and other prominent figures, resorted to Kincora for sexual purposes.

"We are satisfied there is no credible evidence to support any of these allegations.”

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