Ards and North Down Council has joined with the Alliance Party to campaign against the sale of Cairn Wood Forest in Northern Ireland.

Councillors are urging Regional Development Minister Michelle McIlveen to instruct NI Water to halt the sale of Cairn Wood.

The Council meeting comes after Alliance Councillor Muir launched a petition which has gathered over 2,000 signatures, which is to be presented to the Minister at the Assembly next Tuesday.

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Cllr Muir said: "NI Water is determined to sell off Cairn Wood to the highest bidder, a move which DRD Minister Michelle McIIveen is completely compliant with.

"Left up to them, this fantastic asset used by dog walkers, mountain bikers, ramblers and many other will be lost forever and all for what seems to be no more than a plan for NI Water to make some easy money with a uncertain future ahead for Cairn Wood and real worries about what site could be used for.

"You only have to look at the numbers who have signed my petition - only launched at the start of December 2015, but with already over to 2,000 signatures - including it seems the DUP's own Jim Shannon MP.

"Local people have made it clear, Cairn Wood is a resource to be treasured and they aren't prepared to stand back and allow NI Water and the DRD Minister take it away from them."

(CD/MH)