Court casts doubt on future Adam Street bonfires in north Belfast

The Adam Street bonfire is close to an interface in north Belfast

A court has cast doubt on bonfires at a controversial site in north Belfast in the absence of future agreement.

A judgement has been published explaining a decision in July not to force police to help remove the bonfire in Adam Street.

Mr Justice Horner said it was important there was community agreement.

He said failure to strike a deal may leave authorities with only one option: "To prevent the construction of any bonfire at the outset."

In July, two Stormont departments joined in an action brought by a nationalist resident seeking the bonfire's demolition before it was lit.

But the legal action failed and the Eleventh Night bonfire went ahead.

• Why are bonfires lit in Northern Ireland?

The site is near the interface between Tiger's Bay and New Lodge.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) had refused to intervene by providing protection to contractors who would have been tasked with dismantling the bonfire.

It argued intervention would have risked disorder and there was a safety issue around the bonfire being occupied by children.

In his judgement published on Tuesday, Mr Justice Horner stated an agreed approach was required in future.

"It is incumbent upon all those who care about their community and who want to celebrate their culture to try and reach consensus as to how this problem can be managed in future years," he said.

"The absence of any agreement as to clearly defined ground rules for the construction and management of this bonfire on public land at this community interface may leave the authorities with only one option, namely to prevent the construction of any bonfire at the outset.

"It is in the interests of both sides that a solution is found which will permit the Protestant Unionist Loyalist community to enjoy the bonfire in future years while at the same time eliminating the criminal and anti-social conduct which does so much to poison relations between the two communities."

July's bonfire ultimately passed off without any trouble.