Plans for the regeneration of Antrim town centre have been outlined during a visit from Secretary of State, Brandon Lewis.
This key visit comes just after £1.2 million was awarded to the Levelling Up project in the town centre and riverfront.
The Antrim Integrated Physical and Economic Regeneration Project will include the redevelopment of the former Wellworths building, now owned by the Karl Group, in the town centre into 16,000sq foot of office and workspace. It will also include the opening up of the back of the building onto the boardwalk providing a Riverfront Regeneration opportunity. In addition, the boardwalk that runs along the river at the back of the building, will be extended by another 166m, improving access to the High Street and linking to the town’s unique Antrim Castle Gardens and providing a longer cycling and walking route. The overall scheme represents an investment in excess of £8 million over its 30-year project life.
Welcoming the Secretary of State, the Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Billy Webb, said: "I welcome today's visit from the Secretary of State, it's important to see first-hand the plans which the Council has to regenerate Antrim town centre. Through the regeneration of the Riverfront as well as the development of a major building in the town, this project will drive footfall back into the town centre. It will also provide a vital boost to the local economy, not only attracting investment and creating jobs but also continuing to support the recovery of our local businesses."
Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis commented: "The UK Government is supporting local councils to drive long-term economic growth and revitalise town centres. I'm very pleased that Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council will receive £1.2m from the Levelling Up Fund to revitalise Antrim town centre. I was delighted to see first-hand their plans to develop a new innovative workspace and upgrade the riverfront and boardwalk. Such investment is at the core of our Levelling Up agenda, ensuring a more prosperous community for all."
The Antrim project is one of two projects in the Borough which have been awarded a total of £5.1m. The schemes are part of an overall investment of £49 million secured for Northern Ireland under the first round of the fund.
The Glengormley Integrated Physical and Economic Regeneration Project will receive £3.9m for the development of the former police station site, shop front facades along the buildings from Creative Tiles to the Movie House, along with remodelling of the car park and larger public realm scheme. The overall scheme represents an investment in excess of £17.4million over it is 30-year project life.
Both schemes are also designed to improve connectivity, making it easier to access the town centres and providing an attractive, welcoming environment that will encourage people to stay longer and visit more often.
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Latest Construction News
20/11/2024
MDE has been awarded the electrical services contract for the Clondalkin School Development Project in Dublin. Working alongside Cunningham Contracts Ltd., the company will serve as the specialist electrical contractor for the construction of new facilities for Gaelscoil na Camóige, Gaelscoil ...
20/11/2024
In celebration of European Week for Waste Reduction, the Northern Ireland Resources Network (NIRN) has launched an environmental education programme to promote zero-waste principles among young people. Three schools from the ABC Borough—St Francis Primary School in Lurgan, St Patrick's Primary ...
20/11/2024
Work has begun at hospital sites across Northern Ireland as part of preparations to eliminate car parking charges by May 2026. Health and Social Care Trusts are installing the necessary infrastructure for a new traffic management system, following the passing of the Hospital Parking Charges Act by ...
20/11/2024
Fine Gael has accused Sinn Féin of abandoning its commitment to protect consumers from rising energy costs, claiming that the party's policies could lead to increased costs for 2.1 million customers. The criticism comes after Sinn Féin's alternative budget last month proposed retaining the ...
20/11/2024
SDLP Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs Spokesperson Patsy McGlone has urged Minister Andrew Muir to take decisive action to protect the environment, rather than launching additional reviews. The comments came after Minister Muir announced a review into environmental governance during an ...
20/11/2024
Alliance Strangford MLAs Kellie Armstrong and Nick Mathison, along with Alliance East Antrim MLA Danny Donnelly, recently visited the tidal research experiment at Queen's University Marine Laboratory (QML) in Strangford. The project, funded by the Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy (CASE), is ...
19/11/2024
Phoenix Energy has been awarded an international standards accreditation from the British Standards Institution (BSI) in recognition of its inclusive service approach for customers in vulnerable situations. The certification highlights Phoenix Energy's commitment to providing fair, flexible, and ...
19/11/2024
Seating Matters is investing £3.7 million to enhance and improve its manufacturing facilities in Limavady and L'Derry. The company is aiming to support its bold strategy to triple revenue by 2027. Making the announcement while visiting the company's Limavady site Economy Minister Conor Murphy ...
19/11/2024
SDLP Infrastructure Spokesperson Mark H Durkan has urged the Minister and the Executive to take immediate action to address problems within Northern Ireland Water. Mr Durkan warned that the current state of the wastewater system is creating significant delays for infrastructure projects across ...
19/11/2024
Galway City Council will hold a public information evening on affordable housing on Monday, November 25, 2024, from 4pm to 8pm at the Connacht Hotel, Old Dublin Road, Galway. The event will provide an opportunity for the public to learn about how affordable housing operates. Council staff will be ...