Council welcomes City Deal match funding announcement

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council (MEABC) has welcomed the recent announcement by the First and deputy First Ministers of £562million match funding for City and Growth Deals in Northern Ireland.

The funding forms part of a larger £700million package agreed by the Northern Ireland Executive to help rebuild the economy after the Coronavirus emergency – acting as a catalyst for growth, maximising economic impact and boosting productivity.

Welcoming the announcement, MEABC Councillor Gregg McKeen, Chair of Borough Growth, commented: “This good news from the Executive serves as strong recognition of the importance of the Belfast Region City Deal as we strive to recover from the impact of Coronavirus and rebuild a vibrant and sustainable economy in the coming months and years.”

Three major projects in Mid and East Antrim are proposed to receive funding through the Deal, including the regeneration of Carrickfergus, the extension of The Gobbins cliff and coastal path, and the redevelopment of the former St Patrick’s Barracks site in Ballymena.

Councillor McKeen said that “important work by Council officers” had continued in recent weeks to progress the plans for almost £80million of investment in the borough via the City Deal.

“Whilst our primary focus currently has been on the delivery of vital frontline services to our citizens during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we haven’t lost sight of the longer-term economic outlook for Mid and East Antrim,” he said.

“Supported by our elected members, in recent weeks our dedicated City Deal officer team has continued to drive forward the development of our Outline Business Cases (OBCs) for each of the proposed projects to ensure that our summer deadline is met.

“The submission of theses OBCs to the Treasury is a significant milestone in our journey to unlock the incredible economic potential of the City Deal for the citizens of Mid and East Antrim. I am pleased to confirm that, despite the ongoing pandemic, the project remains very much on track.”

Yesterday’s announcement was welcomed by Council’s City Deal Elected Members Working Group, which includes Cllr McKeen, Cllr Timothy Gaston, Ald Audrey Wales MBE, Ald Robin Cherry MBE, Cllr Billy Ashe MBE, Cllr Robin Stewart and Cllr Robert Logan.

The OBCs set out a range of important considerations alongside the wealth of anticipated benefits for each of the three projects proposed to receive funding through the City Deal:

• A £38 million investment to regenerate, reposition and rebrand the town of Carrickfergus – placing the town firmly on the map as an authentic tourism hub, part of the wider Belfast Story and the ‘must visit’ starting point to the internationally-recognised Causeway Coastal Route;

• A £12 million project to extend The Gobbins cliff and coastal path to Heddles Port, doubling its length to 1.5 miles, and deliver a new adventure experience, similar to models in Cheddar Gorge and the Lake District. It is anticipated that this will lead to increased overnight stays and out of state visitors and leverage additional investment into the overall visitor experience in Mid and East Antrim.
• Plans for a £26 million regeneration of the former St Patrick’s Barracks site in Ballymena, including the development of a ‘next generation’ science part at the site. The proposed ‘Integrated Industrial Inspiration and Innovation Campus’, i4c, will be developed specifically to meet the needs of local businesses and potential entrepreneurs in target sector such as manufacturing.

The Belfast Region City Deal sets out a vision to create 20,000 new and better-paid across the region’s growth sectors; pushing the ‘fast-forward’ button on inclusive economic growth and ensuring opportunities are accessible across all of our communities. It will also improve infrastructure, digital connectivity, visitor attractions and innovation hubs; and deliver a major skills and employability programme.

For more information about the Belfast Region City Deal, visit:

https://www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/business/economic-development/belfast-region-city-deal