Major step forward in regeneration of Bangor – Minister Hargey

Date published: 26 January 2021

Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Planning Committee gave their approval at a meeting this evening.

The proposed scheme, developed by Bangor Marine Ltd (a partnership between Karl Group and Farrans), will see extensive improvements to the run down area of Bangor including new homes, a hotel, public realm scheme, events space and cafes/restaurants.

Welcoming approval of the Queen’s Parade planning application, Minister Hargey said:

“This is yet another major step in the right direction towards seeing this long awaited development delivered for the people of Bangor. This exciting scheme will create jobs, shops, offices and homes, and regenerate an area of the town that has been run down for some time. This is a genuinely exciting time for Bangor especially as we look forward to more positive times when we can emerge from the covid pandemic. I want to thank Council and Bangor Marine Ltd for their efforts in progressing this significant application at a challenging time.

“I know this development is much anticipated by the local community and I too look forward to seeing the scheme go from concept to reality. With Queen’s Parade and the ongoing plans for the wider regeneration of the Bangor seafront area as part of the Belfast Region City Deal, there is much to look forward to for Bangor town centre in the future.”

The Queen’s Parade area of Bangor has been largely derelict for almost 20 years and its regeneration has been a priority for the Department for Communities, which owns most of the site. The site was offered for sale by way of a Development Brief. The Department, Ards and North Down Borough Council and Bangor Marine reached formal agreement on the terms that formed a Development Agreement in May 2019.

The Mayor of Ards and North Down, Trevor Cummings said: “The Planning Committee’s approval of this £50m development is an immense boost to Bangor, and the wider Ards and North Down area. Planning Officers worked closely with Bangor Marine and various consultees to redesign any potential obstacles in order that the application could be recommended to proceed. We are grateful to all those who contributed to the process, which was complex and rigorous.

He continued: “Having achieved this milestone we can look forward to seeing progress on the programme for work ‘on the ground’ and further engagement with local residents and businesses. The Queen’s Parade development, combined with the Council’s own plans to regenerate Bangor Waterfront, offer the potential for more than £110m of investment to come into the town delivering new attractions, accommodations and commercial opportunities. These really are game-changing times for Bangor and we are all impatient to see them come to fruition.”

Aran Blackbourne of Bangor Marine Ltd said: “This is hugely exciting. Getting planning approval moves us another step closer to our vision of bringing life back to Queen’s Parade and giving a much needed boost for the whole town. We would like to thank our professional team of Todd Architects, Park Hood, Atkins and Turley in working with us to secure planning permission.

“We want to create a place for local people and visitors to enjoy, a place to live, socialise and soak up the wonderful sea views. We want to play our part in creating a sustainable future for this beautiful town. There is still a lot of hard work ahead but we are ready for the next phase and we will keep people informed on plans and timescales as they unfold.”