Business

Planning application for £50m Bangor development to be lodged later this year

A planning application for the long-awaited £50m redevelopment of Bangor quayside is due to be lodged later this year.
A planning application for the long-awaited £50m redevelopment of Bangor quayside is due to be lodged later this year. A planning application for the long-awaited £50m redevelopment of Bangor quayside is due to be lodged later this year.

A PLANNING application for the long-awaited £50 million regeneration of Bangor quayside is due to be lodged later this year.

Bangor Marine Ltd, the local consortium behind the latest proposed redevelopment of Queen's Parade, has confirmed a community consultation will launch on June 18 in advance of the submission of a full-planning application.

The 12-week consultation event will provide information on the proposal and offers an opportunity for members of the public, interest groups and business interests to share their views on the development, which the developer believes can be a key driver in the future economic success of the town.

The multi-million pound project, set to be funded by a mix of public and private sector money, was first mooted decades ago and the latest plans feature a 70-80 bed hotel, a cinema, as well as a mix of housing, office and retail space.

A new public realm scheme aimed at better connecting Queen's Parade with the seafront also forms part of the plans and features events space, a children's play area and a water feature, along with a 200-space car park.

Ahead of the consultation launch, Aran Blackbourne from Bangor Marine Ltd, said they are delighted to be moving forward with the plans, which will "completely transform, regenerate and restore the vibrancy of Bangor’s waterfront".

“This project offers an excellent mix of public space, retail, office, leisure and living space which will attract locals and tourists to the area and bring further investment into Ards and North Down area," he added.

The pre-application community consultation process will commence with two events on June 18 and 19 at the Project 24 Hub on Bangor’s seafront which open to everyone to attend. Further events are also scheduled for August 1 and 2.

Bangor Marine is a joint venture partnership between Co Antrim developer, Karl Group and Belfast building contractor, Farrans.

The partnership's involvement in the Bangor project comes just two years after Angelvale Consortium, made up of local organisations such as Beannchor, Clanmil and McLaughlin & Harvey contractors, was said to be spearheading the development.