Latest news with #NorthDownBoroughCouncil
Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Highly anticipated £70m Bangor project set to finally begin this month after decades of delay
Queen's Parade has lain largely derelict for decades, despite plans for a major redevelopment scheme, and been described as an "eyesore". Talk of regenerating the deteriorating seafront, which was once the hub of the seaside city, has been going on for nearly 30 years, with the last delay caused by concerns over flooding. A seemingly endless series of problems had left both politicians and the public questioning if the work would ever happen. The project will include new homes, a hotel, offices, a market plaza, retail, cafes and restaurants. Making the announcement, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said: 'I am delighted to announce that work on the much-awaited Queen's Parade development scheme is set to commence later this month. 'I wish to put on record my thanks to all the officials in my department whose hard work and commitment have made it possible for this important project to begin. 'After years of expectation, this scheme will be transformational for Bangor. 'When combined with the substantial £72.8m investment in Bangor's Waterfront through the Belfast Region City Deal, this is the start of a bright future for the city. I look forward to seeing the positive impact these projects will have for years to come.' He thanked the local council for their support. 'Projects of this nature are extremely complex, and I would like to convey my appreciation to all of our partners including Ards and North Down Borough Council, in particular the Mayor, Councillor Alistair Cathcart, colleagues in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Bangor Marine and the people of Bangor for their tireless support. This is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved.' The Mayor of Ards and North Down Borough Council, Alistair Cathcart, said he is eager to see the work beginning. 'As Mayor and as a Bangorian, I am very pleased that we have now cleared the final legal complexities to enable work to start on Marine Gardens in June. This is an important and positive milestone to recognise, and I would add my thanks to all those involved in the negotiations for their hard work and dedication to the process,' he said. 'However, like many Bangor residents I will only be fully satisfied when there are 'diggers on site'. The Bangor Marine contractors need some time to mobilise now that all agreements are in place, but I will be pushing for that work to start as soon as possible. 'Bangor has been waiting for this for a long time and deserves both the investment and the regenerative potential that it will release for the city. I hope residents and business will be reassured by the Minister's update and engage positively with the scheme when work on site begins in the coming weeks.' Bangor Marine secured UK Government funding of £9.8m for the Marine Gardens public realm element of the Queen's Parade regeneration project, which will include a new play park, two pavilions, kiosks with food and beverage offerings, an events space, and associated landscaping. Bangor Marine aims to have construction completed on this part by July 2026. Aran Blackbourne of Bangor Marine Ltd said: 'We are delighted that all the legal documents are now agreed and we can now confidently move forward with the Queen's Parade redevelopment project with Oakland Holdings as our joint venture partner. 'We look forward to working with all parties to deliver this very exciting and important regeneration scheme for Bangor.' News Catch Up - Tuesday 3 June Alliance North Down MLAs also praised the announcement. Connie Egan said: 'This announcement from the Communities Minister is long-awaited news and is a positive step forward in boosting Bangor's potential to attract both economic and tourist opportunities.' 'We have witnessed continuous delays to this project, and Alliance, alongside many constituents, have continued to call for the prioritisation of this investment. 'Queen's Parade is one of Bangor's main streets overlooking the seafront. However, this area has been left to deteriorate for years and has become a huge eyesore, overshadowing the beautiful views of our shoreline. 'This is only the beginning of a lengthy process, and after years of false promises, the people of Bangor won't believe it until they see it. 'We now need to see the work started imminently so the redevelopment of Queen's Parade can begin as soon as possible.' Environment Minister Andrew Muir added: 'I'm pleased to hear that work on Queen's Parade is finally set to begin. However, this has come at the cost of continued disappointment among constituents who have witnessed numerous false starts on the project for decades. 'I am proud to have been born and bred in Bangor, but for years the city hasn't been able to reach its potential due to the continued delays to this project. 'There is a long road ahead to deliver a rejuvenated Queen's Parade, and in Alliance, we will continue to work hard to get the long-awaited redevelopment delivered. "This investment will not only enhance our seafront area but also positively impact tourism in Bangor and our local economy.'
Belfast Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Belfast Telegraph
Flagship £70m Bangor project set to finally begin this month after decades of delay
Queen's Parade has lain largely derelict for decades, despite plans for a major redevelopment scheme, and been described as an "eyesore". Talk of regenerating the deteriorating seafront, which was once the hub of the seaside city, has been going on for nearly 30 years, with the last delay caused by concerns over flooding. A seemingly endless series of problems had left both politicians and the public questioning if the work would ever happen. The project will include new homes, a hotel, offices, a market plaza, retail, cafes and restaurants. Making the announcement, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said: 'I am delighted to announce that work on the much-awaited Queen's Parade development scheme is set to commence later this month. 'I wish to put on record my thanks to all the officials in my department whose hard work and commitment have made it possible for this important project to begin. 'After years of expectation, this scheme will be transformational for Bangor. 'When combined with the substantial £72.8m investment in Bangor's Waterfront through the Belfast Region City Deal, this is the start of a bright future for the city. I look forward to seeing the positive impact these projects will have for years to come.' He thanked the local council for their support. 'Projects of this nature are extremely complex, and I would like to convey my appreciation to all of our partners including Ards and North Down Borough Council, in particular the Mayor, Councillor Alistair Cathcart, colleagues in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Bangor Marine and the people of Bangor for their tireless support. This is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved.' The Mayor of Ards and North Down Borough Council, Alistair Cathcart, said he is eager to see the work beginning. 'As Mayor and as a Bangorian, I am very pleased that we have now cleared the final legal complexities to enable work to start on Marine Gardens in June. This is an important and positive milestone to recognise, and I would add my thanks to all those involved in the negotiations for their hard work and dedication to the process,' he said. 'However, like many Bangor residents I will only be fully satisfied when there are 'diggers on site'. The Bangor Marine contractors need some time to mobilise now that all agreements are in place, but I will be pushing for that work to start as soon as possible. 'Bangor has been waiting for this for a long time and deserves both the investment and the regenerative potential that it will release for the city. I hope residents and business will be reassured by the Minister's update and engage positively with the scheme when work on site begins in the coming weeks.' Bangor Marine secured UK Government funding of £9.8m for the Marine Gardens public realm element of the Queen's Parade regeneration project, which will include a new play park, two pavilions, kiosks with food and beverage offerings, an events space, and associated landscaping. Bangor Marine aims to have construction completed on this part by July 2026. Aran Blackbourne of Bangor Marine Ltd said: 'We are delighted that all the legal documents are now agreed and we can now confidently move forward with the Queen's Parade redevelopment project with Oakland Holdings as our joint venture partner. 'We look forward to working with all parties to deliver this very exciting and important regeneration scheme for Bangor.' News Catch Up - Tuesday 3 June Alliance North Down MLAs also praised the announcement. Connie Egan said: 'This announcement from the Communities Minister is long-awaited news and is a positive step forward in boosting Bangor's potential to attract both economic and tourist opportunities.' 'We have witnessed continuous delays to this project, and Alliance, alongside many constituents, have continued to call for the prioritisation of this investment. 'Queen's Parade is one of Bangor's main streets overlooking the seafront. However, this area has been left to deteriorate for years and has become a huge eyesore, overshadowing the beautiful views of our shoreline. 'This is only the beginning of a lengthy process, and after years of false promises, the people of Bangor won't believe it until they see it. 'We now need to see the work started imminently so the redevelopment of Queen's Parade can begin as soon as possible.' Environment Minister Andrew Muir added: 'I'm pleased to hear that work on Queen's Parade is finally set to begin. However, this has come at the cost of continued disappointment among constituents who have witnessed numerous false starts on the project for decades. 'I am proud to have been born and bred in Bangor, but for years the city hasn't been able to reach its potential due to the continued delays to this project. 'There is a long road ahead to deliver a rejuvenated Queen's Parade, and in Alliance, we will continue to work hard to get the long-awaited redevelopment delivered. "This investment will not only enhance our seafront area but also positively impact tourism in Bangor and our local economy.'
Belfast Telegraph
4 days ago
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Donald Trump style culture-war debate erupts during NI council meeting amid ‘trojan horse' concerns
A Donald Trump style culture-war debate erupted over the word 'gender' during a discussion about proposed equality and disability programmes within an NI council district. Ards and North Down Borough Council voted to amend its proposed equality and disability action plans after the DUP lambasted strategies which act as a 'trojan horse' and display 'divisive virtue signalling'. Alderman Stephen McIlveen successfully proposed an amendment getting rid of the use of 'gender' as an affected group in the official document which is ready to go out for consultation as well as removing a whole section on promoting inclusive workplaces. 'I am aware these strategies end up as trojan horses. They drift into political or ideological territory, pushing agendas that don't reflect the views of the community,' he said. 'It is our job as a council to deliver services fairly, for everyone, but we shouldn't get tied up in language policing or box ticking exercises that cost money and create division. The public wants to see us delivering services, not getting caught up in divisive virtue signalling. 'We already have to consider equality in every policy, in every decision, and we do. There is no suggestion we are not meeting our responsibilities, and I see no point in adding yet another layer of policy for the sake of appearances.' The council also removed a stipulation that it would remove 'display assets not in keeping with promoting a good and harmonious work environment' following a fractious debate at the local authority's full monthly meeting at Bangor Castle last week. The fallout echoed something of the culture wars prevalent in the United States, with the Alliance Party accusing the DUP of 'politicising' equality drives and condemning the use of the acronym 'DEI' being used in the debate. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion refers to organizational frameworks that seek to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all people in the US – the policy has been singled out by Donald Trump, the MAGA movement and the modern Republican party for particular ire. Mr McIlveen proposed an amendment to the draft Equality and Disability Action Plans 2025-29. 'I propose that we accept the Equality and Disability Action Plans, except in relation to the Section 75 Category Affected column, to remove the word 'gender,' and use wording reflective of what is contained in the legislation. (I propose we) remove Section 6.2 in totality, and remove the wording 'All public access areas and employee workplace areas are free from display assets not in keeping with promoting a good and harmonious work environment' from Section 6.4,' he said. Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act aims to change the practices of government and public authorities so that equality of opportunity and good relations are central to policy making and service delivery. The alderman's successful amendment withdrew the word 'gender' from all of the groups affected by each council commitment listed in the document. Section 6.2, now withdrawn, referred to 'promoting an inclusive workplace' and vowed to 'increase efforts to identify and amplify diverse voices and representation within the council to ensure inclusivity and visibility for all members'. It also aimed for staff to 'attend and actively participate in LGSC's Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Ambassadors training and events' and 'conduct an anonymous survey to assess employee values and priorities regarding Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, providing insights to enhance workplace culture.' Section 6.4 of the document refers to 'circulation and workplace areas to be shared spaces for all users'. The removal of the commitment to take away 'display assets not in keeping with promoting a good and harmonious work environment' partly refers to concerns about potential bids to remove the image of King Charles from the council's new premises. 'I fully support treating everyone fairly and with respect, and I say this as someone who has worked in human rights practice in this country and overseas, as well as having served as the Equalities Commissioner for two terms,' Mr McIlveen said. 'Equality of opportunity is hugely important to me, however I have real concerns with the suggestion in this document that we are essentially agreeing in principle for this council to adopt an equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, something that has been afforded no debate in this chamber. 'While other parties seem content to press ahead with this, I and my party are not. We already have strong equality laws in NI, I believe they merit some improvement in some areas, but we also have Section 45 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, that puts a legal duty on public bodies like this council to promote equality of opportunity and good relations. 'So the law is clear. The requirement to have such a strategy isn't anywhere in legislation, this is something being pushed by the Staff Commission, not by anyone else I am aware of.' Mr McIlveen continued: 'I would also point out the Section 75 obligations relate to sex, not gender. The use of the word 'gender' in the document is ambiguous, and open to misinterpretation. Section 75 is very clear, as it refers to men and women, in Subsection 1B. 'Similarly I will not be supporting any aim that neutralises the identity of this borough and its people. We have a council that quite rightly granted the Freedom of the Borough to organisations who have served and defended Northern Ireland, and we display the gifts that have been provided to us. 'We proudly wave our Union Flag. Our council chambers have the picture of our monarch. I will not be supporting the creation of a policy that may undermine this council celebrating this council's history, culture and identity.' Alliance Alderman Martin McRandal said: 'On the first point around gender, and the terminology that is used within the legislation, if that is so, I would have no issue in correcting that to reflect the legislation. 'The second point I do have an issue with. The council is required to comply with equality legislation. This draft document has been prepared by officers with the aim of enabling us to meet our duties under equality legislation. We don't get to pick and choose on that. 'So it is highly inappropriate to politicise the content of the action plan. We agree on an action plan which reflects our duties on the legislation.' Alliance Councillor Hannah Irwin said: 'I think it is quite ironic to hear about how we should not be politicising policies like this, when that is exactly what the proposal before us sets out to do. Using language such as DEI, in the way in which it has been used, is probably just feeding into a political discourse we are seeing at the minute which isn't, I would imagine, the most healthy.' The proposal by the DUP passed after a recorded poll. There were 22 votes in favour, from the DUP, UUP, and Unionist Independents, and 14 votes against, from Alliance, the Greens, the SDLP, and one Independent.
Belfast Telegraph
15-05-2025
- Belfast Telegraph
Council issues warning to dog owners over ‘poisonous parsnip' at NI beauty spot
Ards and North Down Borough Council have warned dog owners to be vigilant after the discovery of 'poisonous parsnip'. Also known as Hemlock Water Dropwort, the toxic plant has been found washed up on the shores of Ballyholme Beach. It follows the death of a dog in Ballyholme this week, which the council has said has not been confirmed as being the result of 'poisonous parsnip'. The dog, a beagle named Betsy belonged to local woman Jill Marley, who has raised concerns over the condition of the beach. The council issued the warning about the toxic plant in a post on social media on Wednesday. 'We are aware of the recent death of a dog after ingesting an unknown toxin at Ballyholme,' said a council spokesperson. 'This has not been confirmed as being the result of Hemlock Water Dropwort/Poisonous Parsnip, and we would like to pass our condolences to Betsy's owner. 'As there are some naturally occurring algae, as well as seaweeds that regularly wash up on our beaches, that can be toxic to dogs, we would advise all owners to take care when walking. 'We encourage the public to be vigilant when walking on our beaches, particularly with young children and dogs. 'Please keep a watchful eye, making sure they don't eat anything they shouldn't. 'If you think your dog may have ingested 'poisonous parsnip' it is advised to seek veterinary advice as soon as possible,' they added. Betsy is believed to have ingested toxic seaweed which may have led to her death. Jill said she had avoided taking Betsy to Ballyholme beach in recent months due to the 'really bad stench'. But as a one-off, Jill decided to take Betsy and her mum's Labrador to the shore for a short while. 'The Labrador pulled me and got off the lead. So, I kind of just thought, 'I'll let them both off, let them have a run'. 'Betsy grabbed a bit of seaweed and she'd eaten it by the time I got a hold of her and put her back on the lead." Betsy fell ill overnight following her trip to the beach, and it wasn't until the following morning that Jill was able to reach an emergency vet. Despite showing signs of returning to health, Betsy would pass away with the vet later telling Jill that toxins may have damaged her internally. Betsy's passing came on the day of her daughter Emily's 11th birthday.
