Council told 'some property in Carrickfergus has been derelict for 40 years' as new town centre vacancy-tackling grant proposed

The local authority is considering the development of a “re-occupancy” grant which it says will “form part of a wider strategy to address persistent vacancy and dereliction in town centres”.

A report presented to the borough council’s Environment and Economy Committee at a meeting in The Braid, Ballymena, on Monday evening, said: “The proposed scheme aims to support property owners in bringing vacant or under-utilised buildings back into productive use contributing to the revitalisation of town centres.”

Speaking at the meeting, Carrick Castle Alderman Billy Ashe MBE said: “What I see here are grants that are being taken up by owners of property to get themselves new tenants. It does not address the long-term.”

Ald Ashe pointed out that some property in Carrickfergus has been derelict for 40 years. He went on to say the issues have “never really been addressed” and that there does not seem to be consequences for owners of property “lying idle for long periods”.

“In Carrickfergus, we have not seen any action taken. Properties are just getting worse and worse. We need something to address that issue. I think as a council we need to make that a priority,” he stressed.

Knockagh Alliance Councillor Aaron Skinner stated:”It sticks in my throat to reward absentee landlords who have allowed our town to die.”

Cllr Skinner asked if a scheme could be considered in which council or a new “arms-length” body could take ownership of these buildings, fix them up with “financial gain” being used for further regeneration.

Public Money

“Can we look at something if we are spending public money that we take ownership of them, turning them back into public use?” he asked.

Larne Lough Ulster Unionist Cllr Roy Beggs warned against what he described as “a sticking plaster approach”. “What has to happen is for owners of these properties to do something about them,” he stated.

A quarter of properties in Larne town centre are vacant, according to an audit carried out by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council in 2023. Of these, 12 buildings are either vacant or derelict and deemed unfit for occupancy with Dunluce Street and Point Street the worst affected.

In Carrickfergus, this figure was 18 per cent with 13 derelict commercial units. West Street, North Street and Irish Quarter West were considered to be areas with “significant dereliction”.

In Ballymena, there were nine derelict properties in the town centre. Wellington Street was found to have “significant dereliction”.

In Larne town centre, it was noted there has been an increase in vacancy and dereliction from 22 per cent in 2020 to 26 per cent in 2023. Dunluce Street, a main thoroughfare, had to be closed to traffic for 18 months as a safety precaution due to the condition of a derelict building.

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Mid and East Antrim Borough Council took legal action over the building resulting in a court order being served on a property owner to undertake repairs before a council contractor carried out the work.

The council is now preparing to carry out a ‘Spruce Dunluce’ initiative to “cosmetically improve” the street through facade cleaning and painting, hoarding installation with artwork, planting and seating.

Meanwhile, phase two of a shop front grant scheme, which was extended to Greenisland, saw the sum of £240k awarded to 77 businesses. The first phase saw 78 businesses receive almost £251k.

Both were funded by Department for Communities. Funding of £315k was approved for the second phase which included architectural design support for applicants requiring planning permission and a town centre marketing campaign.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter