Decision on proposal to demolish former Carrickfergus High Street bank building deferred
Mid and East Antrim councillors have agreed to defer a decision on the demolition of the former Danske Bank premises at High Street in Carrickfergus until later this month.
The location has been earmarked for a visitor centre as part of the £42m Carrickfergus City Deal regeneration after the building was purchased by the borough council.
The former High Street outlet closed in June of last year after customer transactions decreased by 40 per cent between 2017 and 2023. The building was on the market for £240,000.
The 5,521 sq ft three-storey property in the town centre has a double frontage onto High Street and Marine Highway with views over Belfast Lough.
A report presented to a meeting of the borough council’s Environment and Economy Committee last month indicated plans for the demolition of the former bank premises and construction of a replacement new-building.
It was proposed by Carrickfergus Castle Ulster Unionist Councillor Robin Stewart and seconded by Knockagh Alliance Cllr Aaron Skinner to defer a decision until the next meeting of the Environment and Economy Committee to be held later this month to enable the public consultation to be held as well as a meeting of Carrickfergus councillors.
A vote resulted in six councillors in favour with six against. There were four abstentions by councillors from the Ballymena area. The proposal was carried following a deciding vote by committee chair Ballymena Alliance Cllr Jack Gibson.
The Carrickfergus regeneration is one of three projects set to benefit from Belfast Region City Deal funding totalling £80m in Mid and East Antrim. The others are the delivery of phase two of development of The Gobbins visitor experience in Islandmagee and the creation of an i4C Innovation Centre in Ballymena.
The Carrick proposals were unveiled at a public consultation event in the town last month.
The design team says online that the visitor centre will “serve as both a flagship landmark and a welcoming gateway, guiding visitors to Carrickfergus Castle, town centre and seafront while celebrating the town’s rich heritage and culture”.
The vision for Carrickfergus Castle is to “transform it into a world-class attraction and a landmark gateway to the Causeway Coastal Route”.
Proposed works to Carrickfergus Town Hall are expected to include an arts centre and refurbishment of Jubilee Hall with reconfiguration of the adjacent civic centre and improvements to the adjacent courtyard area. Repairs to the town walls, gates and wider public realm works are also scheduled in the town centre and harbour areas.
In addition, there are plans for the celebrated schooner ‘The Result’ to be returned to Carrickfergus, subject to agreement.
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter