Bushmills expecting a bright new future

Conducted under the auspices of The Village Forum, this is the conclusion of a busy and detailed process which began in the autumn with a well-attended community meeting. On that occasion, many of the local area’s needs were initially identified. There then followed a series of carefully planned workshops involving local people, facilitated by Supporting Communities NI.

The result of this consultative process, which involved some eighteen organisations, was the identification of five key priorities:

1. To increase co-ordination between the Council, Agenices and the Local Community

2. To improve the village's environment, facilities and quality of life to make it a more attractive place to live, work in and visit

3. To promote wider understanding and enjoyment of the culture and heritage of the village

4. To improve access to services for children, young people and older people

5. To encourage greater economic investment, job creation and maximise tourism opportunities in the area.

Local residents and representatives at a community meeting to prepare the new Village Plan

Each of these priorities will be led forwards by separate implementation groups, to ensure that Bushmills actually benefits from the detail mentioned in the plan.

The concept from the beginning has centred on the theme: “Bushmills Together: working to make a difference.” Local councillors, clergy, planning services, community groups, charities, schools and organisations have all been involved in an unprecedented way in drawing up the needs of the community for the next three years. The Village Forum Chairman is Rev Canon George Graham, who commented: “We have always known that Bushmills is a town of enormous potential. We have been most encouraged by the way people have come together to suggest how things could be better for everyone in Bushmills – both resident and visitor alike. We have never had an opportunity such as this before and I very much hope that many people will now come along to this meeting to find out what has been achieved and to give their support.”

The River Bush at Bushmills

Bushmills has a rich and varied history. Originally known as Portcaman, from the 1600s it became an important centre for corn, flax, spade and whiskey production. The village itself is within a Conservation Area and contains many listed and notable period buildings, including the Old Grammar School which was designed by the famous Cornish architect, Clough Williams Ellis. It is hoped that the Village Plan will see much of this rich heritage preserved and new developments supported in the coming years

The launch of the Village Plan will be at 7pm in the Mill Rest Hostel, Main Street, Bushmills. Members of the public are welcome to attend.