A pedestrian bridge over the Marine Highway and the development of an arts and culture ‘hub’ form part of the Belfast Region City Deal proposals for Carrickfergus, a public meeting heard.

The proposals were outlined during a community consultation event on Wednesday, June 26 at Carrickfergus Town Hall.

The event was the first in a series of six meetings aimed at ensuring that the voices of local people are heard and considered in the planning stages.

The regeneration of Carrickfergus forms a key strand within the Belfast Region City Deal under the ‘Tourism and Regeneration’ pillar.

A bridge over the Marine Highway, linking the castle and the town centre would aim to act as a ‘gateway’ to the well-known Causeway Coast, those attending the meeting heard. Image courtesy of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

placeholder image — A bridge over the Marine Highway, linking the castle and the town centre would aim to act as a ‘gateway’ to the well-known Causeway Coast, those attending the meeting heard. Image courtesy of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

It is one of three flagship programmes in Mid and East Antrim that will collectively benefit from an investment of £80million, with projects also in development at The Gobbins and at the St Patrick’s site in Ballymena.

The £42.18million investment in Carrick aims to place the town on the map as an authentic, heritage-led, tourism hub, and a ‘must-visit’ starting point to the Causeway Coastal Route.

McAdam Design have been appointed to design and manage the works through to completion, with proposals currently being developed for the restoration, refurbishment and fitout of the castle, town walls, gasworks and radar tower; the provision of a new visitor centre and improvement works at Harbour Square, and the refurbishment of the town hall and civic centre as an arts ‘hub’ to create a music venue, outdoor events and exhibition space.

Also in development are plans for public realm works to North Street and Castle Square, including a lighting scheme, coastal paths/cycle routes, and signage, with refurbishment works around the railway station.

The courtyard between the town hall and civic centre could become an events space. Image courtesy of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

Family days out in Northern Ireland: 18 of the best spots to visit this summer

A bridge over the Marine Highway, linking the castle and the town centre would aim to act as a ‘gateway’ to the well-known Causeway Coast, those attending the meeting heard.

It was suggested the structure should be “minimal” to mitigate its visual impact on the castle, and be located to maximise accessibility without detracting from the historic building.

The new ‘built form’ should allow for areas to rest, relax and contemplate the historic surroundings whilst allowing town life to progress uninterrupted.

Meanwhile, the opportunity to create an arts and cultural ‘hub’ in the civic centre and town hall, utilising the courtyard between the two has was also outlined.

The proposals include refurbishing elements of the town hall to enhance facilities and creating multi-purpose, flexible performing arts spaces, as well a repurposing parts of the civic centre to accommodate the visual arts with craft outlets for painting, ceramics, screen printing and so on.

The courtyard could become an outdoor venue in the summer months for festivals, markets, or concerts, and could accommodate food and drink outlets to support events in the town hall auditorium.

The public consultation process on Carrick’s regeneration plans in ongoing, with the next workshop to take place on Wednesday, August 28 from 6pm – 8pm in Carrickfergus Town Hall.

The dates for the remaining workshops are as follows: Tuesday, October 22; Tuesday, December 10; Tuesday, March 25, 2025 and Tuesday, June 24, 2025.