Go ahead for rural centre at Maze prison site

The Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation and Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS), have signed an agreement about the centre.

RUAS chief executive Colin McDonald said they had ambitious plans for the venue. “This is a positive step because it means we now have a development agreement to bring forward development proposals,” he said.

“It means we can engage with bodies that have expressed an interest in coming to Balmoral. It is no longer just aspirational.

“We will now begin a consultation process before drawing up a masterplan for the whole of Balmoral Park.”

Mr McDonald pointed out that there have been a wide variety of events at the park in the last year. “It hasn’t just been the Balmoral show,” he explained. “We have had Truck Fest, showjumping championships, a Marie Curie fundraising event and the new Lisburn and Saintfield District Show.

“The events that took place at Balmoral Park this year have generated a lot of interest for future events. The RUAS are currently in talks with a number of organisers about a wide range of new events including sporting, agricultural, machinery and public exhibitions.”

Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation Chairman, Terence Brannigan, welcomed the move. “We’re delighted to have reached a point where we can formally cement our partnership with the RUAS,” he said. “We have developed a strong working relationship with the RUAS and we look forward to working together in the future. Their first annual show was a major success last year, we have committed to working together to ensure next year’s event is even better.”

This year saw the first Balmoral Show being held at the Maze following the move from the Kings Hall.

The show proved to be a great success and the RUAS will hope to build on that success in the years to come.

The Centre for Rural Excellence will be the first major development at the site.

There had been plans for a Peace and Reconciliation Centre at the site, which would have sat alongside the Centre for Rural Excellence.

However, following a dramatic u-turn by the First Minister Peter Robinson earlier this year, the plans for the scheme was shelved following a campaign by politicians and victims groups opposing the development.

Other plans for the vacant site originally included a national stadium. However, that too was also put on hold following opposition to the development.

Development at the site has since ground to a halt, however, there are hopes that the construction of the Centre of Rural Excellence will once again kick start the plans for the former prison site.