Smiley Buildings: Mid and East Antrim Council approves sale of headquarters in Larne

The council has decided to put one of Larne’s key civic buildings on the market during an asset review after being reminded of the “severity of the current financial situation”.

Recently, interim chief executive Valerie Watts confirmed a £7.2m shortfall in the council’s finances and a “strained financial position”.

The council agreed behind closed doors at last month’s meeting to sell Smiley Buildings at Victoria Road, Larne and re-locate some staff to Sir Thomas Dixon Buildings opposite and the Registrar’s Office and reception services to the Market House at Larne Market Yard.

The General Registrar’s Office and reception at Ardeevin, Ballymena, will move to council headquarters at The Braid. Bannside TUV Councillor Timothy Gaston proposed accepting the officer’s recommendation to approve placing Smiley Buildings on the market, seconded by Larne Lough Alliance Alderman Robert Logan.

In a recorded vote, 36 councillors voted in favour of proceeding with the sale proposal with Ulster Unionist Cllrs Roy Beggs, Larne Lough and Maureen Morrow, Coast Road, voting against.

Cllr Beggs said after the meeting: “Council does have to rationalise its buildings to reduce energy costs. Since amalgamation in 2015, council has failed to rationalise its assets and much of its operations, so it has been carrying excess capacity, so I can understand why it needs to downsize.

“However, I am concerned that there is no long term plan for providing services in Larne. I want a long term plan that would provide a reasonable proportion of administrative jobs in Larne.

“I am also concerned about increasing centralisation and more and more drawn to Ballymena and because of the absence of long term thinking, I voted against.”

Cllr Beggs went on to say that he also expressed concern about branding over “getting married in the market yard”.

Larne Market Yard, which was refurbished at a cost of £1.4m, was a venue for the distribution of vaccinations by GP practices during the Covid pandemic. Previously, Smiley Buildings was a convalescent hospital.

A council spokesperson said: “Smiley Buildings is operating as normal and all business is continuing as usual. There is no further update at this stage regarding any future changes.”

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter