public view soon

Alderman Kennedy (right) commented: “The plan will provide a vision for a restored Ballymoney, with guidance on the location and form of development of our town over the next twenty years.

“Ballymoney town centre has the capacity to grow and diversify. We want to see the strong presence of independents, which make it distinctive, maintained and enhanced offering a unique shopping experience. The potential also exists to exploit the tourism market given its close proximity to the Causeway Coast and Glens of Antrim.

The enthusiasm which has been generated during the preparation of the draft plan is leading to growing optimism about the future of the town centre. I call on people to take the opportunity to come along to the venues where the draft plan will be displayed during the consultation, view the proposals and have their say.”

Public notice will be given in due course of the consultation period and venues.

The draft plan has emerged after extensive information gathering and analysis and workshop sessions with business and community representatives and key stakeholders when a number of different types of interventions and improvements which might be considered were identified. These included development opportunities for tourism, commercial and leisure; configuration of civic space and streetscape improvements; transport movements and interventions; town gateways, access and pedestrian connections within the town centre.

In the town centre there are a number of opportunity sites and gap sites, identified in the Northern Area Plan. The most appropriate form of development and timing of implementation of these will be promoted through the Masterplan, so that the physical environment is enhanced and the town centre economy is further strengthened.