NEWS

The derelict Crumlin Road Courthouse in Belfast Plans to transform Belfast’s historic Crumlin Road Courthouse into a Neurodiversity Campus have reached an important milestone after a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) was formally accepted by planners at Belfast City Hall. The PAN, submitted by BBE (NI) Ltd and considered on Monday 26 January, relates to the future redevelopment of the long-derelict courthouse on the Crumlin Road, a landmark building that has stood vacant a

Planning permission has been approved for the construction of a £3.5 million cancer support centre at Antrim Hospital, members of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust board have been told. Paddy Graffin, the Northern Trust’s Divisional Director of Infrastructure, informed members at a meeting held at Antrim Hospital on Thursday that permission has been granted by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council for the proposed new facility. The centre is being funded through a p

Robin Swann MP South Antrim MP Robin Swann has called on Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council to take a stronger and more ambitious lead in protecting the Common Swift, warning that continued habitat loss is contributing to a worrying decline in the species across Northern Ireland. The Common Swift, designated the borough’s official ‘Bird of the Borough’ in 2015, is a cavity-dwelling bird that depends on small gaps in older buildings for nesting. However, modern renovatio

The site of the approved housing development in Ballymena A planning application has been submitted seeking non-material amendments to a previously approved housing development at Crebilly Road in Ballymena. The proposal relates to a residential scheme that received planning approval from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council in June 2021 for the redevelopment of a 1.3 acre site at 115 Crebilly Road, opposite the Ballykeel 2 estate. The approved development consists of 16 famil

Proposed south elevation of new sports pavilion A planning application has been submitted for the development of a new two-storey indoor sports pavilion within the grounds school in Ballymena, marking a significant investment in modern sporting facilities for pupils and the wider community. The proposal, lodged for Ballymena Academy on Galgorm Road, seeks full planning permission for a purpose-built sports facility designed to replace existing temporary modular buildings curr

Plans reveal the new design proposal for Broughshane Community Centre; (inset) the current facility in the village. Fresh planning proposals have been submitted for the construction of a new community centre at Knockan Road in Broughshane, setting out detailed designs for a modern, energy-efficient facility intended to serve the village for generations to come. The plans include a new community hall, playgroup facility, sports changing areas, associated car parking and extens

Planning permission was refused for a change of use for a property at Waveney Road, Ballymena Planning permission for a proposed House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO) in Ballymena has been refused following a closely contested vote at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Planning Committee. The decision was taken at a meeting of the committee held on Thursday 15 January 2025, where elected members voted five against , four in favour of the application, and two left the room , o

Aerial views of the proposed new leisure centre in Ballymena Plans for a long-awaited £25 million leisure, health and wellbeing centre in Ballymena have been formally approved by councillors, marking a significant milestone in efforts to replace the town’s ageing Seven Towers Leisure Centre. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Planning Committee gave the green light on Thursday 15 January 2025 for the major development, which will be located on 1.7 hectares of land at the S

Plans for a new lakeside Eco Village near Portrush are offering a detailed look at a holiday development designed to sit naturally within a former quarry landscape while delivering sustainable accommodation and local jobs. Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has now received a full planning application from White Rock Eco Parks for a 45-unit Eco Village on a 4.72-hectare site at a disused quarry close to Ballybogey Road. The proposal includes self-contained holiday lod

Local UUP Councillor Brian Thompson with Rosie Orr and a number of other local residents launch Stop The Build Community Group as they deliver a strongly supported petition and letters of opposition to council’s planning director at Ardeevin, Ballymena. Opposition is continuing to grow against a proposed housing development close to the Braid River Walk in Ballymena, with residents from across the wider Tullygarley and Galgorm Road areas joining forces to protect what they de

Mid and East Antrim could ring in a new era for public telephones if a series of planning applications submitted to the borough council are given the go-ahead. Applications have been lodged by New World Payphones Limited for the installation of phone kiosks on public footpaths at: • 1A Glynn Road, Larne • 1A Victoria Road, Larne • 134A The Roddens in Larne • 70 Dunluskin Gardens, Carrickfergus • 1 Pattersons Row, Carrickfergus • 86 Cushendall Road, Ballymena • 12–14 Antrim Ro

Site location highlighted in red for proposed 57 apartment development in Galgorm, Ballymena A planning application has been lodged with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for 57 new apartments outside Ballymena. The application has been submitted by an agent on behalf of David McGroggan of Galgorm Homes Limited. The proposal seeks permission for 57 apartments with associated car parking on a vacant site opposite Galgorm Industrial Estate, located between the River Maine and

CGI image of proposed apartments at Galgorm Resort, Ballymena A planning application has been lodged with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for 32 new self-catering apartments at Galgorm Resort on Fenaghy Road, outside Ballymena. A planning statement submitted with the application indicates the proposed luxury apartments would form a four-storey development with a central communal entrance space. The scheme would include a variety of apartment types and shared facilities. E

The Food Warehouse store set to open in Ballymena Ballymena is set to welcome a major new retail arrival, with The Food Warehouse , part of the Iceland Food Group, preparing to open its newest Northern Ireland store in the town. The Ballymena outlet will be the fifth Food Warehouse location in Northern Ireland, joining existing stores in Newtownabbey, Belfast, Craigavon and Banbridge. Love Ballymena understands the store is expected to open its doors before the end of March 2

Aerial view of the Causeway Hospital site in Coleraine Plans to extend the car park at Causeway Hospital have been submitted to Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council. The application, which was recently lodged via the council’s planning portal, seeks permission to extend the existing car parking area in a bid to alleviate ongoing parking pressures at the site. The proposals also include associated access and circulation works, new lighting, landscaping, and provision for f

An appeal against the refusal of full planning permission by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for a proposed house in multiple occupation (HMO) at 14 Victoria Road, Larne, has been dismissed by the Planning Appeals Commission. Full planning permission had been sought to change the use of a six-bedroom dwelling to a ten-bedroom HMO. The appeal was submitted by Nadia Property Ltd, and a site visit took place on June 2. In the commissioner’s report, it was stated that “the ma

Former Ulsterbus parking site in Cushendall Plans for valet parking at a former Ulsterbus parking site in Cushendall have been submitted to Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council. The proposal seeks a change of use at the former parking site on Ballyemon Road in the village and has recently been lodged via the council’s planning portal. According to an accompanying Design and Access Statement, the proposal is linked to separate plans for alterations and an extension to th

Planning permission has been granted for the partial demolition of Castle Mall in Antrim and the development of new social housing on the site. The proposal, which will see the construction of 39 dwellings in the town centre, was approved at a meeting of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Planning Committee at Mossley Mill on Monday evening, December 8. The new development, to be delivered for Choice Housing, will comprise one detached house, 14 terrace homes and 24 ap

The vacant premises on Church Street in Ballymena town centre Plans have been lodged with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council that could see a vacant retail unit on Church Street, Ballymena, transformed into a combined coffee shop and amusement arcade. The application, submitted by Broad Enterprises Ltd of Belmont Crescent, Londonderry, seeks permission for a change of use at 41–43 Church Street from its current retail designation to a mixed café and entertainment venue. Acco

Ballymena Showgrounds Mid and East Antrim Borough Council planners are considering a planning application for a new 3G football pitch and spectator stand at Ballymena Showgrounds. The application has been submitted by an agent on behalf of the council for proposed works at the home of Ballymena United Football Club. The proposal includes the installation of a full-size 3G pitch to replace the existing grass pitch, along with a new 200-seat spectator stand and floodlighting. A