Larne gap site to be revitalised as pop-up park in £171K community initiative

Minister Lyons is pictured with Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Councillor Jackson Minford

A long-vacant site in Larne town centre is set for a green makeover as part of a £171,050 regeneration scheme announced by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons.

Led by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, with financial support from the Department for Communities, the initiative will see the former Cellars site on Main Street transformed into a temporary pop-up park and community garden.

The overgrown and unused space will be revitalised with landscaped green areas, a new footpath connecting Main Street to Point Street, vibrant street art, and community animation activities.

The council has secured a lease on the site for up to four years, pending any long-term development plans by the owner. A programme of stakeholder engagement will take place this summer to help shape the final design of the park, with contributions invited from local community groups and residents.

Construction is expected to begin in Autumn 2025, with completion projected for Spring 2026.

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said he was delighted to support the scheme:

“I am pleased that my department has been able to provide £154,000 of funding towards this project. This initiative will transform an area that is currently inaccessible, unused and unattractive, bringing it into use to provide a welcoming area for people to sit, socialise and interact.

“It will bring a pleasant green space into the heart of the Main Street. Our traders face many challenges, and I am happy to support schemes, such as this, which bring forward fresh ideas for encouraging people to visit and spend time in our town centres.”

The remaining £17,050 will be contributed by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, welcomed the plans, highlighting their alignment with wider regeneration goals:

“This exciting project aligns with the current Larne Town Centre Investment Plan by replacing a vacant overgrown site with a fresh-looking pop-up park, that everyone can enjoy.

“This is quite a large site which connects Main Street to Point Street and I’m looking forward to seeing the final design, as there are so many possibilities. This is one of many projects Council has planned for Larne over the next 12 to 18 months, aiming to regenerate the area, address the changing nature of our High Streets and tackle the issue of vacancy and dereliction.”

The scheme forms part of a broader strategy to reinvigorate Larne’s town centre, enhance public spaces and encourage increased footfall and community use.