Mid and East Antrim councillors say barracks land ‘should not be held’ for council office use

The St Patrick’s Barracks Regeneration Site, Ballymena

Mid and East Antrim councillors have agreed to write to a Stormont department stating that land at the St Patrick’s Barracks regeneration site in Ballymena “should not be held for council purposes”.

Councillors were given an update behind closed doors in July regarding a potential location for proposed new civic offices.

Minutes of the meeting record:

“Approval was sought to write to the Department for Communities advising that the land should not be held for council purposes.”

The recommendation was proposed by Larne Lough Ulster Unionist Councillor Roy Beggs and seconded by Ballymena Independent Councillor Lawrie Philpott.

Acting director of development, Jonathan McGrandle, also agreed to investigate whether there would be any “ramifications of costs to council from no longer requiring the land”.

The council has been considering the possibility of constructing new civic offices at the regeneration site, despite facing financial pressure from a £7.2m shortfall. The council’s current headquarters are based at The Braid in Ballymena town centre.

Last year, the local authority tendered for an architect-led design team “to develop options to assist in determining the preferred scale and location for grade A office accommodation in Ballymena”.

That assessment was to examine three possible sites – the former Woolworths store on Bridge Street opposite The Braid, Bridge Street Car Park, and the St Patrick’s Barracks site on Demesne Avenue. The Ballymena branch of Woolworths closed in 2008.

It is understood the feasibility study would look at the potential for consolidating staff from various offices across Ballymena into a centralised town centre location, as part of the council’s wider estate management review.

In October 2023, the council said it was “developing proposals” for three new buildings at the former St Patrick’s Barracks site – the i4C Innovation and Cleantech Centre, a leisure, health and well-being centre, and an office building.

The former army barracks was closed by the Ministry of Defence in 2007 before being transferred to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has been asked for comment.