Public asks Mid & East Antrim Council where Larne’s asset sale money is being spent

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has faced questions over how money raised from asset sales in Larne is being spent locally.

The issue was raised at a full council meeting in The Braid, Ballymena, last week, where councillors addressed 15 questions submitted by members of the public.

One query, from William McNeill, asked:

“How much of the money from the sale of the former council offices in Larne is going on projects in the Larne area and not directly to other constituencies of the borough?”

The former civic headquarters at Victoria Road, known as Smiley Buildings, was recently sold after being placed on the market for £350,000.

Councillors had agreed to the sale during an asset review, following warnings about the “severity” of the council’s financial position. At the time, the local authority was facing a budget shortfall of £7.2 million.

As part of efforts to address its “strained financial position”, the council has been selling several assets.

These included three rural sites in the Larne area: at Old Glenarm Road, Brustin Brae Road/Ballytober Road, and Brustin Brae Road/Old Glenarm Road. The latter, the largest, extended to 72 acres. In total, 115 acres of “prime agricultural land” were placed on the market for £1,125,000.

In response to Mr McNeill’s question, the council stated that any income from the sale of council-owned land or property “must be used for capital purposes”.

A spokesperson said:

*“Council is currently progressing a number of capital projects that will benefit Larne ratepayers. Carnfunnock at an overall cost of circa £8.9m with a cost to council of circa £2.2m, Larne Cemetery at a cost of circa £2.8m.

“Recently, there has been work completed on a new play park at Bardic Drive at a cost of circa £180k; an upgrade to Larne Town Park MUGA (multi-use games area), at a cost of circa £226k; and provision of a skate park at Larne Town Park, at a cost of circa £220k.”

In June, a newly refurbished play park reopened at Bardic Drive in Larne’s Antiville estate. It was rededicated in memory of eight-year-old Scarlett Rossborough, who tragically died in a single-vehicle collision in Carrickfergus town centre in August 2023.

The Bardic Drive playground had originally been among a number of facilities earmarked for closure by the council due to maintenance costs.