Public land, private interests? Calls grow for Council to pause controversial Ballee sale

Legal and planning concerns surrounding the controversial sale of Ballee Playing Fields continue to escalate, as Raceview Karting owner Josh Mulholland renewed calls for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to pause the deal and conduct a transparent public review.

Despite being the only proposal offering clear and measurable community value, the Council rejected Raceview’s £1.1 million bid in June 2024 — just £50,000 less than the accepted offer.

Over a year later, no contract has been signed, no planning application submitted, and the site remains dormant.

New statement: ‘It’s time to speak up’

In a powerful statement issued today, Wednesday 16 July, Mr Mulholland said:

“It’s now been over a year since the decision to dispose of this important public asset — and to our understanding, no sale has been completed and no contracts have been signed. That means no jobs created, no economic benefit delivered, and no rates collected. The site remains dormant.

“We believe the Council has both the legal right and the public responsibility to step back and ask if this truly the best deal for the people of Mid and East Antrim.”

Raceview Karting owner Josh Mulholland

He continued:

“Raceview Karting Ltd has submitted a shovel-ready plan to transform the 10-acre site into a major family entertainment and leisure facility, which would create over 60 full time jobs including apprenticeships, 150,000–200,000 visitors to Ballymena per year, £4–6 million in projected annual local economic impact.

“This is a fully funded, long-term investment in Ballymena. It is open to the public, family-oriented, and delivers direct social and economic value to the Borough.”

Highlighting legal obligations, he added:

“The Council is not legally required to accept the highest offer. Under Section 96 of the Local Government Act (NI) 1972, it must seek the ‘best consideration reasonably obtainable’, which includes community, social and economic benefit, not just the price tag.

“The Department for Communities’ official guidance confirms that land doesn’t have to be sold to simply the highest bidder where public benefit is clear — such as job creation, health, education, or community use.”

Planning policy: Raceview’s proposal meets the mark

The Raceview plan directly aligns with the MEA Local Development Plan 2030, which sets out key criteria for development:

• Policy OS1 – Protection of Open Space: prohibits development unless replaced with community recreational benefit

• Policy EC1 – Economic Development: supports sustainable leisure and tourism projects

• Policy QD1 – Quality Development: prioritises proposals that provide positive local impact and community alignment

Mr Mulholland stated:

“We are not asking the Council to break from its strategy, we are asking it to stick to it.

“The Local Development Plan 2030 - Policy OS1 – Open space must be protected or replaced with community recreational benefit, so by the Council’s own policy the site can’t be developed for anything but recreational or leisure.

“We are the only proposal — public or private — that provides a clear, viable plan for enhancing open space through accessible recreation.”

Questions raised around Council decision-making process

A record of the vote taken at a behind-closed-doors meeting of Council in June 2024, where one council party group is understood to have strongly advocated for the sale to a private developer.

Amid the growing controversy, questions are increasingly being raised by members of the public and community figures about what influenced the Council’s decision to reject Raceview Karting’s detailed leisure-led proposal in favour of a marginally higher commercial bid.

While the vote was recorded and conducted in line with Council procedures, many residents have expressed concern over whether sufficient weight was given to the wider social and economic benefits outlined in Raceview’s plan.

Others have queried the level of scrutiny applied to the winning bid, which has yet to present any published plans, business case, or timeline.

One Ballymena resident remarked online, “How can they not see the wider benefits this would bring to the whole area?”

Another added, “This is public land. The community deserves to know who benefits and why.”

Although there is no suggestion of impropriety, calls for transparency and accountability continue to grow, with several voices now urging the Council to publicly explain the rationale behind its final selection criteria.

Law also supports public value over price

Under Section 96(5) of the Local Government Act (NI) 1972, councils are required to obtain the “best consideration reasonably obtainable” — which includes social, economic, and community value, not just monetary value.

Raceview’s bid includes:

• Over 60 full-time jobs

• Apprenticeships and training placements

• 150,000–200,000 visitors annually

• £4–6M annual economic uplift

• Solar-powered infrastructure

• A multi-use indoor/outdoor family complex

The comparison is stark:

No progress on preferred bidder’s proposal

Raceview also challenged recent comments by councillors who voted for the higher bid. Responding directly, Mr Mulholland said:

“We welcome Alderman McCaughey’s view that ‘best value for the ratepayer must always be a consideration.’ We agree. But with no sale completed in over a year, the public has so far seen no value.

“We also have to remind Alderman McCaughey that our plan delivers long term community benefit that doesn’t seem to have factored in his decision making.”

He also addressed comments by Cllr Lawrie Philpott:

“We note Councillor Philpott’s comment that community access was key to the Council’s choice. But to date, no public plans, business case, or planning application have been submitted by the preferred bidder.”

Recent Council response

In response to growing public dissent over the sale, a spokesperson for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council most recently (July 4, 2025) told Love Ballymena:

“Part of the former Ballee Playing Fields was offered for sale on the open market. Following the evaluation of offers received, Councillors agreed to the sale to a property development company bidder.

“The purchasers are fully aware that part of the land must only be used, or developed for, community, sporting, or recreational use.

“The land is being sold without planning permission and to date, no application for planning has been registered.”

While the Council emphasised that community use is a requirement, critics argue that no tangible evidence has yet been provided to confirm how or when this will be delivered — and the absence of a planning application more than a year on continues to raise concerns among residents and stakeholders.

Questions also are being asked over any future commercial use of the site in light of Council’s Local Development Plan 2030, which limits, or possibly even denies commercial development, protecting public open spaces.

A vision for regeneration

Raceview Karting’s full proposal includes:

• Large outdoor electric kart track

• Indoor kart and children’s track

• Ten-pin bowling lanes

• Soft play and outdoor play park

• Padel ball courts

• Outdoor mini-golf

• Arcade and events space

• A full-size 4G football pitch

• Family restaurant

• Solar panel array with energy storage

All of this, Mr Mulholland noted, is “shovel-ready and fully funded.”

Public reaction: “This is what the town needs”

The community backlash has been strong and consistent across social media:

“That’s a disgrace actually… please don’t give up on this!”

“That’s the kind of ambition this town has been crying out for.”

“Shame on every single one of those councillors who decided to go for the highest bidder.”

“Why would the Council not… fully support this for the town? Madness.”

“What a wrong decision. We need to all get behind plans like yours.”

TUV MLA: Decision based on money, not value

TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston previously told Love Ballymena:

“Regrettably the bid accepted by the majority of Councillors was based on the monetary value and not the community value the minority of us were after.

I’m disappointed no assurances were sought upfront from the winning bid.”

Final word: “It’s time to use the powers council already has”

Mr Mulholland concluded his statement today with a direct call to action:

“We have remained respectful and patient throughout this process. But it is time to speak up.

“This is public land, and what happens next will affect jobs, families, and local regeneration for years to come.

“We are asking the Council to use the powers it already has — to pause, reconsider, and ensure that the final decision reflects the greatest benefit to the people of Mid and East Antrim.”