Planning Application Submitted
- Eco-friendly and Much More
8-9-06

On 9 May, Peter Hain, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, launched the Sustainable Development Strategy for Northern Ireland. There may not at the time have been too much coverage of this by the media, but the strategy is set to have a major influence over the form of new development and the way we live our lives. The message is clear: we all need to be much more eco-friendly.

By happy coincidence, 9 May was also the day that we submitted our outline planning application for the regeneration of our old Magheramorne Works & Quarry site. This followed overwhelming support for our proposals that were displayed at a series of public exhibitions held last autumn at Magheramorne, on Islandmagee and in Larne, and which were accompanied by much television, radio and newspaper coverage.

A key feature of our proposals is a new harbour village which will be at the forefront of ‘green’ living in the whole of Ireland and, quite possibly, the UK. It will be a living example of that which the new Sustainable Development Strategy is seeking to achieve.

But our proposals for Magheramorne are about much more than just sustainable development in action. The proposed World Cycling Centre, the All-Ireland Diving Centre, the international film and television studios and the heritage railway continue to feature strongly in our proposals. The result is an attraction that will be a major economic driver both locally and regionally. Very conservatively, we estimate that at least 350 new jobs will be created on site. As we say in the Planning Statement that accompanies our application, Magheramorne is East Antrim’s equivalent to the Titanic Quarter, to Lisburn’s Maze and to Derry’s Fort George.

Also continuing to feature prominently in the proposals is our commitment to enhancing the ecology of the site and to do so in a way that members of the public can enjoy. There will be bird hides, a field centre, floating islands for nesting birds and new rock pools. As part of preparing the Environmental Statement that also accompanies our planning application, more than 60 person days were spent on site by our ecologists surveying the flora and fauna.

Our planning application is currently being considered by Planning Service. Copies of the application are available for inspection at the Council Offices in Larne and at the offices of Planning Service in Ballymena. If you would like to write in formally with your comments to Planning Service, details of how to do so are given in the Contact Us section of this website.

Below: Computer-generated image of the regeneration proposals, viewed from above the quarry.
The proposed World Cycle Centre is in the foreground. The downhill courses, which will be only a metre or so wide, have been exaggerated so that they are more visible. The Harbour Village can be seen beyond on the old Works site.