Following the signing of the Heads of Terms on 24th April 2024, which set out the investment commitment for the Growth Deal to deliver on a suite of integrated and complementary catalyst projects in the areas of Tourism and Regeneration, Digital and Innovation and Infrastructure.
The following projects are being progressed to Outline Business Case:
Tourism & Regeneration Projects
Despite being the nearest settlement to the World Heritage Site at The Giant’s Causeway, the Carrick a Rede Rope Bridge, the Dark Hedges, Dunluce Castle and many of the other tourist ‘honey pots’ of North Antrim, Bushmills has, as yet failed to realise its potential as an economic driver for the region
However, taking advantage of the Growth Deal and using the Village Plan framework, it is anticipated that through investment in public realm and infrastructure improvements the project will improve the economic performance of Bushmills as an important gateway settlement in the Causeway visitor offer; and contribute to the economic performance of the Borough; especially in relation to jobs creation and increasing median wages and salaries.
As a result of the opportunity created for capital investment via the Growth Deal and the new bypass around the village, the Council has worked with the local community to identify the capital projects that would best fit with the Growth Deal objectives.
The proposed Dungiven Regeneration project involves two components:
An enterprise hub, and
Public realm improvements.
The Cushendall Innovation Centre involves the development of an extension to the main building. Extending the former police station will provide more scope for open spaces, larger offices, training suites as well as meeting and function rooms that will supplement the existing offer and make the hub more sustainable.
Through investment in this project, it is anticipated that there will be a re-generational impact on Cushendall and its hinterland with more local jobs, improved business collaboration, increased community engagement, an improved village-scape and environmentally less impactful lifestyles with fewer daily commutes.
A project to replace Coleraine Leisure Centre has been an agreed Council priority for many years. The aging facility is situated on Railway Road which is an area of the town suffering from significant deprivation.
The planning for the redevelopment of the Leisure Centre commenced in 2016, however, more recently, the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and the Council have agreed a Memorandum of Understanding to redefine the project from a pure leisure facility into a Leisure and Wellbeing Hub.
The objectives for the project include aspirations to:
address local market needs and demand for health promoting physical activity within Coleraine and its hinterland;
address social, economic, equality, health and deprivation challenges; and
create financially and environmentally sustainable facilities.
Infrastructure Projects
The Connected Causeway Traffic and Parking project proposes to enhance travel solutions, supported by real time parking information across the North Antrim Coast. The aim is to build an integrated transport system to service the significant tourism attractions of the area and so reduce congestion and enhance the visitor experience.
Through this project the Council aims to achieve a range of benefits for the economy, the environment and for local communities who, at peak season, can be negatively impacted by the inadequacy of the existing transport infrastructure. New miles of greenway will promote greater use of sustainable transport, active travel and public transport.
From Portrush to the Giants Causeway there are a number of important settlements for visitors to key attractions on the North Coast. The proposed greenway route will connect Portrush with Bushmills via Portballintrae, onto the Giant's Causeway. The settlements along the route are key holiday destinations for visitors from within these islands and worldwide with the population increasing fourfold during the peak holiday periods.
This is a key element in creating an integrated active travel network in the region which will help take traffic off the roads, reduce congestion, reduce carbon emissions, promote health through physical activity and attract new visitors to the region. In doing so, the aspiration is to realise all the associated economic benefits of green tourism.
Innovation Projects
Ulster University's Centre for Food and Drug Discovery will be a Northern Ireland-based consortium, leveraging existing research excellence to provide a single-site, preclinical hub for the biopharmaceutical and food industry delivering capability, capacity and expertise at all key stages of the discovery pipeline.
With expert scientists, strategic partners and state-of the-art equipment, the centre will enable industry, academia, healthcare providers and regulators to work collaboratively in order to address global health challenges and maximise technology opportunities within the food, drug discovery and medicine supply chain. Supporting the growth of this sector in the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough will release a unique economic opportunity.
There is a clear need for a bespoke business solution which can address the common challenges across the biopharma and food industries, enabling a more agile adoption of innovative processes that reduce risk, cut costs and save time, leading to a healthier society and an improved economy.
Consultation with key stakeholders across industry and academia indicate there is a general agreement that wet lab provision and food grade units are an important service gap in terms of innovation.
The Growth Deal has identified these national needs and is promoting the development of a Business Innovation and Incubation Hub (BIIH) that will help satisfy some of the unmet demand for wet lab provision and food incubation space across Northern Ireland.
By providing these facilities supported by tailored business mentoring and technical support through strategic partnerships at the Atlantic Link Enterprise Campus, the Business Innovation and Incubation project will help support business growth and job creation.
The Foodovation™ & Skills Centre, proposed by North West Regional College (NWRC) is a transformative project designed to drive skills development, innovation, and productivity, in the local food and drink sector. By refurbishing NWRC’s Limavady Campus into a 1,100m² hub equipped with specialist training spaces, food labs and technical support services, the Centre will address a well-evidenced gap in infrastructure and expertise for SMEs and microbusinesses.
The proposed Foodovation™ & Skills Centre will strategically focus on delivering dedicated technical support tailored to the specific training and development needs of local food and drink businesses. The Centre aims to support these businesses at every stage of their journey, from initial concept development through to successful product launch.
The Foodovation™ & Skills Centre will be a flagship investment in regional transformation, offering long-term benefits to the economy, workforce, and food and drink skills and innovation ecosystem.
