One of Mr Wilson's last duties as planning department chief was to announce that Lafarge Cement UK had been granted outline permission for its mammoth Magheramorne Reinvented scheme.

A £100 million harbour eco-village consisting of 450 environmentally-friendly homes is the centrepiece and driving force behind the project which will also feature restaurants, retail units, a community centre, a hotel, a harbour-side tourist point with viewing tower, boating facilities and a chandlery, a heritage railway and visitor centre, an ecology/art park and film studios.

On a visit to the Magheramorne quarry site which Lafarge intends to transform, the DUP representative said: "This is an imaginative and unique opportunity for Northern Ireland that will reuse what has become a redundant quarry and replace it with a major tourist attraction.

"With strategic rail and road transport links readily available due to its close proximity to Larne, one of the gateways to Northern Ireland, this will provide a boost for the tourism industry across the Province."

It is envisaged that Magheramorne will become Ireland's first One Planet Living Community based on a number of principles including zero carbon, zero waste, sustainable transport, sustainable construction materials, local and sustainable food, sustainable water, natural habitats and wildlife, culture and heritage, equity and fair trade.

In addition, the plans include a world class cycling centre, an events area, a bird watching and interpretation centre, a diving centre, an industrial archaeology park, visitor accommodation and facilities and associated infrastructure.

Mr Wilson said: "Two hundred years of quarrying and cement production has taken its toll on the landscape and I am delighted that this scheme will remove what has become a major eyesore from one of our valued scenic routes and rejuvenate the area."

Friday's announcement - revealed exclusively in last week's Larne Times - is the first step in the planning process. Lafarge has been waiting for nearly three years for the decision which has not been completed in full, pending further examination of conditions to be attached. There will follow more detailed submissions for each of the components of the scheme.

Nevertheless, in commending the Kent-based company, Mr Wilson urged Lafarge project manager Lloyd McInally and land and planning director for David Simms: "All I can say is - bring the diggers in."

The MP also paid tribute to the many groups and individuals who had campaigned for over 20 years against the quarry being used as a superdump.