Public realm scheme '˜a boost to town' - Mayor

Larne's £2.2million public realm scheme has made the town much more attractive according to Communities Minister Paul Givan.
Communities Minister Paul Givan MLA was in Larne to launch the public realm works. The £2.2million scheme includes new paving, lighting and street furniture. The Minister is pictured viewing the improvements at Broadway with Mayor, Cllr Audrey Wales MBE.Communities Minister Paul Givan MLA was in Larne to launch the public realm works. The £2.2million scheme includes new paving, lighting and street furniture. The Minister is pictured viewing the improvements at Broadway with Mayor, Cllr Audrey Wales MBE.
Communities Minister Paul Givan MLA was in Larne to launch the public realm works. The £2.2million scheme includes new paving, lighting and street furniture. The Minister is pictured viewing the improvements at Broadway with Mayor, Cllr Audrey Wales MBE.

He was in Larne today to celebrate completion of the scheme which was funded by the Department for Communities and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

The aim of the project was to implement a number of improvements to the town’s streetscape including new paving, the installation of new street lighting, furniture, railings and planting together with better drainage.

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Viewing the works at Broadway today, the Minister said: “Larne is in a unique position as part of the Causeway Coastal Route and this scheme provides great potential to develop tourism and increase visitor numbers to the town and surrounding area.

“Larne now has a more attractive and pedestrian-friendly environment which should encourage more people to visit and stay longer and which will hopefully result in both increased business and employment opportunities in the town’s retail and services sectors.”

Mr. Givan congratulated Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for its successful delivery of the scheme and also paid thanks to AECOM, the design and project management team and Earney Contracts who were appointed to carry out the construction works.

The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough, Councillor Audrey Wales MBE said: “I know the scheme will contribute positively to the many fresh opportunities to grow this part of Mid and East Antrim Borough, especially so as we move ahead with the development of our Community Plan and Economic Development and Tourism Strategies.

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“In practical terms the financial support provided by the Department for Communities to enable this important regeneration improvement project to be delivered has been very much appreciated.

“It is hoped that our combined investment in the public realm will continue to help unlock further private sector activity in Larne town centre, such as one entrepreneur who has already almost finished a project to develop a vacant site, providing a new commercial space in the town centre.”

The project received financial support totalling £2.19m with £1.99million funded from the Department for Communities and £0.2million from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.