'A jewel in the crown of our local heritage': Planning application submitted for £14m boutique hotel project at Northern Ireland castle
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has received a full planning application for the restoration of Galgorm Castle for hotel use as part of a £14m investment.
The planned development of the estate outside Ballymena will include restoration of stables and courtyard for hotel use, extension to outer courtyard building and change of use of business units to hotel use and new support building,
It will also include restoration of walled garden and castle pond, including construction of new restaurant; restoration of church for exhibition/60 seat performance space, restoration and extension of ploughman’s house for exhibition/ 120 seat performance space with external spectator space; and associated access, parking and landscaping.
The application has been submitted by an agent on behalf of former North Antrim MP Ian Paisley, who is chair of the trustees of Galgorm Castle Education and Preservation Ltd, which is custodian of Galgorm Castle.
A planning statement submitted with the application said Galgorm Castle was constructed in the early seventeenth century within the outline of an earlier bawn. It noted although the castle “retains much of its seventeenth-century form”, it was “comprehensively renovated in the nineteenth century”.
“In the 1830s, the building was overhauled by its then owner, the Earl of Mount Cashell, and it was further altered by the Young family after being purchased by William Young c1850,” the report said. “The house has remained in the ownership of descendants of the Youngs until the present day.
“It has always primarily been in residential use, although it now sits predominantly vacant”, the report explained.
It noted the courtyard buildings were converted into business units at the end of the 1980s and there are further commercial units on the wider site as well as a garden centre. Access to the location is from Galgorm Road.
Parking provision and landscaping to integrate with the arts. wider estate lands and its network of trails is included.
The statement says: “Galgorm Education and Preservation Ltd exist to save Galgorm Castle and Estate – its buildings, landscapes and socio-cultural memory for the benefit of the community and public in a sustainable manner.
“After essential conservation to the castle’s external fabric, the building will be leased to the Galgorm Collection to convert and operate as a boutique hotel.
“The proposed development represents the sustainable long-term use of the site in contrast to recent temporary approvals at the castle site. The development is compatible with surrounding uses, its associated infrastructure and landscaping are high quality, and it does not have unacceptable adverse effects on natural or built heritage.”
It stated that designs are “appropriate to the site and the host buildings, uses are compatible with the host buildings and will secure their upkeep and survival”.
“The proposed developments represent long-term sustainable uses for the listed buildings, including the castle, stables and Ploughman’s House which are vacant and in need of investment and repair.
“The proposed development will bring the grouping of castle buildings back into a single use, whilst the owners of the Galgorm Castle Estate will work with existing tenants in relation to their relocation.
“The significant investment (expected to be £14m approximately) proposed in the site is evidently of exceptional benefit to the regional tourism industry. The significant and unique historical importance of the site, located beside the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Gracehill, is such that the development will be a destination for local, national and international tourists.
“The proposal will deliver a wide range of sustainable benefits to the locality economically, socially and environmentally. The proposal will deliver employment, rates, visitor spend, support for local businesses and suppliers. In relation to employment, at both delivery and post-delivery stages, there is an intention to offer 20 apprenticeships in skills such as traditional joinery and stone masonry.
“The hotel development will also facilitate the delivery of the community exhibition and performance spaces which will contribute positively to community life in the area.”
Commenting online, Mr Paisley said: “Our vision is to move beyond piecemeal development and address the estate’s decline through a single, holistic and genuinely transformative plan; one that respects Galgorm’s built fabric, honours its intangible heritage, and recognises the special place it holds in the heart of the community.
“We believe the proposal achieves an exciting and carefully considered balance between commercial viability and clear, lasting public benefit.
“Galgorm Castle is a jewel in the crown of our local heritage, and this project represents a once-in-century opportunity to secure its future. Our proposals show how sensitive commercial activity can sit alongside environmental protection and community benefit.
“The board of directors are delighted to be part of an initiative that will ensure the estate, its buildings, landscapes, and history are enjoyed long into the future, nurturing local culture and creating jobs.
“The reinstatement of original paths, trails, and gardens will also connect the castle to its wider landscape thus improving links with the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Gracehill and providing the community with natural amenities for all to use and enjoy.
“Our aspiration is for Galgorm Castle and Estate to become a world-class destination, welcoming creative artists and performing groups from across the community, the country and further afield, while also serving as a driver of sustainable local economic growth.
“We want the estate’s landscape, trails, and historic setting to be enjoyed by visitors and locals alike, and for Galgorm to act as a beacon that attracts further investment, partnership, and opportunity into the area.”