Decades-delayed £50m Bangor seaside revamp: Developer drops out, but partners 'optimistic' Queen's Parade overhaul can begin soon as replacement found

The firm running the revamp, Bangor Marine Ltd, was formed in 2019 as a partnership between Northern Ireland industry heavyweights Farrans and the Karl Group.

Farrans are now to leave the scheme, though a replacement developer that will handle their part of the project is believed to have been found.

Bangor Marine is understood to be optimistic that construction will be able to get under way soon, after all remaining legal agreements have been signed off.

As yet, no reason has publicly been given for the departure of Farrans. The firm has been contacted, along with Bangor Marine.

Spokespeople for the Department for Communities and Ards and North Down Borough Council, both of which are involved in the site, said they couldn’t comment on “commercially sensitive” issues, but added they hope to have “the few remaining legal matters” sorted out soon and be able to issue updated construction timelines.

The revamp of Queen’s Parade has been on the cards since the 1990s, and sections of the main seafront of Bangor were demolished in the early years of this century to make way for it.

Supposed to be a jewel in the crown that would save the struggling centre of the Co Down seafront city, instead it’s been a thorn in the side of locals, with the lack of action becoming a regular source of complaints.

Despite many different designs and ideas over the years, nothing has ever been done with a site that was once voted Northern Ireland’s biggest eyesore.

Three years ago, Bangor Marine’s project was finally given a green light – only to get hit with more delays.

Already held up during the planning process by protracted wrangling with the Department for Infrastructure’s Rivers section, who feared a corner of its car park could flood if a reservoir three miles away catastrophically burst its banks, the seafront project has since had to renegotiate its planning approval to free up the order in which its sections can be built.

There have also been complex negotiations with Crown Estates, which owns sections of the coast the scheme will be built on, as well as lengthy talks with planning officials to sort out issues over drainage in the area.

Six months ago, Bangor Marine announced another delay, putting their construction start date back from October to January; in January, the start date was once again pushed back, this time to April – only to miss that target too.

Alliance politicians have demanded a guaranteed start date, with MLA Connie Egan stating: “It's been six years since the development agreement was signed, yet we still haven’t seen a spade in the ground.

“Queen’s Parade is in a terrible state and the ongoing delays are unacceptable. Local residents and businesses want action.”

The first of four phases in the Queen’s Parade project will build a publicly accessible area with seafront lawns, a children’s play area, and an event space.

Initially to be called Marine Gardens, the council voted to rename the area Queen Elizabeth II Marine Gardens once construction has finished.

Subsequent phases will add a hotel plus spa, office space, apartments, a cinema and a marketplace courtyard with space for shops, cafes and restaurants.

Projected to cost £50m, the scheme involves a substantial amount of private sector investment as well as £10m from the UK government’s Levelling Up Fund.