£2.25m price tag for former Larne secondary school site back on open market

The former site of St Comgall’s College at Bankheads Lane and adjacent land at Tower Road is earmarked for 112 new homes,  96 houses and 16 apartments,

Planning permission was approved at a meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Planning Committee in May.

Principal planning officer Gary McGuinness told the meeting that a “high quality residential development” is planned and that 10 objections regarding traffic, sewerage and density have been received and have been addressed.

Pedestrian access is to be retained at Bankheads Lane. Trees which have a Tree Preservation Order are to be protected. Vehicular access will be at Tower Road.

The application was approved by nine councillors in favour and two against.

In a social media post, the Parish of Larne said: “In autumn 2013, the Parish of Larne deemed the lands at Tower Road surplus to Parish requirements.

“In summer 2018, the Diocesan Trustees appointed agents for the sale of the lands at Tower Road and placed the lands on the open market.

“The Diocesan Trustees, in consultation with the Parish of Larne Finance Committee, took the decision in February 2019 to withdraw these lands from sale, due to infrastructure issues, which would have adversely affected the value the lands might have realised.

“As the market has improved, and solutions to the infrastructure issues identified, the Diocesan Trustees, in agreement with the Larne Parish Finance Committee, have taken the decision to once again offer the lands for sale on the open market.”

The 15.5 acre site had been on the market in 2018 for £2m.

The former secondary school premises was demolished in 2011. Pupils were transferred to Garron Tower outside Carnlough amalgamating with St MacNissi’s College and St Aloysius, Cushendall to form St Killian’s College in 2010.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter

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