North down country park: Council progressing plans for new facility outside Newtownards

Ards and North Down Borough Council is to use £70,000 of recent “levelling up” funding from the UK government to make a business case for a new country park outside Newtownards.

Elected representatives at the council have approved an allocation of a “Capacity and Capability” grant payment of £70,000 to the development of an outline business case for the Whitespots Gateway Project, from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The grant is for the 2023-24 year, and the council hopes to have a “shovel-ready” project ready for future potential funding streams by next year.

The plan for the new Whitespots Country Park includes a new gateway centre, incorporating visitor facilities and interpretation for the site, including its mining heritage, environment and world war heritage, the Somme Museum and potential wider military heritage.

The Bangor Road beauty spot was turned into a country park in 1995 at the site of 19th century lead mines, and its windmill has become an important stop on the Game of Thrones trail as a memorable location from season three.

However many have believed the area to have suffered from neglect in recent years, and hopes that the area would receive transformation from the Belfast City Region deal were dashed.

The council states: “Already a popular location for local walkers, there is the potential to bring the rich heritage of the site to life by creating a unique open landscape that will seamlessly link to the Greenways Network and act as a gateway to the Ards Peninsula and Strangford Lough.”

It is anticipated that the project will be delivered in phases, with a total of £20m investment.

In 2021 the council secured £7.4m from the Stormont Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs “NI City and Growth Deals Complementary Fund.”

The council states this is currently being used to “support the delivery of Phase 1” and they “are in the process of appointing the integrated consultancy team to further develop the masterplan and associated planning application.”

A council report adds: “The council had hoped to have applied to funding streams such as Peace Plus measure 4.1 (Reimaging Communities) for the delivery of the Whitespots Gateway Project.

“However, as reported to June’s Community and Wellbeing Committee, due to the funder’s timescales and other requirements, the council was not in a position to submit an application.

“Members were advised in June that there may be future funding opportunities but that an outline business case would be required to assist in submitting a funding application, with the project having achieved planning approval, or have a detailed timeline to achieve planning.”

UUP Councillor Richard Smart said: “I always thought Whitespots is a bit of a hidden gem in our borough, and it has so much more to offer residents and visitors alike.

“Not only in terms of fantastic green space and views right across the borough, but also in terms of really impressive mining heritage, and of course the story of so many people who trained and served there before they went off to fight in the first world war. Although this business case is admittedly only a first step, it is a very welcome step.”

The council previously received an allocation of £220,000 from the Levelling Up department last year, and agreed in March to allocate this funding to two posts, to be permanently filled, in the council’s Capital Project Unit.