New hotel brings jobs boost for Newtownabbey

Up to 500 new jobs could be on the way to Newtownabbey after the local borough council gave its approval for a £13m office and hotel complex near the Valley Leisure Centre.

The new hotel, which is bring proposed by developer Alan Wilton’s firm, Comtec Developments, will span three storeys and includes a ground floor café, bar and restaurant for residents within the lobby area.

A total of 4,692 signatures were collected on a petition opposing the hotel and office development. Signatories said they were concerned on a number of fronts, including the inclusion of a cinema – which has since been removed from the plans – as well as fears around road safety and traffic congestion.

Mr Wilton has said that up to 200 people could be employed in the construction phase of the project and that there will be around 280 permanent jobs once the complex is completed. He also told Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council that the property would garner them around £230,000 in rates per annum.