New venues planned in £70m Bangor waterfront transformation

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons visited Bangor to see the construction work that is under way on the £70million Queen’s Parade project.

Speaking at the Marine Gardens site in Bangor, Minister Lyons said: “I am very pleased that contractors have now mobilised on site to get the construction phase of the Queen’s Parade project under way.

“The people of Bangor will undoubtedly welcome the activity over the past weeks, and it is great to see the work progressing at such a pace. This project will be truly transformational for Bangor’s city centre and waterfront area. There is much work yet to do, and I look forward to seeing the project progress into the next phases of construction.”

The Minister added: “I would also like to acknowledge the outstanding work delivered by my Department in close partnership with Ards and North Down Borough Council, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the developer, Bangor Marine. Through a genuinely collaborative approach and a shared commitment to deliver, we have reached a significant milestone, clearly visible behind the fences here today. This achievement is testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved.”

Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Gillian McCollum said: “We have worked hard for it, we have talked a lot about it, and we have anticipated it for quite some time – so I think I speak for many Bangorians when I say I’m delighted that the diggers are now on site at Queen’s Parade. With hoardings up, you can more easily appreciate the scale of the site and begin to visualise how different and inviting our waterfront will look when Marine Gardens is regenerated. This is obviously just the first step in the transformation of Queen’s Parade but the buzz in Bangor is already building and it’s great to hear such positivity and anticipation for the future right across the city.”

Bangor Marine secured UK Government Funding of £9.8m for the Marine Gardens public realm element of the Queen’s Parade regeneration project, which will include a new play park, two pavilions, kiosks with food and beverage offerings, an events space, and associated landscaping. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been working with the Bangor Marine team in order to support the delivery of the Marine Gardens Public Realm works.

Aran Blackbourne of Bangor Marine Ltd said: “We are delighted to be delivering real progress with this transformative project which will put Bangor on the road to long-term and sustainable economic regeneration. We are fully committed to ensuring that Bangor reaches its full potential with a development that returns the city to its status as a premier coastal destination for residents and visitors.”

Minister for Devolution, Faith and Communities, Miatta Fahnbulleh added: “This is a wonderful example of how ambitiously rethinking our towns and cities can create places where communities can thrive. This project will truly reinvigorate Bangor, reconnecting the city with its waterfront to create a real sense of place that people can enjoy and feel proud of.”

When the project has completed, the Queen’s Parade development will include new homes, a hotel, offices, a market plaza, retail, cafes and restaurants, reconnecting the city to the waterfront once again and creating a new, much-needed sense of place to Bangor’s city centre.