Speaking at a signing of legal agreements with partners at Parliament Buildings, Minister Lyons said: “I am delighted to announce that work on the much-awaited Queen’s Parade development scheme is set to commence later this month. I wish to put on record my thanks to all the officials in my department whose hard work and commitment have made it possible for this important project to begin”
“After years of expectation, this scheme will be transformational for Bangor.”
“When combined with the substantial £72.8m investment in Bangor’s Waterfront through the Belfast Region City Deal, this is the start of a bright future for the city. I look forward to seeing the positive impact these projects will have for years to come.
The Minister added: “Projects of this nature are extremely complex, and I would like to convey my appreciation to all of our partners including Ards and North Down Borough Council, in particular the Mayor, Councillor Alistair Cathcart, colleagues in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Bangor Marine and the people of Bangor for their tireless support. This is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved.”
Mayor of Ards and North Down Borough Council, Alistair Cathcart said “As Mayor and as a Bangorian, I am very pleased that we have now cleared the final legal complexities to enable work to start on Marine Gardens in June. This is an important and positive milestone to recognise, and I would add my thanks to all those involved in the negotiations for their hard work and dedication to the process.
"However, like many Bangor residents I will only be fully satisfied when there are ‘diggers on site’. The Bangor Marine contractors need some time to mobilise now that all agreements are in place, but I will be pushing for that work to start as soon as possible.
"Bangor has been waiting for this for a long time and deserves both the investment and the regenerative potential that it will release for the city. I hope residents and business will be reassured by the Minister’s update and engage positively with the scheme when work on site begins in the coming weeks”.
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. Bangor Marine aims to have construction completed on this part by July 2026.
Aran Blackbourne of Bangor Marine Ltd said, "We are delighted that all the legal documents are now agreed and we can now confidently move forward with the Queen’s Parade redevelopment project with Oakland Holdings as our joint venture partner.”
"We look forward to working with all parties to deliver this very exciting and important regeneration scheme for Bangor.”
UK Minister for Local Growth, Alex Norris, said: “It is wonderful to hear that work will soon be underway at Marine Gardens to bring this new space for events, shops and play areas to the community. I’m sure local residents and visitors will welcome this regeneration of Bangor that will boost growth across the region.”
When the entire project has completed, the Queen’s Parade development will include new homes, a hotel, offices, a market plaza, retail, cafes and restaurants, bringing much needed vibrancy and reconnecting the city to the waterfront once again.