PROGRESS UPDATE - MARINE GARDENS IN BANGOR
Monday 17th July 2023
Aran Blackbourne of Bangor Marine said:
“Over the last few months, we have been working on the detailed design for the Queen’s Parade project in consultation with the Council and Hemingway Design. This has resulted in some unique opportunities to improve the offering at Marine Gardens, including the introduction of a new play area. We believe these changes will greatly enhance the plans, providing additional benefits for residents and visitors to the city.
It was fantastic to receive an award of £9.8m from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund for Marine Gardens. We have been working closely with the Levelling Up Fund team to finalise the funding arrangements, including the commitments required from Bangor Marine, and we hope these will all be in place in the very near future.
We are also undertaking the requirements to satisfy the Planning Pre-Conditions. Unfortunately, this is taking a little longer than we originally anticipated. This involves preparing reports and carrying out surveys, which are then sent to the various consultees for consideration.
With all of this needing to be finalised before we can get going on site, there will be a short delay in seeing work starting. However, we hope to undertake prestart works late this year, with construction starting early 2024.
We remain fully committed to delivering this landmark project for the City of Bangor.”
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Bangor Marine received the formal decision notice of planning permission for their development on 29 September 2022.
Bangor Marine recognise that there is a high level of public interest in the redevelopment and are keen to get construction started as soon as possible. Since gaining planning consent, the company has been working hard with all stakeholders with the intention of beginning work on the Marine Gardens public realm phase in summer 2023. There are still challenges to resolve ahead of mobilising on site. One key area is ecology and Bangor Marine is lining up all appropriate surveys to ensure full compliance with the appropriate guidance. Depending on the findings of the surveys, some aspects of the programme of work may be moved into the Autumn.
