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Bangor Big Wheel set to return for next two years By Iain Gray BANGOR’S big wheel is set to make return visits over the next two summers. Ards and North Down Council granted planning permission for the panoramic wheel to be on site on the seafront from May through July in 2021 and 2022, as well as retrospective planning permission for July and August this year. The wheel has become a regular summer sight in the town, having come back every year since it first visited in 2018 - even this year, when it was forced to open later in the season than usual due to the coronavirus pandemic. The giant wheel, run by a private firm that tours the attraction around Ireland, is now set to stand overlooking the waters of Bangor Marina, providing those willing to brave the heights with outstanding views over the town and seafront for the next two years. The attraction came up at a meeting of the council’s Planning Committee on Tuesday night. In the past the council has only granted permission for the wheel to be on-site for a single summer at a time, but this week an application to have the 111 feet-high wheel itself, and a selection of small small funfair rides next to it, on the seafront for 2020 through 2022 was voted through by councillors. Planning official Ann McCullough told the committee that as the attraction will only be on site for three months of every year, the planning application is regarded as being for temporary permission and there is ‘precedent for previous temporary permissions on this site, including a funfair and the panoramic wheel [in earlier years]’. She added: “Given the town centre waterfront location and proximity to Pickie Fun Park, the [wheel] is considered compatible with surrounding land uses and would not detract from the landscape quality or character of the area due to its temporary nature. “It will not adversely impact on the listed McKee Clock Tower [and] the proposal offers an attraction that would invigorate the area by attracting people into this space.” Currently the local authority hopes to get massive multi-million pound revamps of Queen’s Parade and the wider Bangor Waterfront going, which will involve heavily reworking the site the wheel stands on. That led councillor Carl McClean, chairing the committee meeting, to ask if there was any chance granting the wheel permission to be there until 2022 could ‘get in the way of’ the large construction projects slated for Bangor seafront. “I don’t consider so given the temporary nature [of the application],” replied Ms McCullough. ”We will be able to control that and negotiate if there are any impacts on the Bangor Waterfront plan.” Planning permission was granted, with 10 councillors voting in favour and none objecting.