BANGOR residents are being given the opportunity to have their say on the proposed £3.4m redevelopment of one of Bangor’s most popular attractions – Pickie Funpark.
Ards and North Down Council is holding a public drop-in event on Saturday, January 17, from 10.30am to 4pm at Bangor Carnegie Library, as part of the pre-application community consultation (PAC) phase of the development.
This pre-application stage of the planning process aims to ensure that local communities have an opportunity to view proposals and provide feedback before a formal planning application is submitted.
At an initial public information event, held last September, it emeged the funpark is set to close its doors for a year in 2027 to allow the redevelopment works to take place as part of the Bangor Waterfront scheme.
Reopening in 2028, some of the proposed elements of the scheme include a new main entrance, an extended cafe, a new wet play zone, a revamped lagoon, a new nature area, a new look Pickie Puffer train and a new mini golf.
Concerns were raised at the first public consultation event that some families could be ‘priced out’ of the new fun park if charges are introduced for attractions that are currently free.
The Pickie redevelopment scheme is one of five projects set to regenerate a 2.2km stretch of coastline from Skippingstone Beach to Ballyholme as part of the £72m waterfront redevelopment scheme.
Separate from the Queen’s Parade redevelopment, the waterfront’s four other projects include an urban waterfront public realm development, a new watersports centre at Ballyholme Yacht Club, the Court House Phase II and Bangor Marina.
The council has been awarded £40m funding for the Bangor waterfront development as part of the Belfast Region City Deal; a further £20m has been provided by the council and additional investment of £12.8m is being sought from the private sector.
Further information about the consultation can be found at: https://www.ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk/…/1597/Pickie-Fun-Park
