By Julie Waters
A NEW design concept for Bangor’s seafront could offer a way forward in the dispute between residents and the developers – saving a Queen’s Parade parkland and creating more than 100 parking spaces.
The ‘Bangor Boulevard’ design has been brought forward by the Save Marine Gardens campaigners who, together with professional architects, have compiled the new French Riviera inspired waterfront proposal.
The new scheme would allow the original plans for the £14m gardens scheme to go ahead and preserve the green space at the western end of the development, in front of a row of historic terraced houses.
It would also permit developers Bangor Marine to generate income from the paid car park spaces, which the company has said is necessary to ensure the viability of the development.
The small piece of parkland has been at the centre of a dispute since Bangor Marine announced it wanted to build a car park on the site. Ards and North Down Council has backed the developer’s request, but residents have inspired a determined campaign of opposition which has seen a 5,000-strong petition and over 500 objections to a planning application.
The residents have always said they want to see the original Marine Gardens scheme go ahead, and they believe the ‘Bangor Boulevard’ concept would allow that to happen and meet Bangor Marine’s requirements.
The concept envisages Queen’s Parade, between the new Marine Gardens and the buildings which are mostly earmarked for demolition, becoming a tree-lined waterfront boulevard similar to those of the French Riviera.
It is proposed that investment planned for the removal of the green space at Marine Gardens West could be redirected to the transformation of Queen’s Parade. This would create an ‘elegant, landscaped urban boulevard’ between the new gardens and future development.
Architects behind the concept believe that with considered replanning, resurfacing, planting and lighting the street could provide more than 70 premium parking spaces and a hotel arrival concourse while connecting the pavilions, gardens and wider development.
The scheme’s second element would increase the parking beside the West Pavilion, from around 10 spaces to over 30. Campaigners say the right angled parking would also ‘avoid the continuous line of vehicles’ created by the current proposals.
Campaigners have stated that together, the two areas could provide more than 100 spaces, including increased accessible parking and cycle provision, ‘without sacrificing the public green amenity space at Marine Gardens West or the approved pirate-ship play park’.
They also believe that centralising the car parking, instead of having it at the edge of the development, will bring a boost to Bangor’s economy, by increasing footfall and strengthening city centre links.
A spokeswoman for Bangor’s Save Marine Gardens said Bangor Marine have held ‘positive discussions’ with the architects and they welcomed Bangor Marine’s ‘willingness to engage constructively’.
“This remains an early concept, with several possible layouts and significant work ahead,” said the spokeswoman. “Its importance lies in the principle of creating positive public spaces that can also generate the parking revenue necessary to help the wider development proceed,” said the spokeswoman.
She added: “If the details can be resolved, Bangor Boulevard might offer a genuine opportunity to bring developer and community back together around an investment the city could enthusiastically support.”
The long-awaited seafront regeneration scheme began last September when diggers rolled in to remove the car park area and turn it into the Marine Gardens; the first phase of the wider Queen’s Parade city centre redevelopment.
However, controversy has surrounded the scheme since developers Bangor Marine proposed the construction of the new car park, beside the Marine Gardens site.
The company said the car park was to facilitate parking close to a £1m children’s play park; Bangor Marine would then charge motorists to park and would have a 125-year lease.
The proposal has since provoked a storm of criticism from local residents who have held a number of protests at Bangor Castle against the proposal, while reaffirming their support for the original plan.
The council has backed the new seafront car park plans, however the new car park plans still have to be given the green light by planners who will consider the large number of objections submitted.
