Ballycastle 'to receive makeover'

16 June 2009 -

Ballycastle will be developed as one of the key tourism attractions in Northern Ireland over the next 15 years.

Following a socioeconomic analysis of the town, recommendations include improvements to gateways to natural heritage sites, development of a watersports centre at the seafront and the building of a leisure and tourism facility at the Quay Road playing fields.

Existing walkways will also be upgraded, linking the town to the nearby forest and creating heritage trails, while the ferry service to Scotland will be improved.

Margaret Craig, a former Ballycastle town project officer, commented: "The information supplied was absorbed and used to create a vision and a way forward in the form of a framework document that says to investors that - Ballycastle is special, it has a lot to offer and it knows where it wants to go… we have a plan."

Earlier this week, it was announced that a new hotel is set to be built in Ballymoney after three years of planning.