An oval boardwalk, the return of Steeple House as a civic venue and improved vehicular access?

AN update has been given on the potential future development plans at Steeple Park.

The new proposals include an oval boardwalk around the site to encompass the footprint of the monastic site, the uncovering of a culverted stream and development of a biodiversity area and improved access from Stiles Way.

Earlier this year a consultation event was held at Antrim Civic Centre to help outline the nature of the heritage site as well as celebrate the park’s historic importance and ensure the practical needs of the community were heard and met.

The consultation was hosted by Andrew Haley, a Heritage Landscape specialist with The Paul Hogarth Company, who has worked on a number of iconic environmental projects across Ireland, including the Cathedral Quarter of Belfast, Connswater Community Greenway, Hillsborough Castle and Gardens and The Wild Atlantic Way,

Key issues discussed at the sessions included encouraging more people to engage with the heritage of the area, making the local area a better place to live and visit and how heritage will be identified and better explained.

There were also aims to ensure that proposals assisted in meeting the challenges to the environment and the climate crisis, like biodiversity protection and enhancement.

Previously announced plans for the development of the park area included new accessible pathways, interpretative signage and promotion of the historic Round Tower.

There were proposals for the original stable block to be converted into a flexible exhibition area, workshop and café.

In addition to the redevelopment of Steeple House a local consortium Apricot Heathcare Ltd also plans to develop a modern purpose-built community and health facility - as exclusively revealed in the Antrim Guardian last year - although this is separate to the council’s current plans and may not happen concurrently.

Steeple House, the former council HQ before the new civic centre was built, was gutted by fire four years ago.

There are plans for the rebuilt mansion to be used for functions and civic activities.

Also in 2019, controversial proposals to build houses in the Steeple Park were dropped.

The vexed question of housing in the shadow of the Round Tower was first posed by the legacy Antrim Council, when it was argued that the untapped resource could help pay for the multi-million pound HQ on Stiles Way.

Following the merger with Newtownabbey, in August 2016 reps they met behind closed doors to sell the idea of a Steeple Concept Plan designed to ‘maximise the opportunities’ presented by the park and the grand old house.

They would showcase the Round Tower, transforming it into a ‘special attraction’. There would be sports pitches. The former council HQ would become a ‘multi-purpose community building’ that would replace the nearby Parkhall community centre, which would be sold off ‘for housing’. And that principle was at the heart of the £6.7 million proposal.

The Antrim reps were uneasy, and many of them joined forces to save the ‘two parcels of land’ earmarked for private and social dwellings.

Former Ulster Unionist councillor, Jim Montgomery, seconded by Alliance man Neil Kelly, proposed that the council find an alternative way to bankroll the project that would not see scores of chimney pots blotting the landscape.

It went to the vote and the Town reps managed to secure 13 votes. Unfortunately for them, there were 16 against. The die, it seemed, had been cast.

A tendering process eventually got under way, with the front runners both relying heavily on the outline planning permission to build on a section of the park.

But in 2019 councillors met again in private, to discuss developments at the Steeple.

The same two Antrim reps again called for a radical rethink, and this time their arguments hit home. In fact every single rep backed them and the notion of housing on Steeple Park was ‘dead and buried’.

Many of those who dropped into the sessions implored the powers that be to make sure that traffic problems are alleviated - currently there is a lot of congestion in the area due to the proximity of several schools.

There was also little desire to ‘formalise’ sports pitches.

At an update meeting at Antrim’s Old Courthouse last week gave local people further updates on how the masterplan is progressing.

The meeting was hosted by Mr Haley and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council's retired Head of Parks Ivor McMullan, who is now back working with the organisation on the project.

Most Antrim Town councillors were also in attendance.

Mr McMullan said that he was hopeful of positive news from a major funder in January, and if green-lighted, the project would take at least 30 months from the start of 2024.

He said issues like planning, procurement and archaeological digs could slow the scheme down.

Mr McMullan said that if anything of significance is unearthed it would be ‘a gem for local heritage but a nightmare for the project’.

He intimated that 2024 would be spent on the planning phase, while 2025 would involve construction of any approved developments.

Later, Mr Haley suggested a ‘public facing’ aspect to any archaeological work, in the same vein as ‘Time Team’, with the potential involvement of local schools.

The consultant thanked local people for their input to the consultation, saying that there had been many ‘helpful thoughts and conversations’ and that residents had given ‘such good direction’.

“You have been very clear about the important heritage of the site,” he told the audience.

He pointed to the round tower, or Steeple, which he said was ‘an iconic part of the story of Antrim’, gracing corporate literature and school badges and emphasised the importance of the links to the Holy Well and town centre, as well as the history of Steeple House and the stable block.

Overall, he noted that because the Round Tower and its surrounds were in relatively good condition, very little work would be required in that part of the park.

Mr Haley said that he understood the challenges on and around the site, including traffic and parking problems, wet ground conditions and flooding, antisocial behaviour and lack of access and lighting.

He outlined that the development themes were to protect the heritage and to create a climate resilient and biodiverse area, as well as promoting active, safe travel, education and a playful landscape.

“We asked if you wanted football nets, and people said no, they were happy with an informal space,” he said.

“We were told you don’t need another playground, but this can still be a playful space.”

He also addressed wider connectivity and said that there is a possibility of a walking and cycling route to connect to the bus and rail centre, including a central spine through the park, which could be lit up at night.

Mr Haley said that an oval boardwalk structure is being proposed to mirror the footprint of the historic monastic site.

Proposals also include the demolition of the 70s era caretaker’s cottage, but the retention of the more historic gate lodge at the Steeple Road end, which he said could be retained by the council, either to rent out to a business or to house staff and volunteers as part of an interpretation centre.

It was noted that the former building was ‘of no heritage value’ and had become a magnet for antisocial behaviour.

Turning to Steeple House, which is part of the overall plans but ‘a separate aspect’ from the parkland improvements, Mr Haley said that it had been a welcoming place accessed by a sweeping driveway at the centre of the area and he was keen to see it return as a centrepiece.

Ideas suggested include accessible toilets, a cafe and flexible space to host school visits and wedding receptions.

He added that the return of the embankment and formal lawn in front of the house was also being mooted.

Mr Haley said that the stable block could be used for rustic crafts such as blacksmithing, glass blowing and wood carving.

“It can be wind and waterproof, but also a space for the creative industries.” he said.

Moving to the culverted stream, he said: “Maybe it is time to open up the culvert so it is a stream again.”

He said that the additional capacity would help alleviate flooding that some homes backing onto the park have experienced over the years.

And, he added, that the stream could be the centrepiece for a wildflower meadow and biodiversity area.

In terms of access, Mr Haley said that one major change would be vehicular access to Steeple Park through the council’s Civic Centre site at Stiles Way.

And he added that to take the pressure off Steeple Road and the Millhouse development, that traffic from the three schools adjacent to the park be encouraged to use the same access.

Both Mr Haley and Mr McMullan said that further traffic assessments would be carried out, but that the Stiles Way junction was considered more ‘developed’ and ‘resilient’ and would cope better with the increased traffic volumes.

They said in order to retain the gatelodge and landmark boundary wall, the Steeple Road access would remain limited and for emergency vehicles only, and possibly eventual construction traffic.

There was a lengthy debate about traffic, access and parking.

Several residents asked questions about how the Stiles Way entrance would work - including whether there would need to be right and left hand turns and whether there would be a one-way system, using Steeple Road after all, or normal two-way traffic flow.

One man urged caution over the Stiles Way access proposal, saying that since the opening of Dobbie’s at The Junction, traffic at Stiles Way was often backed up, particularly at weekends.

Mr Haley and Mr McMullan said that all proposals would be subject to Department for Infrastructure approval.

Mr Haley said that many of the proposals were solutions to long-running problems in the area, including the link to the town centre, improved biodiversity, parking, traffic, flooding and antisocial behaviour.

“We feel that this is something which could be very helpful for Antrim as a whole.

“You have been very clear - you do not want or need another Castle Gardens, you already have that.”

In terms of security and upkeep, the two speakers said that there could be a mix of volunteers, similar to the Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens, or the ‘Steeple Guardians’.

Mr McMullan said that there would likely be council staff on site and that wardens could also be employed.

He added that outreach work had already been done with local secondary schools.

“When young people understand the history and heritage of a place, they respect it a lot better,” he explained.

Several questions were asked about the health hub, which is also proposed for the Steeple parkland, behind the Civic Centre.

Mr McMullan said that land had been set aside for that project, but that the parkland development was a completely separate scheme.

He said that while nothing that council was planning would compromise the health hub plans, the Steeple park improvements would be carrying on regardless.

He added that any traffic access or parking issues on the - presumably shared - site would be up to those behind the health hub to work out.

Mr McMullan also said it was important not to overdevelop the site for a project which may or may not materialise, particularly when ratepayers money could be involved.

There were intimations that Apricot Healthcare is struggling to secure funding for their project from the Department of Health, although former UUP councillor Jim Montgomery said that the team behind the scheme is ‘very determined’ to press ahead.

Mr McMullan said that the parkland development represented a £4m investment, which he hoped would be secured from external funders rather than ratepayers.

He noted that Antrim was only one part of the borough and that local reps would have to present a ‘palatable’ plan to the whole council.

With the cancellation of the extension of the Six Mile Water Boardwalk project as part of the £1.2 million Leveling Up funding granted to the council by the Government last year, some have suggested that the money be redeployed to the Steeple Park boardwalk instead.