A major project milestone was reached in June with the appointment of the design team for the i4C building. The formal contract for funding, under the Belfast Region City Deal, has not yet been issued due to the requirement for additional input and response in relation to UK subsidy control. It is expected this process may take a further 3 to 6 months to complete.

Progress with the outline business case for the HyTech NI project continues, with casework approval planned for early 2025. Queens University Belfast are the lead partner for the governance of the project, whilst we are leading on the development of 3 hydrogen testbed trials in Ballymena, delivered in conjunction with local industry partners Firmus, B9 Energy and Wrightbus.

Go Succeed helps potential entrepreneurs, new starts and existing businesses to maximise their potential and contribute to the local economy.

Between April and September, 196 participants were supported through the programme. In the same time period, the programme also led to the promotion of 65 jobs through business start interventions.

We have held 16 events so far, including annual events such as the Knockagh Somme Commemoration, Merchant Navy Day, Emergency Services Day and the North Irish Horse Battle for the Hitler Line Commemoration. New events delivered included a Gibraltar Day Commemoration and the unveiling of three UDR Greenfinch memorials.

Following a comprehensive review of our planned events catalogue, the schedule was streamlined to focus on the most impactful and high-quality experiences.

As a result, the original target of 35,000 attendees may no longer be fully attainable. However, we remain committed to delivering a range of engaging and accessible events that will maximise attendance and continue to meet the needs of our community.

Community engagement has been positive with plans for the Neighbourhood Tourism Points being well received at a local level. Development will continue throughout the winter with a view to having the six new locations branded and ready to promote by March 2025, ahead of the busy tourism season.

Between April and September, we welcomed 72,719 visitors across our strategic visitor attractions.

We are working closely with the Larne Business Forum and the Larne Community Wealth Building Hub to develop a comprehensive regeneration strategy aimed at addressing dereliction and declining footfall in Larne town centre.

A recent workshop held at Larne Town Hall brought together local residents, urban revitalisation experts, and design academics to explore a range of ideas for the town centre. Concepts discussed included potential retail, residential, and community spaces, all of which will be considered as part of future funding bids.

We are also co-funding the development of a Community Wealth Building Partnership, which aims to advance strategic economic projects in Larne. This partnership will seek funding from both the Northern Ireland Executive and the UK government to support initiatives that drive job creation, revitalise town centre retail, and foster broader economic growth in the area.

The Town Centre Revitalisation Scheme is being delivered through funding from the Department for Communities.

In Larne, the Street Art Festival at the Narrowgauge Road underpass was successfully delivered in July, featuring live art, workshops, and temporary displays. This was complemented by the commissioning of 3 feature murals for Ballymena town centre.

Between April and September, 16 events were held across the borough, contributing to the vibrancy of the town centres.

The Pop-Up Shop initiative is proving popular once again, with 22 businesses and groups already benefiting. From December, more retailers will test-trade their offerings on the high street.

The Shop Front Improvement Scheme opened again in September. Successful applicants will receive grants to improve the appearance of their shopfronts, enhancing the visual appeal of the town centres.

A further £350,000 was awarded in September for Phase 2 of the revitalisation scheme, with two additional funding applications in progress.

The Street Cleansing Index assesses the effectiveness of street cleaning efforts by measuring various aspects of urban and rural environments, such as the presence of litter, graffiti, and general maintenance conditions. By using the Street Cleansing Index, KNIB aims to ensure that public spaces are kept clean and welcoming.

We have achieved a cleaning index score of 70%.

The Cullybackey to Galgorm Greenway project is aimed at creating a dedicated pathway connecting the villages of Cullybackey and Galgorm. It is part of a broader effort to enhance local infrastructure, promoting sustainable modes of transportation for pedestrians and cyclists.

Design consultants were appointed in June to advance Phase 1 of the project. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the greenway route required updating. This amendment has taken place and outline designs were agreed upon by the project board in November.

Phased options are currently being considered in line with cost implications. The impact on the overall project timescale is currently under review, and the revised completion date will be confirmed once the planning application is submitted and all factors are reassessed.

The development of Carnfunnock Country Park is progressing well, with the project on track for completion by 31 March 2026.

With planning approval granted in October, the tender process for the construction phase is currently underway. We anticipate that a contractor will be appointed and onsite in January 2025.

The process of developing a Green Spaces Strategy is progressing, with initial planning and discussions taking place. A departmental strategy meeting was held in September to establish a clear roadmap for moving forward with the development of the strategy.

Between April and September, a total of 71% of performers at Council events were from the local area.

Between April and September, 78.1% of payments to suppliers were made within 10 working days.

Between April and September, 95.5% of payments to suppliers were made within 30 calendar days.

Between April and September, our average (median) processing time for major planning applications was 47.2 weeks, with zero cases processed within the target 30 weeks.

The average processing time across all NI councils for this period was 42 weeks, with approximately 41% of cases processed within the target 30 weeks.

Officers within our Planning department are proactively looking at measures to try to positively impact processing times moving forward.   

Between April and September, we processed in excess of 300 local planning applications. Our average (median) processing time for these applications was 6.1 weeks, with approximately 80% of cases processed within the target 15 weeks, placing us as the top performing council for this measure.  

The average processing time across all NI councils for this period was 18.8 weeks, with approximately 42% of cases processed within the target 15 weeks.  

Between April and September, we concluded 93 enforcement cases, approximately 78% of which were concluded within the target 39 weeks.

The average across all NI councils for this period was approximately 68%.