Our Environment

The ‘Eco Community Programme’ and the Borough’s cycle infrastructure have both been highlighted as important issues which the Delivery groups are continuing to progress.

Mid and East Antrim staff provide a leadership role in these initiatives by providing guidance and advice to community groups.

Environmental Champions Programme

The ‘Our Environment’ Delivery group have developed an ‘Eco Community Programme’ which has been designed to promote sustainable initiatives and behaviour at a community level.

An ‘Eco Community’ is a community group who are interested in environmental education and action for sustainability.

The Eco Community Programme was launched in October 2018 and 3 Community groups have been identified to take this project forward, 2 in Ballymena and 1 in Carrickfergus.

The three groups are;

• Charles Sheils Community Group, Carrickfergus
• Dunclug Partnership, Ballymena
• Bethlehem Abbey Volunteer Group, Portglenone

Charles Sheils Community Group

Since the beginning of the Eco-Community Programme, the Charles Sheils community group have continued the clean-up of land at Downshire Road / Larne Road.

Further cleanups have been scheduled by the Community group, the Delivery group will ensure that the cleanups continue.

The group have the luxury of an onsite pond, the Parks and Open Spaces team will provide advice on what wetland plant species should be planted in the pond.

Carrick Men’s Shed has been contacted to assist the group in building bird boxes for the site, this project will progress in the coming months.

Dunclug Partnership Group

The Dunclug Partnership group plan to raise awareness of sustainable behaviour, in partnership with the Council awareness talks and initiatives will be developed in the coming months.

The Council’s Recycling Officer will deliver waste and recycling talks including the ‘life cycle’ of a plastic bottle to the group / local community and the local schools in 2019.

A ‘bin design’ competition will also take place in local schools with the view to installing bespoke bins in the Dunclug Estate in 2019.

There are also plans with the Ballygally Community Development Association (BCDA) to arrange a site visit to roll out the #2minuteurbanclean in the Dunclug Estate area in partnership with the local shop.

Bethlehem Abbey Volunteer Group, Portglenone

The Bethlehem Abbey group are currently at the very beginning of the programme and have only met with the Delivery Group to discuss their intentions and hopes for the programme.

The group aim to upgrade paths in their gardens which the public have access to.

The Delivery Group can assist with this by sharing advice and expertise on how the group can secure funding for this project.

The group also want to improve the recycling options that the Church currently has, Councils Waste department will liase with the group and develop their options in the coming months. 

The three community groups have each developed an action plan for their area which encourages environmentally responsible behaviour and aim to improve the environment in which they live.

The groups also now feel empowered with information and support from officers on how to make environmental improvements in their area and how to apply for funding to assist with this.

Cycle Infrastructure

A Cycle Routes Masterplan Summary document is currently being developed which will provide a more simplified version of the detailed masterplan document below. 

When published, this will be a public document and will signpost those wanting to read the document in more detail to the full document.

In partnership with SustransNI, we produced a series of masterplans that illustrate both the existing and the future potential cycling network within the Borough of Mid and East Antrim.

The masterplan takes into consideration both the Community Plan and the Local Development Plan.