A £7m investment in the economic development of Antrim and Newtownabbey was approved at a meeting of the council’s Planning Committee on Monday evening.
A three-storey flagship office complex was given the go-ahead on the site of the former PSNI station at Glenwell Road in Glengormley.
The development will provide workspace, communal space, meeting/conference facilities, catering, showering facilities, parking and landscaping.
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The council’s vision is to “create an entrepreneurial hub with modern, accessible and affordable space on offer to new start-up businesses and entrepreneurs”, it has been stated previously.
Two letters of objection were received from a neighbouring resident expressing concern over parking and congestion in the area and potential loss of privacy.
Planning officer Kieran O’Connell told the committee the proposed new office accommodation is considered to be “acceptable in terms of height, scale and mass without impacting on the character of the area”.
He added there are no road safety, access or parking concerns. Macedon Alliance Councillor Billy Webb MBE asked if there is provision for disabled parking and he requested for the bin area be moved to another corner. Principal planning officer Barry Diamond confirmed there will be disabled parking spaces on-site.
The new office/workspace hub is one of the key elements of a £17.4m regeneration scheme for Glengormley which is funded by the UK Levelling Up Fund, Department for Communities and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.
Other elements of the regeneration include new shop front façades on buildings from Creative Tiles to the Movie House; a new right turning lane into Glenwell Road; Farmley car park and private road redesign and improvements to include a one-way system through Farmley Road, exiting at the Glenwell Road.
An extensive public realm scheme of environmental improvements from Glenwell Road, extending beyond the car wash site at the junction of Antrim Road and Ballyclare Road, is also in the pipeline.
The new office complex may provide a location for a Civil Service regional hub, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council minutes have stated.
A spokesperson for the Department of Finance commented previously: “Officials are working with the local council to finalise the location for a Connect2 hub within the Antrim and Newtownabbey area. The hubs provide access to flexible work space for NICS staff, they do not offer permanent workstations to any staff. ”
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