A Stormont department's bill for a multi-million pound Co Down regeneration plan has hit £10m in less than 10 years, it has emerged.
The figure was disclosed by the Department for Communities in response to an Assembly question from North Down MLA Alex Easton amid continuing delays to a £50m seafront development for Bangor.
In January 2021, Ards and North Down Borough Council’s Planning Committee gave their approval to the plans submitted by Bangor Marine Ltd for the site located at Queen’s Parade and Marine Gardens in the seaside town.
The plan will transform Bangor's seafront and residents have been waiting more than 20 years for this site to be developed.
Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey told Mr Easton: "Up to 31st December 2021, my Department has spent a total of £10.27m in site acquisition and maintenance on the Queen’s Parade project."
Development of the area has been discussed since around 1997 while the long-delayed regeneration site has been earmarked since April 2012.
The proposed scheme, developed by Bangor Marine Ltd, will see extensive work to a run-down area of the town.
It will involve the building of new homes, a 66 bedroom hotel, a cinema and leisure facility, a public realm scheme, new streets, an events space and new cafes and restaurants.
The project is expected to create approximately 100 jobs per annum during construction and a further 700 jobs once operational.
The former B&M Bargains, Oxfam and Hospice shops on Main Street will be demolished, as well as other buildings on King Street, Southwell Road and Queen's Parade.
The residential element will involve 137 units comprising 113 apartments in three blocks, and 12 duplex apartments along King Street.
New public squares and courtyards will be created, including new pedestrian access points and the redevelopment of Marine Gardens car park.
But Mr Easton has branded the £10.27m spend and long-running delays "an utter disgrace".
"This has been dragging on for 30-odd years but no-one has been held accountable for the delays and bad decisions," the Independent Unionist MLA added.
In addition, flooding fears are central to the latest delay to multi-million-pound revival plans for the town centre.
The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has identified a potential flooding risk involving a lake in the Clandeboye estate, more than two miles away.
Despite the plan being approved by the council last year, DfI which has the power to 'call-in' or end the project, has been carrying out an assessment on the planning application, in relation to the scheme falling within the flood inundation zone of Clandeboye Lake.
During a council meeting last month, elected members from Bangor Central unanimously condemned the Rivers Agency and Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon's attitude towards the project.
A DfI spokesperson said: “The Department has been notified by Ards and North Down Borough Council in relation to planning application LA06/2020/0097/F under the Planning (Notification of Applications) Direction 2017.
“Notification to the Department was required due to the council’s resolution to grant approval for the application where it had received a significant objection from a statutory consultee.
“A consultation response from within this Department had indicated that it has not been demonstrated that the proposed development at Queens Parade, which is located within an inundation area from Clandeboye Lake, satisfies Planning Policy in relation to development and reservoir flood risk.
“The notification is currently being assessed very carefully due to the complex issues involved. Officials continue to do all they can and are actively engaging on this matter with officials in Ards & North Down Council and other stakeholders.”
