Former council HQ to be bulldozed soon

Former council HQ to be bulldozed soon

10 July 2013

DOWN Council’s former administrative headquarters in Downpatrick could be bulldozed before the end of the year.

Council officials hope to appoint a contractor within the next few weeks to demolish the Strangford Road complex which has been lying empty since September when staff moved to a new multi-million pound home at the Downshire Civic Centre.

In addition to the main administration, the council’s former Building Control Department and premises previously occupied by the Fire and Rescue Service will also be demolished.

However, the local authority’s garage and depot for its fleet of bin lorries and other vehicles will remain in place at the Strangford Road.

Council officials are keen to bulldoze as many of the vacant buildings as they can at their former headquarters as they are currently paying rates on them.

Council officials also want to reduce the potential for vandalism attacks at their former headquarters where all its empty buildings are alarmed and policed by security cameras.

Once the buildings have been demolished, a large part of the Strangford Road site is expected to be sold for private housing, even though a number of other development options were previously considered. They included a new hotel, a base for a new Down Leisure Centre and an out-of-town retail complex.

The Planning Service’s preferred option is housing and local politicians are keen to see the Strangford Road site sold to generate income which will help offset the cost of the £11m move to the Downshire complex.

A Down Council spokeswoman said the organisation is currently compiling all necessary documentation to go to tender for the demolition of a number of buildings at the Strangford Road site.

“We would anticipate going to public tender before the end of July,” the spokeswoman added.

Councillor Dermot Curran has welcomed the move. He said it is important the vacant buildings are demolished as soon as possible.

“Council staff moved out nearly 10 months ago and I hope the tender process to appoint a demolition contractor won’t take too long to complete,” he said.

“Hopefully once this happens council officials will be able to test what interest there is in the property market for what looks like an ideal location for residential development.”