New Leisure, Health and Wellbeing Centre making progress and Free Community Event & Fun Run

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council will soon submit their planning application for the new Leisure, Health, and Wellbeing Centre at the St Patrick’s Regeneration site in Ballymena.

Before submitting their planning application, the Council is holding a public consultation day at the current Seven Towers Leisure Centre on 7 March to discuss and get feedback on the current design proposals.

A free community event is also being organised at St Patrick’s Regeneration Site on Saturday 23 March 2024. This will provide an opportunity to walk, jog or run along St Patrick’s Link road. It will include a fun community event with bouncy castles and music at the Showgrounds.

More information on both events are below.

New Leisure, Health, and Wellbeing Centre

In 2019 Council appointed Strategic Leisure Limited to assist with establishing a facilities mix for a new leisure, health and wellbeing centre at the St Patrick’s site in Ballymena. This process involved a series of consultation events with various stakeholders including people living within the Borough, sports clubs, governing bodies, and existing members of the current Seven Towers facility.

A separate online survey was also undertaken to ensure that the maximum number of responses could be received.

Following the conclusion of the consultation period, the feedback was analysed and a facilities mix was developed to meet the needs of the views expressed in the feedback. 

The facilities mix is as follows: 8 Lane pool, Learner pool ,Splash pool, 4 Court, Sports Hall, Café, Gym, Spin Studio, Soft play and Clip and Climb, Community Hub, Spa Facility, External Workout Area and Car Parking.

It is anticipated that a full planning application will be submitted for the new centre following completion of the public consultation process. 

To get involved in providing feedback and expressing your views, everyone can attend: 

Event: Ballymena Leisure Health & Wellbeing Centre – Pre-Application Community Consultation Public Drop-In Event. 

Date: Thursday 7 March 2024 

Time: 12pm – 7pm 

Location: Seven Towers Leisure Centre, 74 Trostan Avenue, Ballymena, BT43 7BL. 

You can also view the latest designs on this page and provide feedback via the link below: 

https://www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/resident/public-information/st-patricks-regeneration 

Alternatively, comments on the proposals are welcome by emailing: 

stpatricksregeneration@midandeastantrim.gov.uk 

Written submissions can be forwarded by post clearly marked ‘Ballymena Leisure Health & Wellbeing Centre’ to: 

Mid and East Antrim 
Borough Council 
The Braid 
1-29 Bridge Street 
Ballymena 
BT43 5EJ 

The deadline for submission of feedback is Wednesday 10 April 2024 

Free Community Event on Saturday 23 March - Visit, Walk or Run the New Road

Everyone is invited to this free afternoon event on Saturday 23 March to celebrate the linking of the north and south of the town and the opening up of the St. Patrick’s Regeneration, following the opening of the new St Patrick’s Link Road.

The event will include an adult and children’s 2.5 km walk and run and a timed Golden Mile for 14 years and above. The fun walk and run and the Golden Mile are being organised by Ballymena Runners. You can register for the Golden Mile event by scanning the QR code below.

The community event, which will be held at Ballymena Showgrounds is being organised by Dunclug Youth Forum, Ballykeel 2 & District Community Association and the D3MAC groups. There will be loads of family fun with music, games and bouncy castles.

The community event is being supported by Radius Housing, as part of the Department for Communities ‘Housing For All’ programme, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and the NI Housing Executive.

Ongoing progress across the St Patrick’s Regeneration site

Radius Housing are currently constructing 135 mixed tenure residential units.  The first phase will complete by Summer 2024 with full completion a year later. The Northern Regional College also continues to progress their impressive new campus adjacent to St Patrick’s.

The Department for Communities also continues to work with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and PSNI to progress their other respective developments for the site - a new civic space and an Integrated Industrial Inspiration and Innovation Campus and a new police station.

For more information on the St Patrick’s regeneration please click the button below