Work is set to commence this month on the long-awaited Queen's Parade development in Bangor, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons announced. The Minister made the announcement at Parliament Buildings, following the signing of legal agreements with project partners.

"I am delighted to announce that work on the much-awaited Queen's Parade development scheme is set to commence later this month," Minister Lyons stated. He expressed gratitude to his departmental officials for their hard work in making the project possible. "After years of expectation, this scheme will be transformational for Bangor."

The Queen's Parade project, with an estimated total investment of £100 million, is expected to complement the substantial £72.8 million investment in Bangor's Waterfront through the Belfast Region City Deal. "This is the start of a bright future for the city. I look forward to seeing the positive impact these projects will have for years to come," Minister Lyons added.

The Minister acknowledged the complexity of such undertakings and extended his appreciation to all partners, including Ards and North Down Borough Council, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Bangor Marine, and the people of Bangor for their support. Mayor of Ards and North Down Borough Council, Councillor Alistair Cathcart, who is also a Bangor resident, expressed his satisfaction: "As Mayor and as a Bangorian, I am very pleased that we have now cleared the final legal complexities to enable work to start on Marine Gardens in June. This is an important and positive milestone to recognise, and I would add my thanks to all those involved in the negotiations for their hard work and dedication to the process."

While welcoming the news, Mayor Cathcart echoed the sentiment of many residents. "However, like many Bangor residents I will only be fully satisfied when there are 'diggers on site'," he remarked. "The Bangor Marine contractors need some time to mobilise now that all agreements are in place, but I will be pushing for that work to start as soon as possible."

The Marine Gardens public realm element of the project, which secured £9.8 million in UK Government Funding, will feature a new play park, two pavilions, kiosks with food and beverage offerings, and an events space with associated landscaping. Bangor Marine aims to complete this phase by July 2026.

Aran Blackbourne of Bangor Marine Ltd, with Oakland Holdings as their joint venture partner, expressed delight that "all the legal documents are now agreed and we can now confidently move forward with the Queen's Parade redevelopment project."

UK Minister for Local Growth, Alex Norris, welcomed the news: "It is wonderful to hear that work will soon be underway at Marine Gardens to bring this new space for events, shops and play areas to the community. I'm sure local residents and visitors will welcome this regeneration of Bangor that will boost growth across the region."

Upon full completion, the extensive Queen's Parade development will include new homes, a hotel, offices, a market plaza, retail units, cafes, and restaurants, aiming to revitalise the area and re-establish Bangor's connection to its waterfront.