Communities Minister has visited the new
Innovation Centre in Cushendall to hear how the facility is
benefitting the local area.
The site of the new Centre was acquired by local social
enterprise group Grow the Glens in 2022 via the Community Asset
Transfer (CAT) process, with Phase 1 of the redevelopment project
completed in 2023.
The group has used the investment to create a modern facility
that can facilitate education, training and enterprise. This
includes remote working/hot desking hubs, a private consultation
room for various health practitioners, and meetings rooms for use
by councils, local businesses and charity organisations.
Minister Lyons said, “I am very happy to visit this new
Innovation Centre and see how the old disused PSNI station is
being used to bring such positive impacts to Cushendall and the
surrounding areas. I am pleased that my Department has been able
to support some of the costs of refurbishing this property, which
was acquired through the Community Asset Transfer
process.
“This project is a great example of the benefits of
community ownership, where control has been taken of an asset in
a community for the benefit of those that live here, creating
opportunities in the process. This type of local initiative helps
to highlight the unique qualities of rural areas like this and
allows for the development of economic activities that benefit
the people, landscape and heritage.”
Notes to editors:
- Community Asset Transfer (CAT) is an Executive policy for
which DfC is policy lead.
- Grow the Glens was formed in 2016 to focus specifically on
the development of employability and employment initiatives in
the Glens of Antrim, with the aim of making the Glens a better
place to live in, to visit and to do business in
- The Department for Communities invested £300k of capital
funding into Phase 1 of this project and Grow the Glens also
received £300k of funding from the UK Government's Community
Ownership Fund, as well as £50k funding from Causeway Coast and
Glens Borough Council.
- Phase II, to further extend and develop the Innovation
Centre, has been selected by Causeway Coast & Glens Borough
Council as one of its projects in the £72M Causeway Coast &
Glens Borough Council Growth Deal.
