1 Why Do We Need a Strategy? Mid & East Antrim Borough Council (MEABC) through Amplify, the integrated Economic Strategy for the Borough, has committed to regenerating and developing the town centre offering across the Borough. In January 2020, the Council commissioned Venture International Ltd (Venture) to develop a town centre strategy for Carrickfergus. The Town Centre Strategy (a non-statutory plan) sets out a clear direction for the town and provides a framework for the implementation and timing of physical, social, economic and community development initiatives within Carrickfergus Town over the next 10 years. It also sets out a pathway to recovery helping to lead Carrickfergus Town out of the challenges presented by Covid 19. Mid & East Antrim Borough Council cannot deliver this strategy on its own or from within its own resources. To ensure that the strategy is led and resourced the Council will work with key partners, including Carrickfergus property owners, retailers and businesses to deliver a town centre that is fit for the future and evolves to meet the aspirations and expectations of its citizens and visitors to Carrickfergus. Carrickfergus Town Centre Strategy 2020-2030
The Council and a range of statutory partners recognise the potential for Carrickfergus to develop as a quality living, retail and hospitality environment for its citizens and as a destination town for visitors. Collectively they have sought to develop a vision for Carrickfergus and have identified a range of capital projects to create the conditions to deliver on that vision; this is the draft Carrickfergus Regeneration Investment Programme (CRIP) – a capital investment programme which will focus on investing in the Town’s assets and infrastructure to develop the Carrickfergus Town centre offer for all. Town centres and the retail businesses based in them have met and continue to meet challenges including the migration to online shopping, the recession of the late noughties, the increasing prevalence of out of town retail parks and the outworking of the Covid-19 pandemic. Equally, there are opportunities to develop as environments and places where people want to live and spend
