Enterprise Causeway has appointed Ballymena company Martin and Hamilton Construction to deliver the renovation and redevelopment works for The Courthouse Shared Space Creative Hub in Bushmills, with work anticipated to start this month.
The Courthouse Shared Space Creative Hub project will restore and extend the derelict Grade B1 listed Georgian building, located in the middle of the village, into a three-floor creative hub.
The hub will be open to the local community of Bushmills to use, as well as communities throughout the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough area and beyond.
When completed, it will promote arts, culture, heritage and artisan food/produce, and provide facilities/opportunities for individuals and groups through its workshop, meeting and events spaces.
Running in parallel with the construction works is a programme of community outreach activity, creating opportunities for shared learning experiences to explore and understand cultures, traditions and backgrounds amongst school, youth and community groups, on a cross-community and cross-border basis. Activities includes school arts and crafts workshops, taster events in traditional maker crafts such as glass, pottery and textiles, and a willow sculpture trail project.
Martin and Hamilton Construction will be responsible for the restoration of the heritage building, ensuring original features are retained and restored, as well as delivering the new-build extension works, incorporating a café, retail, meeting rooms, and exhibition, studio and community space.
This new shared space, creative hub has been funded under the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme (which is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body), with match-funding provided by the Department for Communities, Northern Ireland and the Department of Rural and Community Development, Ireland.
Speaking about the appointment, David Hamilton, Managing Director of Martin and Hamilton Construction stated:
“We are delighted to have been appointed as the building contractor on this significant project and very much look forward to working with the project management and design team on transforming this historical building into a modern and purposeful creative hub that can be enjoyed by so many.”
Commenting on the award, Jayne Taggart, Chief Executive of Enterprise Causeway said:
“This is another exciting step in this project’s development, as we inch closer to bringing this much-needed facility to Bushmills. Over the course of the next few months, and into 2023, locals and visitors will really get to see it taking shape, both structurally and sustainably, as the creative hub it was intended to be.”
“In conjunction with the build, and to ensure that when finalised it’s used by all, we will be running a number of stakeholder engagement forums over the next year, covering areas such as heritage, arts and community space.
“Our first meeting will be taking place on Tuesday 8th November, in the Bushmills Inn. This will provide an overview of the project and an introduction to the project management team. Full details, including how to register, are available on our website - www.enterprisecauseway.co.uk/the-courthouse/”
Also welcoming the appointment was Project Architect, Andrew Molloy, from Hamilton Architects, who stated:
“We look forward to working with the Martin and Hamilton Construction team to tackle the challenges of renovating, conserving and extending this iconic historic building in the heart of Bushmills.
"It promises to be a rewarding phase for the design team, who have been working towards realising this project for the past two years.”
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