Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is understood to be in the process of acquiring the former Danske Bank building in Carrickfergus town centre in a bid to progress the £42m Belfast Region City Deal plan for the town.
A sale is believed to have been agreed for the former High Street branch which closed in June. The premises were on the market for £240,000.
The bank said that branch transactions decreased by 40 per cent between 2017 and 2023.
The 5,521 sq ft three-storey property has a double frontage onto High Street and Marine Highway with views over Belfast Lough.
The council’s proposed acquisition of the building was discussed behind closed doors at a meeting of its Environment and Economy Committee in October.
Minutes of the meeting report the proposed purchase of the former Danske Bank building to be the new visitor centre and community hub as part of the Carrickfergus City Deal project. It was noted “several members indicated their support for the acquisition”.
The council has said previously a bridge crossing the Marine Highway, which separates Carrickfergus Castle and the town centre, is just one of a number of options being examined as part of wider connectivity plans to connect the two as part of the Belfast Region City Deal plan.
“We are currently reviewing all options as to how we better connect the castle back to the town centre and encourage more footfall into and around the town,” the council has indicated.
The Carrickfergus initiative is one of three projects to benefit from Belfast Region City Deal funding totalling £80m in Mid and East Antrim. The investment is expected to deliver upgrades and improvements to Carrickfergus Castle alongside a “significantly enhanced” public realm scheme that will improve the castle’s connection to the town centre.
Others include the creation of an i4C Innovation Centre in Ballymena and the delivery of phase two of development of The Gobbins visitor experience in Islandmagee.