Ballyreagh Road, Portrush. Co Antrim, Northern Ireland.

[pauls59@yahoo.co.uk]

Councillors give green light towards business case for new Holiday and Leisure Park

April 13th, 2022.

Councillors this evening at the Leisure & Development Committee gave the green light towards the development of a proposed Holiday and Leisure Park touring and motorhome facilities at Ballyreagh Road, Portrush.

Councillors heard how Council owns and manages 6 holiday and leisure parks, offering facilities for static caravans, touring caravans, motorhomes, tents, wooden holiday pods, and 1 Aire de Service facility for motorhomes. The Holiday and Leisure Parks offer a mix of facilities catering for 940 static vans, 350 touring sites, 42 camping sites and 23 pods.

In recent years the demand for overnight facilities for motorhomes has seen a large increase and this has created a problem for those wishing to visit the area, and with the undersupply of sites, many motorhomes have resorted to unauthorised parking at unsuitable locations. In the summer of 2021, the Holiday and Leisure Park team opened both the Ballyreagh Field and at a later date The Bowl, Causeway Street Portrush, to provide a temporary facility to accommodate the high demand for motorhome parking.

LEISURE & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING
WEDNESDAY 13 APRIL 2022
Recommendation Item 5. on the Agenda.

Motorhome and Touring van
Infrastructure Improvements
To recommend to Council The advancement to Stage 1 of the Capital Project
Management Process for Ballyreagh Field touring and motorhome facility (business
case, costings and outline design); A design solution and procured costs for the
access control for Sandhill Drive

Committee Meeting Minutes:

Report, previously circulated, was presented by the Head of Tourism and
Recreation.

Purpose of Report
The purpose of the report is to seek Council approval to initiate Stage 1 of the
Capital Project Management Process (proportional scoping, feasibility and
outline business case) for the development of new Holiday and Leisure Park
touring and motorhome facilities at Ballyreagh Road, Portrush. In addition,
approval is sought to advance a design solution for access control measures at
the Sandhill Drive motorhome facility, Portrush.

Background
The Council owns and manages 6 holiday and leisure parks, offering facilities
for static caravans, touring caravans, motorhomes, tents, wooden holiday pods,
and 1 Aire de Service facility for motorhomes. The Holiday and Leisure Parks
offer a mix of facilities catering for 940 static vans, 350 touring sites, 42 camping
sites and 23 pods.

Issues
Council Officers have been investigating opportunities to expand the provision
of both touring and motorhome facilities. In recent years the demand for
overnight facilities for motorhomes has seen a large increase and this has
created a problem for those wishing to visit the area, and with the undersupply
of sites, many motorhomes have resorted to unauthorised parking at unsuitable
locations. In the summer of 2021, the Holiday and Leisure Park team opened
both the Ballyreagh Field (See Annex A) and at a later date The Bowl,
Causeway Street Portrush, to provide a temporary facility to accommodate the
high demand for motorhome parking. This report proposes to carry out a
business case to assess the potential for an economic return and at the same
time alleviate the lack of capacity for motorhomes within the Borough.
Whilst the Portrush and Portstewart areas provide a significant number of
touring pitches (Carrick Dhu and Juniper Hill - 150), the demand outstrips supply
from the months of May to September. The proposed business case will assess
the potential for the expansion of touring site provision in addition to
motorhomes.

The Holiday and Leisure Parks team operate an Aire de Service at Sandhill
Drive Portrush which has a maximum capacity of 12 pitches. This is a popular
facility that can be used throughout the year. It currently operates under a Pay
and Display system which is often difficult to manage in terms of ‘policing’ the
payments and duration of stays. With this site being remotely managed by
Holiday and Leisure Park staff in Carrick Dhu and Juniper Hill, Officers would
like to investigate an integrated access control system to reduce the potential
for abuse of payment and unauthorised parking in the motorhome facility and
the adjacent coach and bus parking spaces.

Proposals
With regard to the potential infrastructure development at Ballyreagh Field for a
motorhome and touring facility, Officers would like to appoint an integrated
design team to complete an outline business case, outline design proposals and
cost estimates, prior to reverting to the Leisure and Development Committee for
consideration and advancement to Stage 2 of the Capital Project Management
Process.

Council Officers propose to investigate a design solution for Sandhill Drive,
Portrush, to address the access and control issues, along with unauthorised
parking and revert to the Leisure and Development Committee with a designed
and procured solution, prior to an investment decision.

Next Steps
In relation to the Ballyreagh Field proposal and subject to Elected Members
consideration, the Holiday and Leisure Park Team, in conjunction with the
Infrastructure Team will complete on Stage 1 of the Capital Project Management
Process. In addition, a design and procured solution for the access control for
Sandhill Drive will be advanced in conjunction with the Estates Team, prior to
reverting for Elected Members consideration and potential investment decision.

Recommendation
Elected Members are asked to approve:
 The advancement to Stage 1 of the Capital Project Management Process for
Ballyreagh Field touring and motorhome facility (business case, costings and
outline design).
 A design solution and procured costs for the access control for Sandhill Drive.

Committee Members welcomed the report and felt that it may help to resolve
previous problems experienced by motorhome owners and could see the long
terms benefits.

At the request of Councillor Watton the Head of Tourism and Recreation advised
that although no scoping or outline planning had taken place it was estimated
that up to 45 service sites were achievable on this site.

Proposed by Alderman Fielding
Seconded by Councillor Schenning and

AGREED - to recommend that Council approve:-
 The advancement to Stage 1 of the Capital Project Management Process
for Ballyreagh Field touring and motorhome facility (business case, costings
and outline design);
 A design solution and procured costs for the access control for Sandhill
Drive.

Members approved to advance to Stage 1 of the Capital Project Management Process for Ballyreagh Field touring and motorhome facility (business case, costings and outline design).

The item of business will go before full council next month for ratification.
Council Full Meeting takes place on Tuesday 3rd May at 7pm. .

The audio for the Meeting of Tuesday 3rd May, shows, the minutes of the L&D Committee of 13rth April were Agreed.