Council land for sale for over £1 million

Map of plots of land for sale with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

The proposed sale of three pieces of council land outside Larne worth £1 million was on the agenda for a closed meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council at The Braid in Ballymena on Monday evening (July 22).

The rural sites are Old Glenarm Road, Brustin Brae Road/Ballytober Road and Brustin Brae Road/Old Glenarm Road. The Brustin Brae Road/Old Glenarm Road site is the largest at 72 acres.

Overall, the “great agricultural land”which is for sale at £1,125,000, covers a total of 115 acres.

Meanwhile, it looks set to go ahead with the proposed sale of the council-owned Smiley Buildings, the local authority’s administrative headquarters on Victoria Road in Larne, which was also discussed by members at the meeting.

The local authority has sold a number of assets as it faces a £7.2 million deficit in finance and is trying to address the problem. “tense financial position”.

Smiley Buildings is for sale for £350k. Previously the city’s main local authority building was a convalescent home.

Councillors approved the sale during an asset review after being reminded that “seriousness of the current financial situation” and to move some staff to the Sir Thomas Dixon Building opposite and the Registrar’s Office and reception services to the Market House in Larne Market Yard.

Larne Market Yard, which was refurbished by the council for £1.4 million, was a site for the distribution of vaccinations by GP surgeries during the Covid pandemic.