Lisburn City Council
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Area Regeneration
This Programme aims to regenerate a key area of Lisburn City Centre known as Lisburn Historic Quarter. In 2000 Lisburn City Council prepared a Development Strategy Outline Proposal for the Historic Quarter area of Lisburn following extensive consultation with a wide range of organisations.
Lisburn Historic Quarter, inluding Bridge Street, Castle Street, The Railway Station and Market Square, was recognised as an area of the City Centre in significant physical and therefore commercial decline. Subsequently the Lisburn Historic Quarter Partnership comprising key stakeholders from the public, private and community sectors, was established and has produced the Lisburn Historic Quarter Development Strategy providing a comprehensive framework to secure and promote the area's physical and economic regeneration.
Regeneration in Lisburn Historic Quarter will be delivered through seven key strategic themes as detailed below:
Key refurbishment schemes currently taking place include the Bridge Street Restoration Scheme, which has attracted a restoration fund of £1.5m from Lisburn City Council the Planning Service, Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the Department Social Development, International Fund for Ireland and the Heritage Lottery Fund. Managed by Lisburn City Centre Management and facilitated through the Bridge Street Partnerhsip, the project has recently secured an additional £1m of funding to undertake restoration work on the rest of the streetscape.
Restoration of Castle Gardens
The restoration of Castle Gardens, one of the City's most historical landmarks is now in the final stages of completion.
Following a succesful application to the Heritage Lottery Fund, with match funding from the Council, this £4.7 million project is one of the largest park projects in the UK to be funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
PHASE ONE saw initial archaeological investigations, site clearance and tree surgery taking place.
Archaeological excavations have begun already begun at Castle Gardens
The overall project comprised the restoration of the war memorial, the Wallace monument and the 17th century Garden Terraces in addition to replanting the Upper Gardens.
New facilities include, toilets and a Park Warden's Office and proposed children's play area. There will also be improved pathways, lighting, security measures and access to the Gardens.
An Education Programme will raise awareness, establish links with local schools and promote the heritage and history of the Gardens.
PHASE TWO
Phase 2 of Castle Gardens Restoration Project began with the Council appointing the various contrators necessary to implement the final stage of the project.
This stage encompassed the restoration of the railings and monuments in the Victorian, or upper part of the Gardens off Castle Street, along with the construction of a new Park Warden's office, public toilet and classroom at the location of the Second World War air raid shelter at the Castle Street pedestrian entrance. The air raid shelter, a heritage structure in its own right and part of the Gardens' history, has been incorporated into the new complex and thus has been saved for the future as an educational and exhibition resource.
The earlier part of the Gardens, the terraced gardens begun in the mid seventeenth century, has seen a much more radical intervention, with the crumbling terrace walls being restored along with a perron, a grand double staircase used to descend from the upper part of the Gardens to the first terrace. The terraces will, when completed, be furnished with paths and plantings appropriate to the period.
For further information on the restoration of Castle Gardens, please (External) select this link to access the Castle Gardens website.