St Patrick's Regeneration

Background

The St Patrick's site occupies approximately 15 hectares of land close to Ballymena town centre. Following the closure of the former military barracks in 2007, the site was declared surplus by the Ministry of Defence and subsequently transferred to the Northern Ireland Executive and then purchased by DfC.

The Department for Communities is overseeing the delivery of a housing-led regeneration programme in partnership with a number of key public sector stakeholders.

Development plan

The Development Plan for the site is the roadmap for the flagship, shared, mixed use, housing-led regeneration scheme. The plan includes:

• residential homes;
• an Integrated Industrial Inspiration and Innovation Campus (i4c);
• a leisure and wellbeing centre;
• a new civic space;
• links with the new neighbouring Northern Regional College campus;
• a new PSNI station;
• along with the provision of car parking, road infrastructure and foot and cycle paths.

As well as obtaining planning approval for the preferred development plan for the site, the Department also gained approval for new road infrastructure.

Governance

The public sector stakeholders working with the Department to develop the site are Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Northern Regional College and the PSNI. Radius Housing was appointed by DfC Housing to take forward the shared housing scheme on the site. These parties are represented on a Programme Board for the site’s development, which is led by the Department and meet on a regular basis.

Stakeholders are working in partnership to maximise social value benefits for the surrounding community, aligned to three key themes of

• jobs and economic growth;
• health, wellbeing and the environment; and
• strength of community.

Current position

Significant progress has been achieved across the St Patrick’s regeneration programme.

The Department has completed the demolition of the former barracks buildings and the extensive remediation works to prepare the site for developments.

The £7.5 million St Patrick's Link Road, funded by the Department for Communities (DfC) and delivered by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), was completed in June 2023 and has opened up the site for development, enabling the delivery of major investment projects. The road connects the Larne Link Road to the Broughshane Road and includes improved walking and cycling infrastructure, enhanced access to ECOS Nature Park, and extensive landscaping. Around 280 semi mature trees and 14,000 sq metres of shrub and hedging have been planted as part of the scheme. 

Major regeneration projects are now visible across the site, with the completion of the residential neighbourhood and the opening of the new Northern Regional College campus. Further development is progressing through Council-led projects and plans for a new PSNI station.

View footage of the construction of the new road:

Radius Housing

Radius Housing was appointed to deliver the residential element of the regeneration masterplan, providing a high quality, mixed tenure/shared future housing development that supports shared living and helps to address local housing need.

The development comprises 135 homes, including social housing and affordable homes, representing an investment of approximately £26 million.

Construction of the housing scheme has now been completed and homes have been allocated to residents. The development has created a new residential community at the heart of the wider regeneration programme and marks a major milestone in the transformation of the former barracks.

For further information visit the radius housing website

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council are another key partner in delivering the regeneration outcomes for the site and plan to deliver three major elements of the programme:

• i4C Innovation and Cleantech Centre
• new leisure centre
• new central civic space

i4C Innovation and Cleantech Centre

The i4C Innovation and Cleantech Centre is being delivered through the Belfast Region City Deal. The £23.5 million facility will provide:

• flexible office accommodation
• laboratory and workshop space
• enterprise and innovation support services
• an iLAB makerspace
• skills development and training facilities

The centre will support key sectors, such as advanced manufacturing and agri-food. It will also have a focus on developing supports in clean technology as the economy moves towards zero carbon.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council (MEABC) is currently undertaking a public consultation on the i4C proposals, providing an opportunity for residents and stakeholders to review the plans and submit feedback. Subject to final programme timelines, a planning application is expected to be submitted following completion of the consultation process.

Further information on the i4C proposals can be viewed online. 

New leisure centre

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council are planning for the construction of a new leisure centre at St Patrick’s Barracks which will replace the Seven Towers leisure centre upon completion. This facility will consist of a 25 metre pool, learner pool, 4 court sports hall, café, gym, spin studios, clip and climb, soft play area and spa facility. Planning approval has been secured for the development, and the Council is currently exploring funding options to support its delivery.

Community Connections space

As part of the wider St Patrick's Regeneration Programme, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has submitted a planning application for the Community Connections project. Key elements of the proposal include a new sensory garden and the restoration and enhancement of the historic Clock Tower setting, creating an attractive and accessible space for residents and visitors to enjoy. The plans also incorporate high-quality landscaping, seating areas, interpretation features and improved pedestrian connectivity within the site, helping to strengthen links between the town centre, the regeneration site and surrounding amenities.

For further information on the MEABC projects for St Patrick’s please visit the MEABC website.

Northern Regional College

Farm Lodge Campus redevelopment

View the virtual fly through on Youtube.

Northern Regional College has completed its £45 million capital investment project, delivering a new state of the art campus on its current site in Farm Lodge, Ballymena. The project is situated beside the wider St Patrick’s site and will have strong links to the neighbouring projects.

This campus officially opened to students for the 2025/26 academic year in September 2025, and represents one of the most significant educational investments in the region. The16,800 m2 facility has brought together teaching and learning activity previously spread across three locations into a single purpose-built campus adjacent to the wider St Patrick's regeneration site.

Facilities include:

• advanced technology workshops
• CAD teaching and support facilities
• innovation and collaboration spaces
• flexible learning environments
• conference and event facilities

The new campus strengthens the connection between education, skills development and economic growth, supporting learners, employers and industry across the region.

For further information visit the Northern Regional College website

PSNI

New police station

The PSNI plans to develop a new police station to replace the current Galgorm Road buildings on the south eastern portion of the St Patrick’s site. The new station will be delivered in line with the wider PSNI transformation and modernisation plans. The new station will be a modern and flexible facility, with a softer appearance similar to other public buildings on the site.

For further information please visit the PSNI website.

Updates

The Department for Communities will continue to issue e-newsletters to provide updates on progress at the site moving through delivery.

• September 2025 edition
• February 2025 edition
• March 2024 edition
• August 2023 edition
• October 2022 edition
• May 2022 edition

To sign up to receive these, please email StPatricksSite@communities-ni.gov.uk