Making the most of our assets
Dr Theresa Donaldson, Chief Executive of Craigavon Borough Council, outlines its vision for the Borough and looks at strengths and future development opportunities for the Craigavon area.
The vision for the future of the Craigavon area is outlined in the council’s four-year corporate plan which was approved at the start of 2012. The vision was the result of a long-term process involving elected members, staff and consultation with key stakeholders and the wider public.
Our corporate themes for the next three years are:
• Customer focus;
• Growing the economy;
• Open and effective leadership;
• Enhancing the quality of life; and
• Protecting and enhancing the environment.
One of the most important capital projects in the plan is the development of a £25 million new leisure facility built around the shores of the lake adjacent to the Civic Centre. This will complement the adjacent, and highly successful, Rushmere and Highfield developments which have plans for expansion. The potential for a hotel development around the lakeside also exists and the plan will provide a really special development that will meet the leisure needs of the area for the next 40 years.
Another important project is the SPACE (Shared Process and Community Engagement) project in Portadown, which will bring greater and shared use to an area which is known as the ‘People’s Park’ which straddles the Garvaghy Road, Obins Street, Park Road and Portadown town centre. We have just received nearly £6 million in EU funding to rejuvenate the park and put in high quality facilities for the Borough and beyond. This project will transform an area of Portadown which is in need of further regeneration. With the train station renovation and the new Asda store on the old gasworks site, Portadown is already looking much better and we also plan public realm works, including public art.
Supporting local business
In addition to these two capital projects, we are working with the business community and town centres to continue the regeneration work we have already started. We are also working very closely with Invest NI in sourcing any funding for programmes for our business leaders and to ensure we are giving our businesses every opportunity to grow and develop in what is a very competitive environment. The Council works on a number of specific programmes with Invest NI and the Department for Social Development, including Revitalisation and Meanwhile Space projects. We work closely with our chambers of commerce in Lurgan and Portadown, and support initiatives such as Lurgan Forward and Portadown 2000. Council officers work with business leaders to provide tangible support and also link them in with funding opportunities. We make sure that whatever we do is in partnership with the local business community. The Council also works with the chambers to market the towns with campaigns: not just for Christmas but throughout the year.
The Council also supports a wide range of free events and festivals for the Borough such as the annual Halloween Extravaganza, the Lurgan 400 celebrations as well as a number of key town centre and Christmas events. Future events include Portadown 400, marking its 400th anniversary, and the Goodlife Festival 2013 as well as a varied programme of events at the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre.
Integrated development
Craigavon has three town centres and it can be a challenge to ensure that we are even-handed but also to encourage the three centres to see themselves as one Craigavon. Our approach has worked well in terms of drawing down funding as one larger area with a population of 93,000. The Craigavon Integrated Development Project, which includes our MP and 6 MLAs, sets out the plans we have for the whole Borough and the different regeneration projects for Lurgan, Portadown and Craigavon Centre.
In addition to the town centres the area has a number of large businesses including Almac, Moy Park and Hyster.
We are considering the potential for a life sciences centre and will be hosting a Life Sciences conference in spring 2013, which will look at opportunities for clustering and the anticipated growth of smaller businesses from that. The conference will be organised in conjunction with Invest NI and the Southern Health and Social Care Trust.
Craigavon’s offering
Craigavon is an area with hidden assets. It has a beautiful environment with the Lough Neagh conservation area. The visitors’ centre at Oxford Island gives access to Lough Neagh, which has huge potential for tourism, and we also have the opportunity to leverage the history of the area. In addition to the historic town centres of Lurgan and Portadown, we host the Quaker Archive which has enormous international interest. For tourism, the Borough has a very strong heritage offering and is being developed through projects such as the SEUPB-funded development of the Old Town Quay in Portadown.
In terms of location, Craigavon has real strengths; just off the M1, with lakeside green space, land for business and investment, high speed internet access and three town centres offering excellent shopping and leisure facilities. In an Irish News poll of towns outside Belfast carried out last year, Craigavon scored highest. Towns were assessed according to their transport, education, health and business attributes. The newspaper made the point that Craigavon was perhaps a surprise winner but it deserved to win as it was designed to be accessible and that access is now paying off.
In addition, our public services complement the development of the Borough’s private sector and community. The Dickson Plan has served the area well in education, Craigavon Area Hospital is well-regarded and Marlborough House acts as a base for a cluster of other public sector agencies.
Taken together, Craigavon has an excellent economic infrastructure and stands ready for more investment and growth as businesses and others take up the opportunities on offer across the Borough.
