Note of caution as Whitehead gets the masterplan treatment

A DRAFT blueprint to breath new life into the Whitehead economy over the next decade has gone on display this week.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Oct 2010, 13:48 BST
Updated 12th Oct 2010, 21:00 BST

The proposed masterplan document will be the focal point of a public consultation evening on Wednesday 20 October in the Community Centre.

The aim of the initiative is to identify a range of potential projects for improvement in the seaside town.

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It has been commissioned by GROW South Antrim through Carrickfergus Borough Council and is being developed by The Paul Hogarth Company, with guidance of a steering group of local stakeholders.

Consultants are facilitating the open evening to discuss the proposals and are keen to hear the views of residents.

Encouraging local people to take part, Alderman David Hilditch, who has played a prominent role in the Carrickfergus Masterplan process, described Whitehead as a “hidden treasure”.

“Whitehead has a lot of potential and obvious attractions such as Blackhead Path, the promenade and the railway heritage link. In reference to the latter I am attending a meeting on 29 October at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment along with representatives of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland.

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“I am also aware of interest from Yorkshire to include Whitehead on coach tours to Northern Ireland, again because of the railway heritage.”

However, Mr Hilditch cautioned against raising expectations too highly in the current economic climate.

A similar note is sounded by the document’s authors: “As we are all very much aware, Northern Ireland is in the midst of a major recession, resulting (continued 8) (from one) in spending cutbacks in both the public and private sectors. Funding for future projects will therefore be limited. It is therefore vitally important for villages such as Whitehead to plan for the future, so to ensure their own social, physical and economic sustainability.

“Once finalised, each of the projects identified in this plan will be subject to a process of costing, prioritisation and phasing.”

The Draft Village plans will be on display for a four-week period until Friday 5 November at Whitehead Library and online at www.carrickfergus.org