A fire at a disused fish factory in Glenarm was the result of vandalism, Mid and East Antrim councillors have been told.
Members of the council’s Borough Growth Committee were told at a meeting this week that youths had been involved.
The building at the shorefront has since been demolished.
The fire at the New Road premises broke out on November 29 and was attended by crews from Carnlough, Larne and Belfast.
At the time, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service said that cause of the blaze was believed to have been “deliberate” and councillors had reported a rise in anti-social behaviour and vandalism during the first lockdown.
The site of the disused factory is a key component of redevelopment plans outlined by the council in June last year.
An officer’s report to the committee on Monday evening said that the “regeneration of Glenarm continues to be progressed as a key strategic priority for council” with a focus on “rural and sustainable tourism”.
The report indicated that there is a focus on “tourism-led regeneration which aims to establish Glenarm as “a unique visitor experience”.
Coast Road Ulster Unionist Councillor Maureen Morrow commented at the meeting: “I feel we need to do something to make better provision for visitors coming into the village through the marina.
“We need to look at having extra showers, toilets and a larger laundry room”.
A new four-star hotel and whiskey distillery are part of regeneration plans for Glenarm.
A state-of-the-art visitor experience and community hub are further elements of development proposals for the coastal village further to the sale of the council-owned former quarry, fish factory and Eglinton yard sites.
