Business

New restaurant and apartment plan approved for Portrush

The site on Portrush's Main Street, set to be redeveloped.
The site on Portrush's Main Street, set to be redeveloped. The site on Portrush's Main Street, set to be redeveloped.

A PROPOSAL to develop a new restaurant and apartments close to Portrush’s Arcadia site has been approved.

The project will see the demolition of a number of buildings at 4-10 Main Street in the resort town, replaced with four new apartments and a restaurant.

Tony and Valerie Watson, who own a series of optometry businesses across the north coast, are behind the proposal.

Speaking to the Irish News, Valerie Watson welcomed the progress, but she revealed that lengthy delays with the planning process resulted in the loss of a substantial regeneration grant.

The urban regeneration funding had been earmarked to encourage businesses in Portrush to invest in redevelopment ahead of 2019 British Open in the town.

Ms Watson said despite the fact the building doesn’t have listed status and had been designed to complement the nearby landmark Arcadia building, she said the process faced months of delays.

The council’s planning committee granted the application on Wednesday,

Ms Watson said the delays and the loss of the grant support meant the construction project is not ready to commence imminently.

However she said they remain committed to the project.

The investors anticipate that around 12 jobs will eventually be created by the new restaurant venture, which will be leased to a third party operator.

She confirmed that Watsons will relocate its Portush opticians practice to elsewhere in the town, once work commences.