Business

Kilmona progress bid to redevelop Kingfisher Country Estate in Templepatrick

Visual produced by Kilmona during the consultation phase of its plans to redevelop its new Hilton hotel in Templepatrick.
Visual produced by Kilmona during the consultation phase of its plans to redevelop its new Hilton hotel in Templepatrick. Visual produced by Kilmona during the consultation phase of its plans to redevelop its new Hilton hotel in Templepatrick.

THE Kilmona group has progressed its bid to redevelop the Hilton Hotel in Templepatrick into what will soon become the Kingfisher Country Estate.

Paddy Kearney’s hospitality subsidiary Loughview Leisure bought the Co Antrim resort, which includes a 220-acre golf course and estate, in August 2021.

Following a pre-application process, the developer has now formally submitted a full planning application to develop an additional 60 hotel suites, 44 lodges and 44 apartments on the site.

Kilmona’s plans, estimated to represent an investment in the region of £10 million, will see the venue adopt Hilton’s premier DoubleTree brand, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland.

But the entire hotel and entire resort is set to be renamed, with the new Kingfisher Country Estate expected to be unveiled in September.

In an initial programme of work, Kilmona is refurbishing the existing 129 guestrooms ahead of the relaunch.

But the longer term plans involve a much more extensive redevelopment, which subject to planning approval, will see Loughview build an extension to the existing hotel building and develop two new apartment blocks.

A new function room, rooftop spa, conservatory extension and shepherds huts/log cabins also feature in the extensive proposal, alongside ‘associated countryside estate outdoor activities’.

Lougview Leisure's hotel portfolio includes Ten Square in Belfast, Chimney Corner Hotel in Mallusk and the Loughshore Hotel in Carrickfergus.

Its latest set of account show the group took a significant hit during the first year of the pandemic, with turnover falling from £8.3m to just £1.6m in the 12 months to June 30 2021.

The report revealed Loughview Leisure has since entered into a government contract to lease two of its hotels for asylum seekers, “which has resulted in 100 per cent occupancy”.

As a result, both the Loughshore and Chimney Corner hotels are fully booked for the rest of 2022.

The group has also launched plans to develop a 146-bed hotel at its Centre House office building on Belfast's Chichester Street.