Statement

POLL RESULT SHOWS NEED TO MOVE AHEAD ON QUEENS PARADE 

Posted on: November 30, 2009

“The results of the Ultimate Ulster poll on UTV that showed that the current state of Queens Parade was voted as number one eyesore in Northern Ireland, while obviously a civic disappointment, did not come as a great surprise. While Bangor was voted the more desireable place to live in Northern Ireland in the same programme, there is no doubt that the current state of Queens Parade is a blight on our landscape. What this poll confirms is not simply the concerns of people in North Down, but also the wider feelings of many people throughout Northern Ireland. The current state of this part of Bangor is clearly not only damaging the town’s reputation throughout Northern Ireland, but clearly damaging both trade and tourism. 

The results of this survey re-enforce the need for action. While I appreciate that the Marine Gardens project is not perfect, it at least offers a practical way forward which will end this blight on our landscape. I understand some people’s concerns, and where practical the developers should be willing to be accommodating, but it is clear that the proposal is not only the only one on the table, but the only likely proposal for the foreseeable future. It is vital that this window of opportunity is grasped. This is one league table that we should be happy to slide down in years to come.”