By Ryan Sands
THE former Ardnabannon Outdoor Education Centre (OEC) could soon be transformed into a hotel and wedding venue.
A PAD (pre-application discussion) submission – which allows potential applicants to discuss plans with planners prior to lodging a full application – for the B1 listed Annsborough building was recently submitted to the council.
The full proposal being discussed is for the “restoration and refurbishment of Ardnabannon House, grounds and outbuildings to form a new hotel and wedding venue, with additional ancillary tourist facilities,” though local authority documentation on the PAD does not provide applicant details.
In August 2020, local charity MYMY (Mind Your Mate and Yourself) unveiled a proposal to transform the disused facility into a mental health and wellbeing hub. However, in November that year, then Education Minister Peter Weir confirmed in correspondence sent to council that the Ardnabannon Road premises “should be disposed of on the open market to realise the best return,” citing that confirmation that “MYMY had funding available to complete the purchase” had not been provided.
He highlighted that, at that point, the Education Authority was “spending £43,792.76 per year on rates for the vacant asset” and that “income from the disposal of surplus assets is reinvested in the education estate to improve facilities for pupils.”
In March 2022, MYMY conceded defeat on its plans to transform Ardnabannon House. The initial projected cost for completing its proposal was £1.5 million, though by the end of January 2022, this had more than doubled to £3.25 million, with the building’s fabric having suffered since it was last occupied in 2017.
The 15.7-acre site went on the market in July 2022 with a guide price of £600,000 with estate agents Lisney confirming the following year that it had been sold.
Read the full story in the current issue of the Mourne Observer.
