THE council is set to launch a £1m
capital grant fund for new district
hotel developments.
On Monday, the Economy, Regeneration and
Tourism Committee unanimously approved the
creation of the Tourist Accommodation
Programme, which will provide subsidy support
towards the creation of new hotels or increased
room stock in existing ones.
This will apply to new projects with a
minimum of 15 rooms or hotel expansions that
provide an additional 15 rooms.
Funding is contingent on the granting of
planning permission, and the maximum grant
total is £300,000.
Michelle Boyle – the council’s head of Tourism,
Product Development and Visitor Experience –
noted that an earlier tourist accommodation
funding call was introduced in February 2020 but
this was never progressed following the onset of
Covid.
Committee chair Mickey Ruane (Sinn Féin,
Crotlieve) said that programme was positive.
His party colleague Philip Campbell
(Downpatrick) stated that he thought it was “a
great initiative”, and asked if it will be “an
annually recurring financial assistance
programme” or “just a one-off £1m fund for a
year”.
Ms Boyle responded that council would “seek
to keep the call open”.
“The fund is £1m, so it is not limited to a year,
but again we would like to review it after 12
months to see what the demand has been,” she
said.
Willie Clarke (Sinn Féin,
Mournes) described it as “an
excellent initiative” that will “boost
our tourism numbers across the
district”, and “also boost our local
construction industry”.
“The expenditure we are putting
up – the £1m grant –will be clawed
back through the rates process, if
we get more hotels built in the
area,” he said.
“It also supports our tourism
strategy.
“If we want to increase the
number of tourists, we have to have
a spread of hotels across the
council area.”
Cllr Clarke proposed that the
creation of the fund be approved,
and this was seconded by Terry
Andrews (SDLP, Rowallane), who
described it as “very important and
very vital”.
Glyn Hanna (DUP, Mournes)
asked if a hotel seeking to improve
existing facilities was eligible, and
Ms Boyle reaffirmed that an
existing establishment would have
to add 15 new bedrooms to meet the
criteria.
Jarlath Tinnelly (Independent,
Crotlieve) asked for clarity on
whether or not drawing down
funding was subject to full planning
permission being granted, and Ms
Boyle confirmed this was the case.
The committee unanimously
endorsed Cllr Clarke’s proposal and
this will be tabled for
rubberstamping at May’s full
council meeting.
