Over £1.3m is to be spent upgrading facilities at a Co Antrim seaside park.

Newtownabbey Borough Council has committed just over half (£672,658) of the total cost involved to improve Loughshore Park in Jordanstown, and the surrounded area, the Newtownabbey Times reported this week.

The Northern Ireland Tourist Board provided the remaining £669,358 to fund the project.

Members of the Council's Development Committee agreed to accept the grant offer from the Tourist Board, having previously approved their portion of the funding package.

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Proposals for the park include upgrading the existing caravan park to a three-star grading by providing additional pitches and improved amenities.

A bandstand and works of public art are also reportedly being considered as part of the plan.

Jacqui Dixon, the Council's Director of Development Services told the weekly newspaper: "Jordanstown Loughshore Park is one of our best loved parks and is an important location on the Causeway Coastal Route. These improvements will be of benefit to both local residents and visitors too."

Contractors are to be arranged for the building work with the scheme scheduled to start in October this year, with completion expected by February 2011.

(NS/BMcC)