Plans to grant planning permission for the development of Queen's Parade in Bangor are set to move forward.

Bangor Marine will take on the key town centre regeneration project after Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon confirmed she will not be 'calling in' the planning application.

Welcoming the confirmation from the Minister, Councillor Mark Brooks, Mayor of Ards and North Down said: "I am absolutely delighted that Minister Mallon has ended this long-running impasse. Finally we have the green light for the Queen's Parade development to proceed.

"I know there will be a collective cheer across the town tonight as so many have been eagerly awaiting this positive news. I would like to thank all the residents and businesses that have taken time over recent weeks to write to the Minister to lobby for this decision – community action has paid fantastic dividends. 

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"We have inevitably lost some momentum on the project over this last year as we waited for this decision, but I know the developers, Bangor Marine, have the team in place to get things moving again. All partners are committed to making progress on this exciting development as quickly as possible to deliver for Bangor and our wider borough. 

"The Queen's Parade development, combined with the Council's own plans to regenerate Bangor Waterfront, offers the potential for more than £110m of investment to come into the town over the next ten years, delivering new attractions, accommodations and commercial opportunities. There is every reason to look forward with hope and excitement."

Aran Blackbourne of Bangor Marine added: "We welcome the Minister's decision today to return the Queen's Parade planning application to Ards and North Down Borough Council for sign off, following a year long delay. We now await receipt of the green form so that we can reignite momentum and finalise our detailed designs. There is a lot of work to do before we can begin construction but we are one step closer to bringing our vision of a rejuvenated waterfront to life. We appreciate the support from the local community and elected representatives in driving forward this decision as part of a recent campaign. We remain committed to Bangor and to the successful delivery of this sustainable scheme."