Upgrades are set to be rolled out in the County Antrim village of Glenarm.

Over £2.6 million has been pledged to deliver improvements at a number of villages across Mid and East Antrim.

Improvements will be delivered to the existing village toilet facilities in Glenarm with funding through the Covid-19 Recovery Small Settlements Regeneration Programme.

Funded by the Department for Communities (DfC), Department for Infrastructure (DfI) and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the Programme will help deliver measures that provide a safer and more welcoming environment for residents and visitors to our villages and small settlements.

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Noel Williams, said: "I am delighted that Council has been able to secure over £2.4m in external funding and 10% match-funding to deliver a number of exciting projects to enhance several of our villages and small settlements and to help their economic recovery following the global pandemic.

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"Our villages are a huge part of our Borough's identity and are at the very heart of our local communities. This investment by DfC, DfI and DAERA is well-deserved recognition of the critical role our villages play in the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of this Borough."

The upgraded facility at Glenarm will include toilet facilities, baby changing, a Changing Places standard toilet facility and an outdoor shower, reflecting the complex needs of some of our residents and visitors as well as the growing popularity of water sports, such as wild swimming, stand up paddle-boarding and kayaking in the area.

The upgrading of the current disabled toilet provision to provide a Changing Places facility at this location (along with new Changing Places facilities coming to Larne Town Park this year) will bring the total number of Council-run Changing Places facilities to five, with Changing Places facilities already located at People’s Park, Ballymena, Carnfunnock Country Park and Larne Leisure Centre.

The enhanced toilet facilities will compliment other investment in the Glenarm area as part of the delivery of the village masterplan by contributing to the creation of a high quality and sympathetic promenade area at the harbour.

Construction work is set to take around 16 weeks, with works due to commence week commencing Monday 13 February. Local firm, Springwell Contracts Ltd. has been appointed to deliver this project.