Northern Ireland council overturns planners’ verdict and backs £45m retirement village

Northern Ireland’s first retirement village can go ahead in Carrickfergus, the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council planning committee has said.And three major applications to redevelop the former St Patrick’s Barracks in Ballymena have also been given the go-ahead.Councillors on the Co Antrim local authority overturned a recommendation by planning officials to refuse the £45m retirement village, which Kilmona Properties said will create 300 jobs during the construction phase.The firm is headed by high-profile Belfast developer Paddy Kearney. Set on a 42 acre site on the Belfast Road, the plans include 321 new residential units, a medical centre, nursing home, spa, wellbeing centre and retail units.The residential units will be split between housing and apartments, with part of the site developed into parkland which will incorporate walking trails.Kilmona said up to 100 permanent jobs could be created.