• Important Notice
  • A yellow weather warning for RAIN has been issued from 7am on Thursday 28 March to 3am on Friday 29 March.
  • Important Notice
  • There may be changes to Council services over the Bank Holiday period, including bin collections.
  • Accessibility Options
  •  

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Logo

26/01/2023

£2.3 million funding announcement for Belfast International Airport

Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Alderman Stephen Ross has visited Belfast International Airport to congratulate Managing Director Graham Keddie and his team on their recent £2.3M Levelling Up Funding success.

Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Alderman Stephen Ross has visited Belfast International Airport to congratulate Managing Director Graham Keddie and his team on their recent £2.3M Levelling Up Funding success.

Belfast International Airport was named as one of ten Northern Ireland projects to secure funding in the second round of the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The £4.8 billion fund is designed to invest in infrastructure that improves everyday life across the UK, and will  support town centre and high street regeneration, local transport projects, and cultural and heritage assets.

Belfast International Airport will now benefit from the roll out of 2 new electric buses, LED lighting and fixed electrical ground power through this financial support, which will help the owners VINCI Airports’ to achieve their goal of Net Zero carbon emissions by 2030 across their network of airports.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council worked closely with the Airport to support their bid for funding, providing £10,125 towards the cost of developing a detailed submission along with an accompanying letter of support.

Alderman Ross said;

“I am thrilled that Belfast International were successful in their bid for Levelling Up Funding. This £2.3 million is a great boost for the Airport and the Borough as a whole. It is crucial that these changes are made now to achieve the owner’s objectives of Net Zero carbon emissions by 2030.  The Council also has a very strong focus on climate change and we have developed our own action plan to significantly reduce emissions by 2030 and protect our Borough from the effects of climate change.”

Managing Director Graham Keddie added:

“I would like to thank the Council and all locally elected representatives who backed our bid and we look forward to moving ahead with the roll out of our carbon cutting initiatives.”

In addition to the Airport’s award, Ulster Rugby is also set to receive £5.1M from the Levelling Up Fund which will be allocated to the Ulster’s Club Capital Improvement Project. Twenty nine clubs will benefit from this funding and will include Ophir, Ballyclare and Randalstown Rugby Clubs from our Borough.

Following the Council’s success under Phase 1 of the Levelling Up Fund when it secured £5.1M for regeneration projects in Antrim and Glengormley (£1.2M for Antrim and £3.9M for Glengormley) the total investment attracted to the Borough will now exceed £8M.

For more information on the Levelling Up Fund please see https://www.gov.uk/government/news/landmark-levelling-up-fund-to-spark-transformational-change-across-the-uk