³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

A private estate is to take back ownership of Portstewart Town Hall from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

The listed building was leased by the council for 60 years from the 1930s.

The lease expired and the historical landowners, the Montagu Estate, served the council with a notice to quit in 2019.

The community in Portstewart had been campaigning for the 86-year-old building to be reopened for public use.

During a special council meeting on Monday night, the mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Richard Holmes, said: "It has been a difficult matter for council, which has undergone lengthy consideration".

"While the council is progressing with the hand back of the building, the community is free to negotiate with the Montagu Estate."

The building had closed in November 2019, after structural engineers deemed it unsafe.

It remained closed during the pandemic while discussions on its ownership were ongoing.

The building previously housed the town's library, public toilets and a shared meeting space for community groups.

Mr Holmes said "preliminary work to establish the need for community space in Portstewart has already begun as proposed by council members".

"The town is also served by Flowerfield Arts Centre, the Warren and numerous other community spaces," he added.

"Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council recognises the importance of community spaces and will continue to consult with local residents and interested stakeholders about the potential future use of these as viable alternatives."