Radical shake-up of parking in Coleraine planned

Market Yard to be turned into a car park while Terrace Row to become fee-paying

Market Yard has been out of use since 1986  and a Council committee has proposed turning the area into a car park.  In what would be a radical change to parking in Coleraine, the currently free Terrace Row would become fee paying.

The Environmental Services Committee of Causeway Coast and Glens Council have suggested using the Market Yard as both a car park and an events space and while they may be considering charging for Terrace Row, they have suggested making Waterside car park free to use.

Councillor William McCandless is one of those in favour of the plans

Councillor William McCandless was one of those to welcome the proposals, pointing that the Market Yard has been out of use for 30 years.  "There were various attempts to put a museum in there" said Cllr. McCandless "I want to look at it with a view to what we can do for the future".

The Market has been mostly out of action since 1986

The proposal put in place was one of five suggestions debated by the committee, with Cllr. McCandless seeing it as only the start of the Market Yard's potential.  "The Car Park would just be a start of it" said the Councillor "I'd like to see the Market Yard used as a rival to St George's Market in Belfast"

The Councillor added that the North Coast's high level of artisan foods and crafts could add help make the Market Yard a genuinely impressive addition to Coleraine's town centre.