By Violet Brown
AFTER a decades-long campaign to save Kircubbin harbour, Ards and North Down Council has confirmed it will not throw a lifeline to preserve the historic landmark for the community.
The integrity of the structure has been constantly undermined by the waves and weather and the depth of decay doubled when Storm Bram wreaked havoc on it last month.
Kircubbin and District Community Association worked tirelessly for many years to secure the future of the harbour and actively seek a solution to the continued deterioration of the structure. It had been estimated it could take around £245,000 to repair and restore the structure and it was hoped the council would take over ownership of the harbour. It was believed they could externally source 100% of the funding needed to restore the pier without putting an additional burden on ratepayers.
A deputation from the community association made a case to the council in June 2024. Then the council took almost a year to agree on specifications before a full and detailed structural engineering survey could be commissioned. This £12,000 survey was paid for by Kircubbin Regeneration Programme, and was delivered to the council in September.
The item was discussed by the local authority behind closed doors in December, and earlier this week officials confirmed they would not be taking over the harbour.
“The council has recently reviewed a structural engineer’s report completed during the summer of 2025 that detailed the indicative necessary repairs and the associated costs to complete the works,” a council spokeswoman said.
“The council subsequently agreed in December 2025 not to purchase the harbour from the private landowner in the absence of any operational or strategic use of the harbour by the council.”
Brian Bailie, chair of Kircubbin and District Community Association, said Kircubbin has the only feasible harbour location on the west coast of the Ards peninsula, with deep water and safe navigation channels.
“Centrally located on the shores of the largest marine nature reserve in the country, it feels short-sighted for a council committed to increasing leisure and tourism to refuse to help save an asset with such obvious potential,” he said.
Accusing the council of moving with ‘glacial speed’ since June 2024 when a deputation from association met with officials, Mr Bailie said Kircubbin Regeneration Programme paid £12,000 for a detailed structural engineering survey and another £12,000 just before Christmas for emergency work to protect the A20 from being undermined by wave action at the foot of the harbour.
“The community of Kircubbin and the Upper Ards is naturally very disappointed by the council decision not to acquire this key landmark,” said Mr Bailie.
“Compared to Donaghadee Moat, which cost £300,000 to restore, and is essentially just a big ornament, Kircubbin harbour with a lower restoration estimate, is a valuable functioning harbour facility with obvious potential once restored to increase leisure and tourism activity in the area.
“Kircubbin is situated between the key tourist hotspots of Mount Stewart and Exploris Aquarium: the potential of a restored harbour should be obvious to council.” Mr Bailie said the council decision ‘feels very short- sighted’, given the potential for 100% of necessary restoration funding to be sourced externally.
“Despite being the driving force behind the campaign to save Kircubbin harbour, Kircubbin and District Community Association is still waiting to hear confirmation from council in respect to their decision,” he added. Peninsula councillor Joe Boyle said he had worked with the Kircubbin harbour working group.
“As a working group they were so committed to achieving a resolution to this community and wider issue said.of concern and therefore there is deep disappointment at this decision”, he said.
