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| Quality of Life |
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Larne is the starting point of the world-famous Antrim Coast Road
with its 36 miles of spectacular limestone coastline including
two of the fabled nine Glens of Antrim. Two-thirds of the
borough is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Garron Tower estate, a former residence of Sir Winston Churchill,
sits on a prominent site overlooking the approaches to Belfast
Lough.
Extensive and recently improved leisure facilities and the
dramatic countryside and coastline cater for most sporting
activities including swimming, sailing, horse-riding and golf. In
July 2004, the first phase of Larne Leisure Park is due to open
which will include a Digger Park, the first of it's kind in
Northern Ireland, an Adventure Play area, Bowling Alley and
Cafeteria. Further attractions are planned for the site in the
future.
Larne is considered to be outside the Belfast 'house price
boom' area but inside Belfast's travel-to-work area. In recent
years, new high quality private housing starts have been above the
Northern Ireland average. Travel time to Belfast is only around
thirty minutes (excluding rush hour) and compares favourably with
other towns within the Belfast travel-to-work region.
Retail is growing with a new retail park of over 3,500
square metres of lettable space completed in 2004. The new park
has already attracted prestigious businesses such as Lidl and
Argos. The Town Centre has benefited from the refurbishment of
Broadway including the opening of the new T.F. Woodside store in
2003. |
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