Bushmills Park and Ride Expansion Submitted for Council Approval

A planning application has been submitted to Causeway Coast & Glens Council proposing an extension to the approved park-and-ride facility at Dunluce Road in Bushmills – a scheme that, while already granted, has yet to be built.

Seymour Sweeney lodged the proposal to enhance the service offered to visitors to Bushmills, the Giant's Causeway, and the surrounding attractions including Dunluce Castle and Royal Portrush Golf Club.

The extension is set to add 227 new parking spaces to the current Phase 1 development. Originally designed to provide 177 spaces, the necessity of an access route through the first phase is expected to reduce its capacity slightly to 168, resulting in a total of around 395 parking spaces.

The site is strategically located just to the west of Bushmills, directly opposite the all-weather pitch of Dunluce School, with a convenient footpath linking it to the village centre.

A key element of the application is that it seeks to extend an already approved facility – the original park-and-ride planning permission was granted in 2019 under reference LA01/2018/0078/F, renewed under LA01/2024/0108/F, and is valid until 2029.

The planning statement highlights that the expansion will alleviate parking pressures at the World Heritage Site and within Bushmills itself. By easing these constraints, the development is expected to benefit both local residents and visitors, ensuring smoother access to the area's popular attractions while meeting the requirements of PPS3.

The council is now set to review the application.