Could Council-Owned Benone Holiday and Leisure Park Be Sold Amid Financial Losses?

A committee report has concluded that the council-owned Benone Holiday and Leisure Park should be listed for sale.

The park features 95 touring pitches with electricity, 33 of which are ‘super pitches’; Six glamping lodges; Four camping pitches with electric hook-up,  "Waves Bistro", which offers food and beverages.

The Benone Centre offers local visitor information and stocks a range of local tourism literature and a variety of Morelli's ice-creams and beach accessories;  A 9-hole par three golf course, driving range, crazy golf and a putting green; Onsite shower and toilet block; Laundry facilities for washing and drying; Cooking/ BBQ facilities; Tennis courts; Outdoor activities area;  Indoor games room; Events in July and August; and Outdoor heated splash pools.

During 2022, Benone received 3,361 bookings. The majority (89%) of bookings are derived from UK-based customers.

As part of a review of the council's leisure park portfolio, consultants were tasked with creating a strategic outline case (SOC) for Benone.

The site was selected for evaluation due to its financial losses. 

The SOC identified a number of options for achieving business needs, potential scope and service requirements .

Those were: 

1. Close the facility.

2. Business as Usual – Essentially maintain the Status Quo position. Likely to continue to make losses (perhaps increasingly so) on an annual basis;

3.  A Council-financed capital project to bring the facilities up to modern, commercially viable standard, maximise revenue income and reduce operational cost to a minimum (perhaps through the introduction of static caravan provision, but considerable cost anticipated). Considered to be difficult to achieve in the near-medium term given restrictions on Council’s capital budget. 

4. Release the site to the open market under a ‘development brief’, limiting future use to tourism related (albeit planning policy and environmental designations may influence this to a great extent in any circumstance); 

5. Release the site to the open market through disposal.

The report went onto say - The SOC makes the recommendation that at this stage the preferred way forward is to release the site to the open market via a development brief.

The primary purpose of the Development Brief is to transfer the risk and liabilities of this under performing Council operated facility via a development opportunity. In doing so return the site to viable and sustainable economic use with an appropriate tourism / leisure redevelopment scheme in accordance with the Area Plan and that supports job creation and economic development within a satisfactory timeframe.

The report, presented behind closed doors at the Leisure and Development Committee meeting earlier this month, highlights the park's location in the Binevenagh Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its four-star rating.

Alderman Callan said that he welcomed this matter being brought for consideration which required key investment and Alderman Scott referred to the high running costs incurred of this facility.

Committee members agreed to endorse the Benone Holiday and Leisure complex SOC findings and move forward to stakeholder consultation.