Former Cushendall police station given new lease of life as digital employment hub

The former police station in Cushendall has been transformed into a digital employment hub as part of a major project supported by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

The police station closed its doors in 2015 and was subsequently purchased by Grow the Glens, a local community organisation who had plans to deliver much needed services for the community.

The premises has now been renovated and reimagined into a new facility known as ‘Cushendall Innovation Centre’, creating small offices, workspaces and communal areas to facilitate remote, flexible and hybrid working as well as helping new and growing businesses.  

Council provided £50,000 worth of funding to assist with the refurbishment of the building, under the Covid Recovery Small Settlements Regeneration Programme.

This programme, in partnership with the Department for Communities (DfC), Department of Agriculture Environment & Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), aims to address long-standing issues such as rural poverty, isolation and access to services in small settlements with a population of less than 5,000 people.

The Deputy Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens , Councillor Margaret-Anne McKillop said: “This new digital hub will enable residents to work locally, providing a much more flexible working arrangement. It will also attract businesses and employees from outside the area and brings a derelict building back into economic use.

“’I am very grateful to all the Departments involved in providing this funding and of course, to Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council for its financial assistance.”

Under this funding Programme, projects are also underway in the settlements of Armoy, Burnfoot, Bushmills, Dernaflaw, Dervock, Drumsurn, Dungiven, Garvagh, Gortnaghey, Greysteel, Kilrea, Magilligan, Mosside and Rasharkin to create new and enhanced facilities. These will be completed by the end of March, 2024.