Plans to create a nature reserve at Traád Point, on the north-west shore of Lough Neagh, have moved nearer to reality after Mid Ulster District Council lodged an application to demolish an unused limnology building and erect a new community facility.
What the application includes
The council’s submission proposes the removal of the former freshwater laboratories building and the construction of a single-storey environmental education and community centre. Associated works would include car parking provision, footpath reinstatement and minor access alterations off Point Road.
- Demolition of redundant field studies/limnology building
- Construction of single-storey environmental education and community facility
- Associated car parking and footpath reinstatement
- Minor access works from Point Road
Local campaigner Thomas McElhone, who has led efforts to protect and develop Traád for community use, emphasised the site’s social and cultural history.
“For generations, it has been the heart of the local community. At one time, 38 families made their living fishing from Traád. During the summer months, it became our Portrush, packed with families enjoying its safe, clean waters (a far cry from today) and its long sandy beach,”
In his account, McElhone recalls Traád’s varied past: an open-cast sand quarry until the 1960s, nearly two decades as the University of Ulster’s freshwater laboratories, and subsequent purchase by Magherafelt District Council in the early 2000s with an expectation the site would be returned to community use.
Local context and legacy
Residents say the site was well used when under university management but fell into disuse amid what campaigners describe as two decades of poor stewardship. In 2018 there was controversy when Mid Ulster Council reportedly considered developing the land as a halting site for Travellers, a plan that local people say could have been sited elsewhere with existing services.
| Feature | Proposed / Historical |
|---|---|
| Previous use | University freshwater laboratories; open-cast sand quarry (until 1960s) |
| Number of families historically fishing | 38 |
| Planned new facility | Environmental education & community centre |
If the planning committee approves the application, the proposal would mark a significant shift towards restoring public access and placing environmental learning at the heart of the Traád site. For residents of Ballyronan and surrounding villages, the plans promise not only improved facilities but a renewed focus on reconnecting local people with the lough’s shoreline.
Councillors on the Mid Ulster Planning Committee are expected to consider the application at an upcoming meeting; details of the committee date and agenda will be published by the council in due course.
