Developer hopes for Magherafelt's historic market

With expressions of interest due to close tomorrow, Mark Carron of Osbourne King Commercial Property Consultants said he was encouraged by the response from prospective developers over the past six weeks.

“There has been a good deal of interest shown by people and now we have to get down to examining the applications,” he said.

Mr Carron explained the market yard is in a prime location at Rainey Street and was suitable for mixed residential and commercial usage.

“With its location and the pick up in the economy we hope we have found a developer to progress the site,” he added.

The 180-year-old market yard has been vacant for several years after a planning application for a 50-bedroom hotel fell by the wayside.

Workers have been giving the site a facelift in recent weeks aimed at attracting prospective developers.

It is understood there is presently a planning approval in place for retail and offices unites and a restaurant on the site which is surrounded by basalt wall. The market with its distinctive two-storey Victorian buildings features prominently in Magherafelt Town Centre Master Plan which flags it up as “an opportunity” that could lead to the rejuvenation of this area of the town.