Trip to Paris Air Show suggested, as council agrees to join Defence and Security Cluster

The ‘In Confidence’ portion of the September meeting was, as usual, closed to the public and press.

Council hosted an ‘Investment Showcase Event’ in the House of Commons, London on 10th December 2025, to build on the success of securing the Overall Council of the Year 2024 and 2025 finalist for Service Delivery by the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) and to launch a new investment proposition branch “Invest Antrim Newtownabbey: AN Investment that Delivers”

The event was attended by more than 120 people, including host MPs Robin Swann, John Finucane and Sammy Wilson as well as a number of other elected officials and high-profile guests, including local business leaders, investors and developers, alongside officers from key UK government departments.

A report before the committee said that the showcase ‘highlighted the Borough’s strengths in connectivity, innovation, skills, and investment-ready sites’, the council’s ‘Call for Sites’, alongside ‘the scale of opportunity emerging through projects such as Belfast International Airport and the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC)’.

The minutes of the meeting last month said: “The council recognised the importance of building on the momentum gained through the event and to continue to build brand awareness and enhance the Borough’s reputation as an attractive place to invest.

“In January 2026 the council noted the update regarding the event and approved associated action plan. Following the Investment Showcase, the council had maintained strong momentum through a series of high-level political and strategic engagements.

“This had included hosting the NI Affairs Committee to highlight the Borough’s contribution to regional economic growth, discussions with the Department for Transport (DfT) in relation to airports and air freight, positioning the Borough within wider UK connectivity and infrastructure priorities.

“The council had also welcomed direct discussions with Deputy First Minister, Emma Little-Pengelly MLA, ensuring alignment with Executive priorities and engagement had been progressing with aerospace and related sectoral opportunities locally.

“The council was also seeing tangible evidence of continued investor and developer interest in the Borough, with a number of significant planning applications received and determined since the Westminster Showcase with others currently being processed”

Planning permission was unanimously granted by the Planning Committee on 17th August 2026 for a proposed £18 million DHL storage and distribution facility at Ballyearl Business Park, Newtownabbey. The development is expected to create approximately 80 new full-time jobs, alongside the transfer of more than 200 existing DHL roles from the company’s Mallusk operation, with approximately 100 construction jobs also anticipated during the development phase.

The investment represents a significant contribution to the local economy and further reinforced Antrim and Newtownabbey’s position as a strategic hub for transport, logistics and distribution, reflecting the Borough’s strong connectivity and attractiveness to major international investors. This was in addition to the previously approved proposal for the erection of a storage and distribution centre and 3 no. light industrial units at 632 Doagh Road relating to Heavy Goods Vehicles, which was also approved on behalf of DHL.

A planning application has also been received from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Greenmount Campus, for the development of a proposed Virtual Learning Centre adjacent to the existing Machine Building Centre. The proposed single-storey facility will provide approximately 850m² of internal floor space and would include a simulator suite, exhibition space, offices, classroom, conference room and welfare facilities. This was in addition to a previous Department for the Economy (DfE) planning application at the Greenmount Campus, for a geothermal energy project.

A significant planning application has also been received in relation to the proposed extension of the Abbey Centre Retail Park. The proposal included a site for our retail units, one retail and leisure unit, one DIY store incorporating a mezzanine floor and garden centre and associated car parking and infrastructure. Officers said they would continue to monitor these developments and engage with investors, developers and strategic partners, where appropriate, to ‘support delivery and maximise the wider economic benefits arising from investment’.

A planning application was also received in March from James Latham Timber PLC for the development of a new warehouse facility with ancillary office accommodation at Ballyearl Business Park, south of Houston’s Corner Roundabout. The proposed development represents a significant investment in the Borough and had the potential to further strengthen Ballyearl Business Park as an important location for commercial activity, supporting the continued growth and development of the local economy.

Meanwhile, as part of the approved action plan arising from the Westminster Investment Showcase, members and officers successfully attended the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) in July 2026. The minutes said that the Farnborough International Airshow provided a significant international platform for the aerospace, aviation, defence, advanced manufacturing and related sectors and presented an opportunity for the Council to promote the ‘Invest Antrim Newtownabbey – An Investment that Delivers’ proposition to an international audience.

The minutes said: “The council delegation used the opportunity to highlight the Borough’s strategic location, connectivity, availability of development land, existing aerospace and advanced manufacturing capability and the opportunities associated with Belfast International Airport and AMIC. Attendance at the event had generated a number of investors leads and follow-up conversations, with officers now progressing discussions regarding potential investment opportunities and projects within the Borough. These engagements included meetings with a range of businesses and government officials including RLC, Department for Transport, Arizona Commerce Authority (given council’s strong links with the State via the Sister City Partnership), amongst others.

“While these discussions remained at an early stage and were commercially sensitive, the engagement had provided a valuable pipeline of potential opportunities and had strengthened the council’s relationships with businesses and organisations operating across the aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors. Officers would continue to progress these leads and would provide members with further updates as opportunities developed and where information could appropriately be shared.

“The council’s participation at Farnborough also provided an opportunity to further reinforce the Invest Antrim Newtownabbey brand and position the Borough within wider discussions regarding the growth of aerospace, aviation and advanced manufacturing in Northern Ireland.”

Officers are undertaking arrangements to host a follow-up event to the Westminster Showcase event.

The minues said: “Hosted locally and with a target of being held one year on since the Westminster Showcase, the event would provide a platform to update stakeholders on progress arising from the Investment Showcase whilst creating further opportunities for engagement and ensuring continued visibility of the new Invest Antrim Newtownabbey brand.

“It was anticipated that, much like the Westminster event, target invitees would include representatives from the investment and development industry, major local investors and businesses as well as commercial agents and relevant representative bodies.

“This event would focus on Innovation, supporting and strengthening existing supply chains and developing an extensive and robust commercial market within the Council area, and would be hosted at the AMIC facility at Global Point.

“The continued development of Invest Antrim Newtownabbey could play an important role in bringing these stakeholders together, promoting the Borough’s economic assets and capabilities, identifying opportunities for collaboration and investment, and ensuring that the Council was well positioned to facilitate and support sustainable economic growth across the Borough.”

Approval was granted for a total cost for this event to be up to £12,000. A date was set for Wednesday 2nd December 2026.

Council officers have also been exploring opportunities to further promote the Invest Antrim and Newtownabbey brand and the area as an investment destination. An opportunity was secured earlier this year with Belfast International Airport for prominent advertisement space for a three-month period. This provided prominent advertising space within both international and domestic arrivals areas, utilising a 10-second segment of the council’s Invest AN video displayed in the baggage reclaim area and approval was granted by the committee in May.

The minutes said: “The campaign commenced in June and was ensuring brand visibility within the airport and providing a council presence, including during the International Vinci Conference on 17 June, which attracted approximately 180 executives from Vinci airports worldwide. The airport had advised that as of 18th August, 756,067 passengers had transited through the arrival’s areas. BIA had also confirmed that the advertisement would remain in situ until the year end, by which time it was forecasted that 2,007,573 passengers would have transited through the arrivals area and had the opportunity to view the Invest AN advertisement.”

It was agreed that all activities to be met from the existing Economic Development Budget.

UUP Councillor Robert Foster, who works in the aerospace industry, suggested that officers consider attendance at the Paris Air Show, which takes place biennially, year about with Farborough.

Meanwhile the committee also gave approval for council to participate in the Northern Ireland Defence and Security Cluster (NIDSC) and authorised ongoing officer engagement with the Cluster Steering Group and ‘associated working groups to maximise economic development, innovation, skills and investment opportunities for the Borough economy’.

A report said that the UK Government, through UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), is facilitating the development of a network of Regional Defence and Security Clusters (RDSCs) across the UK to support economic growth, innovation and collaboration between industry, academia and government. Similar clusters have already been established across England and Wales, with Northern Ireland currently progressing through the development phase with an anticipated launch in 2027. The Cluster model seeks to bring together businesses, universities, research organisations, local government and economic development agencies to collaborate on innovation, commercialisation, skills development, supply chain opportunities and export growth.

The clusters are regionally owned and governed, with UKDI providing support and guidance. In April 2026 the council was invited by UKDI to participate in the foundation stages of the Northern Ireland Defence and Security Cluster. The invitation followed engagement between UKDI, Invest NI, local authorities, higher education institutions and industry stakeholders to assess support for the establishment of the Cluster in Northern Ireland.

The minutes said: “While the proposed Cluster was focused on defence and security-related industries, its primary value to the council was the economic opportunity that it presented through innovation, research collaboration, skills development, export growth and increased participation by local companies in high-value supply chains.

“UKDI had identified Regional Defence and Security Clusters as vehicles for stimulating regional growth through collaboration between industry, academia and government, with a particular emphasis on supporting SMEs, encouraging innovation and creating routes to commercialisation.

“Antrim and Newtownabbey possesses a significant concentration of assets and capabilities that aligned with the objectives of the Cluster, including Belfast International Airport and the surrounding aerospace and logistics ecosystem; RAF Aldergrove and associated aeronautical opportunities; A strong advanced manufacturing and engineering base and the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) at Global Point.”

The minutes said that there were already established businesses operating within ‘aerospace, engineering, cyber security and technology sectors and strong planning, skills and economic development support mechanisms’.

The minutes said: “These assets position the Borough to play a leading role in any regional initiative focused on advanced manufacturing, innovation and technology-led growth.

“Participation in the Cluster would provide opportunities for local businesses to access new supply chain and procurement opportunities, engage in collaborative research and innovation projects, connect with universities, research institutions and industry partners, develop export opportunities and access specialist support programmes and funding opportunities, identify commercial applications for emerging technologies.

“Emphasis was placed within the Cluster model on creating opportunities for SMEs and non-traditional suppliers to access markets and innovation challenges that may otherwise be difficult to engage with directly. The Cluster model placed significant emphasis on workforce development, skills enhancement and innovation adoption. These priorities closely aligned with existing council objectives and programmes delivered through participation would provide opportunities to promote local skills initiatives, strengthen employer engagement and support pathways into advanced manufacturing, engineering, digital technologies and research and development activities.”

It was noted that at this stage, there was no requirement for the council to make any financial commitment to the Cluster.

The report said: “The proposed role of the council is to participate as a regional stakeholder, support the development of governance arrangements, promote opportunities to local businesses, contribute to discussions regarding skills, innovation and investment and ensure that the interests of the Borough and wider regional economy are reflected within the Cluster's future work programme.”

It was noted that the Cluster is intended to be regionally owned and governed, rather than controlled by central government.

It was agreed that council participate in the Northern Ireland Defence and Security Cluster (NIDSC) as an economic development stakeholder and endorse ongoing officer engagement with the Cluster Steering Group and associated working groups ‘to maximise opportunities for innovation, advanced manufacturing, skills development, business growth, inward investment and regional economic prosperity’.