Call for a Review of the Sale of Ballee Playing Fields & Support for a Community Leisure Development

We, the undersigned residents and supporters of Ballymena, are calling on Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to urgently review its decision to reject a fully-funded, community-focused proposal for the former Ballee Playing Fields.

A £1.1 million offer was made by a local business (RaceView Karting) to purchase the site and deliver a major new family leisure facility, including indoor karting, bowling, padel courts, soft play, mini-golf, a 4G pitch, and renewable energy infrastructure. The project would create jobs, attract tourism, and provide high-quality leisure space for local families and young people.

The Council instead accepted an alternative bid—reportedly just £50,000 higher—with no known plans for public benefit. More than a year later, no planning application has been submitted, and there is growing public concern over what will be built on this important site.

We believe:

The decision was made without sufficient regard to long-term community value.
The public has a right to understand how this decision was made.
The site should be used to benefit local people—not lost to speculative private development.
We therefore call on the Council to:

Pause the current sale process if it has not yet completed
Hold a public consultation meeting to discuss the future of the site
Reconsider RaceView Karting’s proposal, which still stands and has strong public support
Let’s ensure that Ballymena gets the facilities it deserves. Sign below to support the call for a fair, transparent process—and a leisure project that serves our community.