At a recent Economic Development & Regeneration Committee meeting of ABC Council, representatives from the borough’s Business Partnership Alliance (BPA) unveiled the findings of a recent survey pointing to a real need for more zoned land to allow businesses to grow.
Chair of Armagh City Centre Management, Art O’Hagan, and chair of Banbridge Chamber of Commerce, Michael Donaghy, presented the findings of a survey highlighting the needs and aspirations of businesses based in the borough.
Additional aims were to assess business confidence, the challenges they face, and to assess the availability of workspace for future expansion. These findings form the basis of the lobbying plan 2024-25.
The survey revealed that 65 per cent of ABC businesses want to expand and grow their business, while 27 per cent want to consolidate and maintain their activity.
While 66 per cent of businesses surveyed said their current premises met their needs, 10 per cent need to move to new premises, and 24 per cent are planning to move in the future.
Issues identified by businesses had to do with the following: rates relief; financial issues; staffing costs; staff development/training; planning/regulation guidance; innovation; product development support; recruiting staff.
Michael Donaghy pointed out that the need for more zoned land, as highlighted in the survey, is a crucial issue: “Businesses generally don’t want to leave the borough, but we don’t have the facilities to offer.
“We don’t have enough zoned areas within the area. Being in the property business myself, the demand is very high, the supply is very low, and we are losing businesses on a regular occurrence to other boroughs, so we need to be thinking about how we grow our borough.
“We don’t have industrial ground whatsoever in Armagh City and we need it. Carn Industrial Estate is full, Newry is full, Dungannon is full.
“We have lost two significant employers recently to Monaghan, so we need to be thinking about what we’re going to deliver for our borough and for the people that want to remain in ABC.
“The businesses want to stay here, which is a big factor that’s come out in the findings.
“The rates factor comes into every single debate, and we know the importance of having funds for our borough that’s coming in from the businesses, but we also need to think about how we help businesses, how we work together with businesses.
“We have to work at how do we attract businesses to open and survive in the present economic circumstances.
“But it’s not just about blaming rates. We have to see rates as an incentive, so distribution certainly needs looked at.
“Staff costs are going to be changing in April. Businesses are now thinking about cutting staff, and that’s not what we want, but businesses have to be viable.”
Art O’Hagan argued that the ABC borough could follow the lead of Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council, who have repurposed vacant premises to offer valuable office facilities: “We recently went with the council and the BPA to Antrim Enterprise Centre.
“Antrim & Newtownabbey Council have taken an old Wellworths store and turned it into a facility for hot-desking, etc.
“It’s the kind of thing I think we should be seeing throughout the ABC area. There’s certainly plenty of vacant sites in all our towns which could be turned into that kind of facility, where people could go in for a meeting or for a day or two.
“That’s the kind of thing we hope that the ABC Council will pursue with the BPA.
“What we’re hearing from businesses is that we’re facing a very challenging future at the moment, with the financial pressures, the increase in National Insurance and minimum wage.
“The BPA, with the council, want to encourage as much development and business openings in the area.
“The need for better long-term planning is always important. There is a need for a joined-up approach with the council and other development bodies working together, and [there is also] the importance of capital funding from central government.
“Moving forward, we feel it’s important that the various areas within our borough work very closely together.
“Armagh should be working closely with Portadown and have a train link. That would be fantastic.
“Armagh, Portadown, Banbridge, Craigavon, Lurgan, Dromore, are all places that we want to work [with].
“People want to stay in those areas, they want to educate their kids there, they want to work as close to home as physically possible, so we have to think of what the community wants at all times.
“How do we compete with other boroughs? We have so many issues that we feel need addressed.
“We’re only four or five years in operation, but in the last year we’ve delivered quite a bit, and we’re looking forward to delivering more in conjunction with ABC Council.
“It’s very important public/private sector work as closely together as physically possible.”
The BPA membership and structure has continued to grow and evolve, with 46 members representing a broad range of sectors.
BPA has engaged with 131 business from across the borough in the last 12 months, both large and small, rural and urban.
This year, BPA has engaged with key businesses within the borough, such as Almac Group, Irwin M&E and Mackle Pet Foods.
Over the past 12 months the BPA committee has met with the Minister for Infrastructure; met with the Minister for Finance; engaged with LPS and have planned a joint event; met with the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs to discuss Shared Island projects and co-operation; met with Invest NI to discuss the issue of the lack of suitable business premises in the borough; has taken part in the rates review consultation.
Successful regeneration projects, the lobby group argue, could not only bring vacant properties back into use, but also bring much needed footfall to ABC town centres.
