Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council Meeting Highlights March 2026

Residents in Antrim and Newtownabbey had a fair bit to take from the latest full council meeting.

When councillors met at Mossley Mill on 30 March, the big talking points included grants for local businesses, questions around housing, a delay to proposed HMO fee increases and a split vote on environmental action.

One of the clearest outcomes from the meeting was fresh support for local firms.

Councillors approved seven grant awards through the Local Economic Partnership Business Digitisation Programme, with a combined value of £29,084.14. The businesses approved were Devine Design, Newtownabbey Eats, Rea Sawmills Ltd, Kitchens Direct NI Ltd, NI Counselling, MH Motors and 365 Security.

The programme offers grants from £1,000 to £5,000 to help businesses improve productivity through digital technology. Demand has already been strong, with 32 expressions of interest and 13 full applications submitted soon after launch.

For local people, this is the kind of council decision that can have a real knock-on effect. More support for small and medium-sized businesses can mean better services, more growth and stronger town centres across the borough.

Housing also came up during the meeting, with councillors hearing about a Northern Ireland Housing Executive review of grant support for new build social housing.

The review is looking at rising costs, uncertainty in programme planning, differences between schemes and how funding could work better in the years ahead. Written submissions are being invited, but rather than agreeing one joint response, members decided they would reply on an individual or party basis.

That may sound procedural, but it matters. Housing supply, affordability and future development all feed into everyday life here, especially for people trying to get on the housing ladder or waiting on social housing.

One of the more heavily discussed items on the night was a proposed increase in Houses in Multiple Occupation licence fees.

Members were asked to approve a rise to £62 per occupant per year from 1 April 2026. Proposed charges for licence variations were also set out, including £250 for adding a new managing agent and £310 plus a £125 inspection fee for adding a new occupant.

Officers said the increase was needed to help the scheme operate without falling back on ratepayers. The papers also explained that, while legislation allows a maximum of £75, councils are legally limited in what they can recover through licence fees.

In the end, councillors did not approve the rise.

Instead, they voted to defer the matter for a month while officers seek more legal advice, explain the practical side of any bespoke HMO policy and clarify how HMOs sit within licensing and planning rules. The vote to delay passed by 22 votes to 14.

That is likely to be welcomed by anyone who wants more answers before higher charges are signed off. It also shows this issue is far from settled.

A notice of motion on the environment also sparked debate.

The motion raised concern about environmental damage in the borough and beyond, including Lough Neagh and Belfast Lough, and called for action in response to the blocking of an Independent Environmental Protection Agency.

Some members backed the idea of stronger environmental accountability. Others raised questions about cost, existing agencies, extra bureaucracy and staffing.

When the vote came, the motion was defeated by 20 votes to 17.

So while the meeting showed there is concern about environmental issues, there was not enough support in the chamber to carry this motion.

Part of the meeting took place in committee, meaning some business was handled in private session.

One item later recorded in the redacted minutes involved the Dublin Road development in Antrim. Councillors approved an amended purchase map, a boundary correction and a works licence linked to a development of 38 homes for over-55s on land beside the council-owned Dublin Road car park.

The papers state that around eight disabled parking spaces would be lost, although these could be relocated elsewhere within the car park. The developer will also carry out and pay for improvement works to the entrance and surrounding area.

This was one of those meetings where the detail matters.

Money was approved for local businesses. A housing-related consultation moved forward without a shared council position. HMO fee changes were pushed back for more scrutiny. An environment motion failed. A development in Antrim took another step ahead.

For anyone in Antrim and Newtownabbey trying to keep track of what the council is doing, that is the main takeaway from the night.

You can read the full minutes of the March 2026 meeting here.

Also, click here, if you would like to read the summary of the minutes from previous council meetings in an easy to understand format.

Source: Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council