Destruction by Night

Ulster Architectural Heritage (UAH) is appalled by the recent demolition of the listed Antrim Arms in the Ballycastle Conservation Area, undertaken without prior notice overnight and at the start of the holiday season.

Consent for demolition had been applied for and refused in 2025, with the owner clearly aware of the policy protections in place for a listed building in a conservation area. The building had fallen into disrepair over a prolonged period of time through neglect, lack of maintenance and the failure of the responsible authority (Causeway Coast and Glens council) to exercise their powers protecting listed buildings and Conservation Areas. An arson attack then damaged the roof of the rear return of the building, however, in our view the building remained structurally sound and we had been lobbying for a scheme to bring it back into use based on sensitive repairs.

Recent media reports had suggested the council had approved partial demolition of the building, based on a structural report which had not been made publicly available, and UAH had been in the process of challenging this. UAH had proactively engaged a CARE accredited structural engineer, with extensive experience of historic buildings such as this, to inspect and report on the building condition following the recent fire. Their clear advice was that the building appeared to remain structurally sound and that full demolition was in no way justified. We had shared this advice with both the council and building owner.

The council was asked a month ago to supply all documents and reports relating to the alleged structural issues via a request under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 . The deadline for response has now passed and UAH have heard nothing.

UAH solicitors have an extensive file relating to the Antrim Arms and in the light of the overnight demolition we are taking further legal advice on the matter. If non-consented works are found to have been undertaken, UAH will pursue strong repercussions to ensure that the owner does not benefit from their actions. We will also seek to ensure the council are held accountable for any poor decision making they may have made. There must be a strong deterrent to any unauthorised demolition of listed buildings.

(Originally published on Facebook)

Published: 10th July, 2026