Long-term campaigners for the project to go ahead, the local representatives were speaking after they received confirmation from the developer that restoration plans were set to progress, with work expected to commence in Spring 2016.
Councillor Andrew Muir and Larry Thompson, a former Councillor on the legacy North Down Borough Council, formed a campaign to save the building in 2011 when the listed building fell into a perilous state and was put on the market by Ireland’s bad bank NAMA.
Councillor Andrew Muir said: “For the last number of years Larry and I have been working to see Cultra Railway Station restored to its original glory. Whether it was lobbying NAMA via Dominic Hannigan TD to secure the sale, or engaging with Planning Department officials to secure Planning Permission after a long bureaucratic saga we’ve been working hard to see the building restored.
“I am therefore delighted to learn that work will hopefully commence soon. I have a real passionate desire to see this building restored in the knowledge that far too many buildings have fallen into disrepair and eventually demolished. I will therefore continue to show an interest in this issue and provide necessary assistance until we see people living in the newly restored building.”
Larry Thompson added: “Through involving a range of people and organisations, such as Holywood Conservation Group, this project has moved ahead, sometimes not at full speed, but always towards the same end destination.
“Whilst I was disappointed to see work delayed due to lack of timely responses from Translink in relation to the access path I am glad to learn that these matters have hopefully now been resolved and once contractors are appointed necessary restoration work can commence.”