The Trust has recently purchased 31-33 Bridge Street, a three-bay, three-storey brick building dating from 1875. The property is currently derelict and became redundant in the mid-1990s. The current condition of the building is in the ‘poor’ to ‘very bad’ category which means that the Trust is endeavouring to rescue a ruin.

The Architectural Heritage Fund and Lisburn City Council provided a grant for a Feasibility Study to appraise the options for the property and assess their viability. The Study was completed by Alastair Coey Architects, renowned conservation architects, with the aim of establishing the most appropriate and sustainable option for the property’s redevelopment.

The property purchase was made possible through an acquisition loan from the Architectural Heritage Fund and will be eligible for funding under the Heritage Lottery Fund Townscape Heritage Initiative. It is anticipated that construction will begin in Autumn 2003.

One of the strategic features of the property is the potential linkage between Bridge Street and Castle Gardens which the Trust hope to incorporate within their proposals. The Trust will refurbish and extend the building to accommodate both commercial and residential use.