An artist’s impression of how the new performing arts centre in Bangor will look

BANGOR is to get a £12 million peforming arts and technology innovation centre by 2015.

It will be opposite the town’s South Eastern Regional College and will included a theatre and rehearsal studios, along with teaching facilities for students to learn about technology.

Plans for the facility were shelved in 2010, but Employment and Learning Minister Stephen Farry said he had secured the necessary funding.

“In the last few years Northern Ireland has become a major location of choice for the film industry and we have had the international success of some notable local artists,” he said.

“The development of a 350-seat theatre will be of significant value to both students and the wider community.

“The technology innovation centre will also deliver teaching facilities and offer learners a business-quality learning environment that will further enhance the college’s existing capacity for renewable energy and sustainable technology and engineering sciences.”

The centre will have rehearsal and production studios and will have the capability to stage professional productions.

South Eastern Regional College principal Ken Webb said he was delight the plan was back on tracik.

“It will serve business and industry with state-of-the-art equipment and cutting edge service.

“The only performing arts venue in the north Down area, the centre will provide an innovative curriculum to fill the well recorded technical skills gaps which are needed to drive the industry forward,” he said.

Scores of construction jobs will be created over the next two yeas building the centre.