Ards and North Down Borough sits adjacent to two major waterways - Belfast Lough, Northern Ireland’s premier seaway and Strangford Lough, an area of pristine waters and stunning landscapes.
The borough is only 20 minutes by road from Belfast and offers the perfect location for foreign direct investment due to:
- close proximity to the capital's major airports / deep-water port
- a well-developed motorway hub
- fast, reliable train links to Belfast, Dublin and Derry/Londonderry.
- a well educated and highly skilled workforce
- excellent communications via super-fast broadband
- high quality and competitive priced commercial property
- specialist business support services for all sectors
Ards and North Down Borough is home to around 160,000 residents, a figure which continues to grow. It comprises a mix of urban and rural communities with the largest towns being Bangor, Newtownards, Comber, Donaghadee and Holywood. The district covers 228 square miles (590 square kilometres) and embraces some of the finest farmland in Ireland, as well as high quality business infrastructure, superb residential areas and excellent leisure and entertainment facilities.
The borough is contained within 115 miles (185 kilometres) of coastline, one of the longest and most spectacular in Northern Ireland. It features Strangford Lough, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Special Scientific Interest and a Marine Nature Reserve. The Lough is one of Tourism NI’s top ten visitor destinations and Bangor is home to the largest marina in the whole of Ireland, with space for 600 boats.
In addition to its strong entrepreneurial culture, the area is home to many globally recognised brands and a solid base of flourishing independent businesses.