The Council is the driving force behind this innovative and ambitious scheme to restore, develop and protect the town's natural and built environment. The Historic Quarter is located within Lisburn's Town Centre and includes much of the town's shopping core, the Cathedral, the Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum and Castle Gardens.

As the locality is already designated a Conservation area, the Historic Quarter initiative will reflect the unique heritage and historical importance of the area giving it a special identity.. Proposed mixed use schemes for the Historic Quarter will complement and enhance the town's commercial core and riverside district, and are aimed at increasing confidence in the town's economic future, attracting greater investment, stimulating a vibrant night time economy and improving the quality of life for shoppers, visitors and town-dwellers alike.

Key stakeholders from the public and private sectors have come together to form the Historic Quarter Partnership which is currently preparing a Development Strategy for this particular area. Fundamental to the success of the initiative is public participation, and the Council welcomes the valuable contribution of local residents at all stages of the regeneration of this area. The Council is delighted with the enthusiasm, support and genuine interest which the scheme has generated to date within the wider community.

Crucially linked to the success of the new proposals by increasing community safety in the town centre, will be the implementation of the new £1 million CCTV scheme, funded by the Police Authority of Northern Ireland, Lisburn City Council and the private sector.

Working in partnership with Lisburn Development Ltd., the Council has prioritised Bridge Street as an area which will receive immediate attention. A series of successful grant applications has meant that Bridge Street has been allocated a sum in the region of £1 million for improvements to particular properties, funded by the heritage Lottery, the Council and the Department of Social developments. Priority properties have been identified and work has already commence to improve the structural fabric of the buildings. A first year Action Plan for Bridge Street has now been agreed and the Council and Lisburn Development are working closely with owners, trader, residents and other key players to identify suitable development plans and to distribute the grant-aid accordingly.

The Council is currently working on a £1.8 million development plan which aims to restore and refurbish the large town centre park at Castle gardens to its former civic character and quality. An application for funding has been submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund Urban Parks Programme to assist in the upgrading of the gardens in order to maintain and improve the physical and visual links with the river and Lagan Valley Island.