The owners of a childhood favourite tourist attraction on the North Coast are aiming to start work on developing it into a new "family centre" this summer, the local council has been told. The Dunluce Centre in Portrush, once one of the north coast's top tourist attractions, shut in 2013 due to falling visitor numbers. In 2022 it was badly damaged in a fire that required nearly 50 firefighters to bring under control, and last year it was sold by the Causeway Coast and Glens council to Co Donegal businessman Colm O'Donnell for £1.25 million. Councillors have now been given a detailed presentation about the new owner's plans to develop the site into a new "family centre" to once again offer an indoor attraction for families in the popular seaside town in Co Antrim. Read more: Northern Irish family business scoops top prize at UK's 'ice cream Oscars' Read more: Person rescued from the water after getting into 'difficulty' off the north coast DUP councillor Aaron Callan, speaking to Belfast Live, said the owners hope to begin work on the new centre as soon as this summer. "The owners are basically looking to develop it and turn it into a family centre, essentially," he said. "They came to the council presented a whole range of things that they're looking to do. "They're in the planning process, but they're wanting to turn it into a family centre that would have a soft play area, mini golf, amusements, party room, food court, arcade, bowling alley, that type of thing." Mr Callan said his party had supported the sale of the formerly council-owned asset. "We've been supportive of it throughout," he said. "I know at the time, whenever we were going to sell it, that there were quite a few councillors who didn't want to sell it. It was ourselves and, actually, Sinn Fein who were the two parties who were mainly for it. We were very supportive of getting the site out to the private sector and getting it redeveloped." On the owners, he said: "They own a number of sites over in Bundoran, family centres, you know, amusements over there. So I suppose that means this is their first major project in Northern Ireland." The new development, Mr Callan said, is about "offering something for families who are coming to Portrush". He added: "We hear it, loud and clear, that a lot of families saying there's not a lot to do in Portrush because, Water World is closed, this centre is closed, Fantasy Island is closed - all those indoor family attractions. Whether it was the water park, soft play, those attractions for kids had closed. "We knew that, internally, council didn't have the means, resource or expertise to develop this centre to the level we wanted so we went out to the private market. Hopefully it will be an attraction for families coming to the Portrush area." Mr Callan added: "If they get planning permission this summer, they would hope to get on site and start initial works if they can. You know what planning can be like, it can take longer than that. They're very hopeful that if they can, hopefully, get the planning approval in the summertime that they can then start work right away and then get into developing the Dunluce centre." For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.