A massive new exhibition centre, biomass, solar panels and a wind farm power plant – are just some of the developments planned by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society for Balmoral Park, outside Belfast.

Now in its third year at the new base in The Maze, Lisburn, and well financed through property development at its old home beside The Kings Hall, Balmoral, the venerable society is feeling quite young and looking positively towards the future.

“The reason for our move from The Kings Hall was to allow the society to generate enabling finance that would allow us to have a show of the scale that we want to run. To do that, we had to redevelop the site we had used since 1896. There is a housing development starting there in June. It was not a case of moving the show for the sake of moving, but rather of crystallising the finances and ensuring viability of the society going forward,” notes CEO Colin McDonald.

He further explains that in the past, the annual show was underpinned through income from concerts and other events at The Kings Hall. However, with the coming on stream of venues like The Odyssey, this concert business was lost and the RUAS had to find new finance through the commercial development of the old site, coupled with a revitalised exhibition business at the new site. In a way, one is reminded of the show’s move from different sites around Belfast to its new home at Balmoral, almost 120 years ago. In his history of Balmoral On With the Show, Alf McCreary notes that back then the move to the 30-acre Greenfield site had cost the society £14,000 and over a period of just 12 weeks an arena had been laid out and stands erected for the hosting of the first three-day show there on 17-19 June 1896.

Right now, as we go to press less than two weeks since the end of this year’s Balmoral Show, construction has already begun on the new 6,000 square meter Eikon Exhibition Centre.

The foundation had been laid prior to the show and building is now underway. This will involve the relocation of some existing buildings from The King’s Hall plus a modern facade. Associated with it will be car parking for over 2,000 cars. The completion date for this new facility is September and it will be in use for the December RUAS Winter Fair. It will also be well used at future Balmoral Shows, which may soon be extended to four days.

And that is just the beginning of futuristic development at Balmoral Park. Next in line is a new Renewable Energy Park. This will include a biomass plant, fuelled by willow chips grown on local farms. Also on-site will be a solar panel and wind farm complex, that will produce energy for the Exhibition Centre and the grid.

While some 140 houses are being built on 16 acres of the old King’s Hall, the familiar front of the building will still be used as RUAS offices. There are no plans for any permanent stands or buildings around the new arena at Balmoral Park. Colin McDonald notes: “We will only build if the need presents itself.”

Long before its arrival at The King’s Hall, or now at Balmoral Park, the Royal Ulster can trace back its history almost 200 years. In its pursuit of agricultural excellence it has ever since grown, evolved and innovated. It is now entering a whole new phase of that innovation and long may it thrive.