The War Office leased the 5-acre (20,000 m2) site from the Archdale family on 10 April 1875 for sixty pounds per annum.

[1] The site was acquired as part of the Cardwell Reforms, which encouraged the localisation of British military forces.

[7] On 7 December 1992, two sangars received harassing fire from automatic weapons when an IRA unit attacked the base.

[8][9] St Lucia barracks closed in 2007 as part of the demilitarisation of Northern Ireland according to the Good Friday Agreement.

Eventually, an environmentally friendly PSNI station was built on the grounds next to the existing St Lucia barracks site in 2010.