Newry Masterplan - Have Your Say

If you haven't got round to checking out the new masterplan for our city get yourself down to the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre between now and the 4th of March 2011.

The masterplan really is an extensive piece of work and if or when it is put into action really depends on all of us.

The purpose of the masterplan is to provide strategic guidance for the regeneration and development of Newry city centre.

Proposals include:

Creating a world class waterfront by capitalising on the river and canal that runs throughout the city centre;

Nurturing a unique, creative quarter for the arts and culture around the Town Hall, Basin Quay and the Arts Centre;

Regenerating Hill Street and Monaghan Street by carrying out a major £1.7million public realm scheme and improving the connections with the rest of the city centre;

Establishing a new city park in the Abbey grounds; integrating Buttercrane and the Quays into the city centre retail area;

Creating a long term vision to reconfigure existing streets and spaces

Developing a new flagship city quarter in the Albert Basin.

Social Development Minister, Alex Attwood who launched the project in December said: “The draft masterplan proposals show how Newry city centre can become a thriving location and a first-rate destination for shopping and leisure activities. Newry is a confident city with a strong entrepreneurial merchant spirit. It wants to take its place on the international stage by becoming a sustainable low carbon city that is competitive and welcoming to visitors. The city also has many unique features, in particular the two waterways that flow through the city. The masterplan proposals presented today provide a realistic vision of how the city can make the best use of its assets and secure its ongoing success and prosperity.”

The draft masterplan also aims to protect the existing physical, social and economic capital of the city making Newry an even more attractive place to live, work and visit. It provides the basis and justification for decision making on the promotion, implementation and timing of urban regeneration initiatives in the city centre.

Minister Attwood continued: “This is good news for Newry city centre and I want the local public to have their say. I would encourage anyone with an interest in the city’s future to let us know what they think of the draft masterplan over the next 14 weeks.”

Mayor of Newry & Mourne District Council, Councillor Mick Murphy, said: "As Mayor of Newry & Mourne District Council it gives me great pleasure to see the launch of this draft Masterplan. My Council has worked closely with officials in the Department for Social Development for some time in bringing forward this initiative. To date the Department has steered the process through its vital development stage and today we see the innovative proposals on how Newry can move forward.

“Over the next 14 weeks local people are encouraged to view the proposals and to give their ideas on what is being proposed. Newry & Mourne District Council has played a role in working up the proposals to this stage along with other local stakeholders. In the current constrained economic times now is the time to think long-term, if this region is to prosper and grow for future generations".

James Hennessey, project manager from the Paul Hogarth Company, highlighted the importance of this process, noting that: “We’d like to encourage as many people as possible to view the draft vision for Newry and let us know what they think. Undoubtedly Newry’s residents and business owners will have many ideas of their own which could add greatly to the plan.”

Make no mistake if this plan is implemented it really will give us  a city we all can be proud of! All we need now is the money!!!

A comments box will be available for you to give your opinion or feel free to comment on newry.info. Once you have seen the proposals please complete the Newry Masterplan Survey I can't emphasise enough the need for as much local input as possible - ie there is no point in complaining about something when it is done and dusted!

The draft masterplan will also be available to view on the DSD website and Facebook / Newry City Centre Masterplan

Also checkout the Paul Hogarth Website where you can download a PDF of the entire Exhibition Board.