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Building work on the new Theatre-Conference facility on the site of the current Sean Hollywood Arts Centre will now incorporate parts of Phase 2 of the Department for Infrastructure's Rivers department Flood Alleviation Scheme. All costs associated with the Newry FAS Phase 2 work package will be
funded by DFI Rivers.
Plans are at an advanced stage in the project with a newly revised design approved just before Christmas. The project will see the demolition of the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre and it's replacement with a 252 seater theatre as well as the rennovation of Newry Town Hall with associated public realm work. The Planning permission application is in progress.
The NCCR - Newry FAS (Flood Alleviation Scheme) report was put before last nights 18 January meeting of the Council's Strategy, Policy and Resources committee and Councillors agreed to approve the report which see the regeneration scheme consider using the opportunity, while building the theatre to provide a flood wall to replace the collapsed wall behind Newry Town Hall as well as increase the height of the walls in the Sugar Island area and between Newry Town Hall and Needham Bridge.
Officials discussed their plans at the Newry City Centre Regeneration programme board meeting in December 2023 where it was agreed that officers progress discussion with Dfl Rivers on the potential of delivering elements of the Newry Flood Alleviation Scheme Phase 2 as part of the Newry City Centre Regeneration Theatre Conference Centre Construction project.
The report explains that "Council Officials had been liaising with the Department for Infrastructure - Rivers on the Newry Flood Alleviation Scheme over a number of years and the project had been progressing however given the recent floods in Newry, Council officials and Rivers have recently discussed the potential to accelerate some elements of Newry FAS Phase 2 as part of the Theatre/Conference Construction project. This will consider the opportunity to provide a flood wall in the location of the collapsed wall at the rear of Newry Town Hall, increasing the height of the walls in the Sugar Island area and between the Town Hall and Needham Bridge."
Conor Mallon, Director of Enterprise, Regeneration and Tourism, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council said that the works on the Theatre/ Conference facility would be commencing later on this year and that it's hoped that the flood alleviation works would be part of this "Theatre/ Conference is out to procurement at the minute for a contractor. This work will form part of a work package as set out in the report that will be tendered as part of the Theatre/ Conference project. The tender returns are due back early February, March this year. So it's anticipated that this work will be part of that project."
Slieve Gullion Councillor David Taylor asked if there had there been any discussion regarding other aspects of the flooding and the role Newry Canal had in it.
In reply Conor Mallon said "The wider flood alleviation scheme for the whole of Newry is something that's under consideration by DfI Rivers, as well. This is just one element of this overall scheme so there's a larger project, that's that's being progressed with DfI Rivers at the same time, but we're just selecting elements of that that are deliverable now."
Cllr Taylor then asked was there any information in terms of timeframe, resources and finance to which Mr Mallon said "I'm happy to pick that up with DFI rivers next week and seek an update on progress with the overall scheme, not just the elements that we're going to deliver this time." adding "I'll bring that back to the committee"
Crotlieve Councillor Declan McAteer said "I'm making the assumption that it's to future-proof the development of the theatre and Town Hall project in tandem with progressing or repairing the overall situation in the Newry area, regarding flooding, and I would have thought that, included in that would prevent any further short term issues like we had where the river flooded the canal and subsequently the canal then flooded Merchants Quay and Sugar Island causing all the damage. Is that not to be included in this?"
Mr Mallon said "Investigations around the root cause and the issues that were experienced in Newry in October are underway through DfI Rivers and there will be a full independent review as was requested through the council. That is ongoing and work on that is progressing and it's hoped that there will be there will be engagement on that in the coming weeks, both with local stakeholders and through a multi-agency review. So that will identify what the issues were and will hopefully move forward to pose some short term solutions and some longer term solutions as part of the Newry Flood Alleviation Scheme."
He added "it would make sense to deliver these elements of the flood alleviation scheme for Newry at the same time. Otherwise, we would be having to travel over ground that has been improved due to our works to provide the new flood alleviation works at a later time. They believe it's an opportune time. This design work has been concluded and it's at a stage where it can be delivered, but it's acknowledged that it's only a small part of a far larger scheme, where the benefits of the overall Flood Alleviation Scheme won't be fully realised until it's all completed. This is only a small part of a bigger project."
Following approval last night Council and Rivers officials will now proceed to develop the necessary technical package for the flood alleviation works with the intention of issuing this works package as part of the ITT process for the Theatre Conference Scheme. It was noted that this will be subject to the DFI Rivers Business Case approval to secure the necessary funding for the works.
