Write a comment
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has issued a statement following the first meeting last week of its newly appointed Newry Regeneration Working Group (NRWG) but has failed to address the controversial exclusion of Cathedral Parish representatives.
There is also no mention as to why there are no representatives from the Unionist community on the group nor does it address the refusal of Newry BID, the main Newry City business representative group with some 600 members, to join the other council selected members.
The Council statement, published in full below, states that at the first NRWG meeting on May 3, members received updates on the city’s regeneration project including the Theatre and Conference Centre and proposed new council offices behind the Cathedral.
Regarding the proposed new council offices, the statement says, “members received confirmation that the proposed car parking provision to the rear of the Cathedral is 138 spaces. This has been reduced slightly from 141 to address design requirements and to accommodate an NIE substation.”
There is no indication as to whether the group was told of the Department for Infrastructure’s recent second rejection of the council’s parking plans at the site where it says 327 car park spaces are required - something the Council was aware of before submitting its planning application.
It continues that “Members were also advised that the current NCCR total budget is £43 million - incorporating £23 million for the Theatre and Conference Centre and £17 million for the Civic and Regional Hub, including public realm at both sites.”
The important words here are “current NCCR total budgets” as what the statement fails to mention is the £23m and £17m totals are, according to the public tenders, to build the facilities but are not the final, fitted out and finished costs to ratepayers.
Stakeholder Engagement Forum
The nearest the statement gets to addressing the controversial exclusion by the Council of the city’s major stakeholder, the Cathedral Parish, is to reveal that a ‘Stakeholder Engagement Forum’ will be established to “facilitate engagement with key stakeholders on the Theatre and Conference Centre and Civic and Regional Hub projects.”
Perhaps adding insult to injury to Cathedral representatives and parishioners, the statement says the ‘Forum’ will be ‘under the NRWG’ and an invitation will be extended to include Newry Cathedral Parish, local businesses and the community impacted by the programme of works.
From a PR perspective, it also states that “Members, which include community, business, arts, enterprise as well as political, government and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council representatives will have responsibilities including communication and engagement with internal and external stakeholders.”
This has to be welcomed but it will be interesting as to how far “communication and engagement” commitments go considering Council management’s continued refusal to engage with or answer local media questions on the NCCR projects - an attitude that now seems to have spread to councillors.
Statement in full
Newly Formed Newry Regeneration Working Group Holds First Meeting
The formation of the Newry Regeneration Working Group (NRWG) has been welcomed as a key support to facilitate regeneration and investment into the city.
The newly established group has been set up to support the regeneration plans and long-term ambitions for Newry.
The group will not only assist with the delivery of key Newry City Centre Regeneration projects over the coming year but aims to support future growth and investments into the city over the next decade.
Members, which include community, business, arts, enterprise as well as political, government and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council representatives will have responsibilities including communication and engagement with internal and external stakeholders.
At the first NRWG meeting on 3 May in Newry, members received updates on the Newry City Centre Regeneration (NCCR) Theatre and Conference Centre and Civic and Regional Hub projects. They were informed both were progressing to the final stages of the planning application process in parallel with the procurement of the contractors for the delivery of the works. It is anticipated that contracts will be awarded in the autumn with work commencing on site soon after.
Regarding the Civic and Regional Hub, members received confirmation that the proposed car parking provision to the rear of the Cathedral is 138 spaces. This has been reduced slightly from 141 to address design requirements and to accommodate an NIE substation.
Members were also advised that the current NCCR total budget is £43 million – incorporating £23 million for the Theatre and Conference Centre and £17 million for the Civic and Regional Hub, including public realm at both sites. NCCR has benefited from £8 million Belfast Region City Deal funding – £5 million for public realm and £3 million for a Grade A office accommodation fund. (The Newry City Park project is funded separately with £16.2 million from the Executive’s Complementary fund through the Department for Communities. The Council is also underwriting £2.4 million to deliver a 15-acre City Park as part of Phase One.)
At the meeting it was agreed that under the NRWG a Stakeholder Engagement Forum will be established to facilitate engagement with key stakeholders on the Theatre and Conference Centre and Civic and Regional Hub projects. It was agreed members invited to the forum would include Newry Cathedral Parish, local businesses and the community impacted by the programme of works.
Following the meeting NCCR Project Board Co Chairs, Cllr Doire Finn and Cllr Declan Murphy said in a statement, “Our vision is a regenerated Newry City Centre, attracting investment and promoting tourism, creating jobs and sustaining our environment. We have an enviable position at the centre of the Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor and a multi-million pound investment of this nature is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our city and our district.
“As we move into the delivery phase of our projects, Newry Regeneration Working Group members will be working hard to advocate for Newry, engage with stakeholders and keep the public informed in the exciting period ahead.”
