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Plans for a Newry City public park have entered a significant stage this week behind closed doors with a team to be procured to deliver the project which is to be built on the 15 acre Albert Basin site.
While this is subject to planning permission being in place, Newry.ie understands that council are aiming for planning for the project to be decided by the end of 2025, with work expected to start on site in June 2026. Completion date for the park is presently expected to be March 2028.
The major development estimated to be close to £20m is set to transform the border city’s landscape with an integrated supply team due to be agreed.
The council’s strategy, policy and resources committee spent over one hour in a confidential session on Thursday (Sept 11) discussing 16 items away from public view. One of those being the public park project.
In open session, committee chairperson, Oonagh Hanlon (Sinn Fein) said:”Capital projects delivery..it was agreed to proceed to the ‘Stage 4’ for Newry City Park. And to commence procurement of the integrated supply team, to progress the project to the delivery subject to planning.”
The integrated supply team includes a main contractor and their designers, subcontractors, and suppliers who will work together to deliver the park.
A planning application for the park was entered in April 2025.
The supply team when in place will bring about the further delivery of the entire public park project.
The council’s Outline Business Case for the park was approved by the Department for Communities (DfC) with up to £16.2 million available from the Executive’s Complementary Fund.
The local authority is also investing £2.4 million of funding to deliver the 15-acre City Park at the Albert Basin.
