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None of the three projects submitted by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Officers to tranche two of the UK Government's Levelling up Fund are for Newry projects despite the City being the areas largest contributer to Council coffers in rates payments.
Newry's loss is other areas gain with projects in Camlough, Warrenpoint and Downpatrick chosen for the funding application where millions of pounds are on offer.
The projects that have been submitted to the fund are Camlough Lake Watersport Centre, Warrenpoint Baths Regeneration and Dunleath Park in Downpatrick. Applications to the fund closed 2 August.
Despite a reported shortfall of around £14 million needed for the building of the Albert Basin Park in the city, funding wasn't sought from the fund, something Newry Councillor Gavin Malone spoke of in 2021 as a missed opportunity. A Tetra Tech report commissioned by Council in 2021 indicated that £30.5m was the total necessary to deliver the project. £16m was awarded to the Park in December 2021 from the Belfast Region City Deal Complementary Fund, but the Council say that will only cover Phase One of the project, which would see the site greened, trees planted, paths put in place and a childrens/ urban sports playpark. Currently there are no public plans out there for any further phases.
News of the applications is contained in a report marked 'for noting' on the agenda of the August ERT meeting this Monday 8 August.
Reporting Officer, Director of Enterprise, Regeneration and Tourism, Conor Mallon explains in the report, that the Levelling Up Fund investing at least £800m in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland "will invest in local infrastructure that has a visible impact on people and their communities. This includes a range of high value local investment priorities including: local transport schemes, urban regeneration projects, cultural assets."
Newry, Mourne and Down Council received development funding to progress and develop proposals for the fund. The report further explains that "Applications for funding should clearly demonstrate how proposed investments will support relevant local strategies and their objectives for improving infrastructure, promoting growth, enhancing the natural environment, and making their areas more attractive places to live and work."
"In preparation for this Officers presented our Consultants the Councils capital plan for review against the fund criteria. This also included development works already completed by Council such as planning, OBCs, Economic appraisals, concept designs, costs estimate, consultations etc all of which add value to potential applications meeting the core criteria."
Complimentarity
In the same wording given in response to a query to Council by Newry.ie in June * the report explains why the projects were selected "Given the criteria for the fund around scale, complementarity, alignment to local and regional strategies, the need to have match funds in place and the requirement to commence implementation immediately, the following council capital projects were submitted to call 2 of the Levelling Up Fund."
Speaking in October 2021 Newry City Councillor Gavin Malone spoke out about Council's failure to apply for tranche one of the Levelling Up Fund in June 2021 saying that it was 'ideal for the People's Park" and called it a missed opportunity. Council decided not to apply in 2021 although many other Councils in the north received large sums from the fund for projects.
Cllr Malone said "This Levelling Up funding was ideal for the People’s Park as it targeted urban and city regeneration projects and we have lost a tremendous opportunity to attract much needed finance which could have complimented the other funding application recently submitted.
"The Council’s management have stated that they will target the next call for Levelling Up funding but I still believe we have missed a great opportunity."
* See also Council not applying for Levelling Up Funding for Albert Basin park
