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The SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee is calling on the Southern Health and Social Care Trust and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council to jointly investigate whether their proposed major capital developments could be located within The Quays Shopping Centre in Newry. The committee believes the underutilised complex could offer a viable alternative to current plans for both the Council's proposed Civic Centre and the Trust's Health Hub project.
The Council's proposed Civic Centre is planned for the rear of Newry Cathedral, while the Southern Trust's Health Hub is proposed for the Abbey Playing Fields. The SOS Daisy Hill Committee argues both projects should be reassessed in light of the significant financial and commercial difficulties facing The Quays. The committee also noted that the proposed Civic Centre is currently subject to potential legal challenge and possible Judicial Review proceedings, which it says further reinforces the need for alternative options to be independently and transparently examined before irreversible decisions are taken.
The committee points to similar projects elsewhere in the UK, where public bodies and healthcare services have successfully repurposed accommodation vacated by major retailers within struggling shopping centres. One example cited is the Gateshead Health Hub, where healthcare and public services were integrated into a shopping centre complex, helping to revitalise the wider town centre while improving public access to services.
A spokesperson for the SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee said: "This proposal represents a unique opportunity for genuine joined-up government and long-term strategic regeneration for Newry. Rather than developing separate standalone facilities on greenfield or highly controversial sites, we believe there is significant merit in exploring whether existing vacant or underused accommodation within The Quays Shopping Centre could accommodate both civic and healthcare services."
The committee argues that such an approach could help safeguard and regenerate The Quays, increase footfall into Newry city centre, support local businesses and employment, improve accessibility to healthcare and civic services and reduce environmental impact through reuse of existing buildings. It also says the proposal would align with the Northern Ireland Executive's climate change and sustainability objectives, reduce urban sprawl and protect valuable community land.
The committee further states that the proposal would complement wider regeneration opportunities linked to the nearby Albert Basin and People's Park areas, potentially creating what it describes as a transformational regeneration corridor for Newry City.
The spokesperson added: "Newry now has an opportunity to think differently and act boldly. By bringing healthcare, council services, regeneration, retail, and community infrastructure together under one coordinated vision, this proposal could become one of the most innovative urban regeneration projects anywhere on the island of Ireland."
The SOS Daisy Hill Hospital Committee is now calling for a joint feasibility study by the Southern Trust and the Council, independent economic and regeneration assessments, public consultation on alternative locations for both developments, engagement with the owners and stakeholders of The Quays Shopping Centre, and consideration of funding opportunities linked to urban regeneration and climate resilience initiatives. The committee says it intends to engage with elected representatives, government departments, regeneration agencies and community stakeholders over the coming months to further advance the proposal.
