Write a comment
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council have said that construction work continues to progress on the proposed new Theatre and Conference Centre at Newry Town Hall/ Sean Hollywood Arts Centre despite bats being 'noted' in an outbuilding to the rear of the arts centre. In the UK bats and their roosts are protected by law and it is a criminal offence to kill, injure, capture, or disturb bats, or to damage, destroy, or block access to their resting places and roosts.
The Theatre and Conference proposal involves demolishing the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre to build a 255 seat theatre linked to Newry Town Hall by a glass atrium, with extensive renovation work to be carried out on Newry Town Hall. The Sean Hollywood Arts Centre has been closed by council since 2020 and currently the Town Hall is not available with alternative venues such as Warrenpoint Town Hall being used by arts and drama groups.
Council have told Newry.ie that work over the past few weeks includes protective measures put in place within the interiors of Newry Town Hall, hoarding erected and environmental works undertaken.
A council spokesperson said: "As part of our pre-demolition requirements a bat survey was undertaken of all buildings, with bats noted within an outbuilding to the rear of the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre."
An EIA submission with the Theatre planning application which passed in December 2024 stated: “Bats activity was found within the area however no identified roosts were found at the site. The boundary wall at the Canal was assessed as having moderate bat roost suitability however current plans propose to retain the wall and therefore there will be no impact upon bats.”
The spokesperson added: "An application for a derogation licence has been submitted.
"This will not impact demolition works at Sean Hollywood Arts Centre, which will commence within the next few weeks."
A derogation/ mitigation licence is needed if works will have impacts on European protected species (EPS) that would otherwise be illegal.
The Council spokesperson added that the Theatre and Conference Centre scheme remains on course to open to the public in Spring 2028.
