Newry City Masterplan For Sean Holwood Arts Centre

The Masterplan has been commissioned by the Department for Social Development (DSD) with Newry and Mourne District Council and has been prepared by a team of consultants, led by The Paul Hogarth Company (http://www.paulhogarth.com/).

The key aim of the Newry Masterplan is to inform the people of Newry of the emerging ideas for the future development of the City. This is an opportunity to ensure the Masterplan reflects the needs and aspirations of the people of Newry. The proposals identified are a draft and will be subject to change pending the outcome of the consultation period.

Key Issues for Newry City:

- Newry City needs to take advantage of its prime location between Belfast and Dublin

- The existing road and rail network between the edge of Newry City and the city centre needs to be improved

- Poor parking and frequent HGV movements in the city centre are the cause of traffic congestion

- Low quality pedestrian and cycle provisions

- Derelict buildings create a poor image

- Inactive frontages along key City Centre streets

- Poor environmental quality of Newry Canal

- New development needs to preserve the unique historic past of Newry

Proposals

Strategic

1. Maximise Newry City setting e.g. promotion of Carlingford Lough, Mourne Mountains and Canals and protect their setting

2. Provision of greenway connections - establish greenway connections between the city centre and outlying neighbourhoods in Newry

3. Arrival e.g. introduction of incentives to reduce car travel by implementing park and choose facilities at the edge of Newry City, shuttle bus facility between the train station and the City Centre. A good distribution centre along the Southern Relief road will connect the A1 and the Warrenpoint Road. Electric vehicles will also be facilitated through the Masterplan by establishing charging points.

4. City centre gateways - provide a parking strategy, car parking should be located at the edge of Newry City centre to reduce traffic congestion.

5. People orientated City Centre - this will include proposals to create a high quality waterfront environment along Newry Canal which will encompass retail, Leisure, commercial and residential uses.

Site Specific Proposals

1. Waterfront
The Masterplan proposes the creation of a world class waterfront with the river and canal running parallel throughout the City Centre. This offers opportunities to capitalise upon this asset and develop a City Centre Park.

Short to medium term proposals include replacing surface level car parks with green parkland and civic space and improve the environmental quality of the watercourses. Longer term proposals include the reopening of waterways to boat passage and possibly reconnect the regional canal network.

2. Sugar Island

Sugar Island is a proposed location to promote a unique creative quarter due to its many historical buildings and spaces include the Town Hall and Arts Centre.

Short to medium term proposals include public realm improvements along Canal Street whilst the creating civic space for events at the Town Hall and Arts Centre. Longer term proposals include reconfiguration of the water in Basin Quay and a contemporary extension to the rear of the Town Hall.

3. Abbey Grounds

Proposals include the development of a new City Park and develop further existing open green spaces. Opportunities exist to sensitively develop the landscape of the old Abbey Grounds with scope for mixed-use development and the creation of a new City Park.

Short to medium term proposals include creating new frontage onto a public park and enhancing the adjacent Parks such as Heather Park and The Rocks.

4. Hill Street

The regeneration of Newrys key streets - Hill Street and Abbey Way is key to the Masterplan. Short to medium term proposals focus on supporting existing businesses and enhancing the public realm along Hill Street.

The proposed Southern Relief Road and Parking Strategy will also help ease traffic congestion along Abbey Way. These improvements along with the development and streetscape upgrades will establish Abbey Way as a City Centre street.

5. Monaghan Street/ Upper Edward Street

Monaghan Street will be the focus for education and health, with public facilities such as Southern Regional College, Newry Leisure Centre and the Health Village.

There are significant opportunities for regeneration in this City Centre Quarter. Short to medium term proposals include public realm and frontage improvement works along Monaghan Street. Longer term proposals include reconfiguration of the existing retail at Dunnes creamery site and consolidation of the college facilities to one campus.

6. Buttercrane and the Quays Shopping Centres

The Masterplan proposes to integrate these two shopping areas through public realm improvements, improving street frontage with the creation of active fronts, improved pedestrian linkages and mixed use retail developments will be encouraged to create an enhanced shopping experience.

7. Albert Basin

The Albert Basin area is the proposed flagship City Quarter, short term proposals to create this include street linkage between the Dublin Road and Warrenpoint Road. This will help improve accessibility to the Quays and the Albert Basin. Longer term proposals include developing a high quality mixed use development and landmark tower.