From the pages of the Down Recorder, August 4, 1993

From the pages of the Down Recorder, August 4, 1993

2 August 2023

DOWNPATRICK – The search for a suitable location for a new town centre hotel in Downpatrick has been narrowed down to two sites, the Recorder has learned.

Details of the possible locations are being kept a closely guarded secret and were discussed yesterday during a special behind-closed-doors meeting in the town between consultants and regeneration chiefs.

The team of consultants who have prepared the in-depth study, believe the hotel should be located at the site of the former Mart Yard in Lower Market Street, or at the site of the present Post Office sorting headquarters.

The former DoE planning headquarters at Rathdune House was another site looked at, as well as the marshes area adjacent to Rathkeltair House. However, any development at the latter site would require the ground to be piled before construction could proceed.

Coupled with the cost of such an exercise, the consultants were also mindful of the interest being expressed in the site by the Police Authority which has considered building a new RUC base there.

An interim report was tabled for discussion a number of months ago and at that stage, the consultants are believed to have looked at around 13 different sites.

BALLYNAHINCH – Traders in Ballynahinch are demanding an urgent meeting with senior DoE chiefs to discuss the new traffic management measures planned for the town.

Businessmen in the area are concerned that the scheme – drawn up over a year ago following lengthy consultations between themselves and the DoE – will be implemented in stages.

Last week, the DoE published plans to introduce a one-way system at Windmill Street, which effectively bans vehicles turning right from High Street.

It also means the cards travelling along Windmill Street will be not permitted to turn right into High Street.

Local DUP councillor, Mr Billy Alexander, said traders only agreed to the introduction of the new traffic system, including mini roundabouts and pelican crossings, if it was implemented in one go.

“If the DoE presses ahead with its plan before the other measures are put in place then the traders in Windmill Street are going to suffer,” he said.

“Everyone is disappointed at the DoE’s attitude  in this matter and we intend meeting with them as soon as possible to voice our concerns and have the situation cleared up once and for all.”

BISHOPSCOURT – Senior DoE chiefs have ordered a public inquiry to be carried out into plans for the multi-million pound development of the former RAF base at Bishopscourt.

The joint owners of the complex, Mr David Beattie and Mr John Giffen, plan to develop a major activity centre at the site of the former airfield and have already had an environmental impact study carried out. 

However, they say that if planning permission is refused, they will have to look at alternative  uses for the base.

The application to develop the site into a major international tourist attraction has been passed to senior planners in Belfast and it is understood that they have ordered the public inquiry.

The owners admit that while their plans to stage a number of events at the Bishopscourt race track form an integral part of the development plan, there are a number of other exciting plans to provide an equestrian centre, riding schools and tennis facilities.

But even if planning permission is refused, the developers will still be able to hold 14 race meetings per year.

CASTLEWELLAN – Eastern Health Board director Anne Lynch has again turned down an invitation to meet members of the Castlewellan Hospitals Support Group.

As the Board’s Director of Planning, Miss Lynch has a key role in the current debate on the future of acute hospitals services and was therefore asked by the group to address a forthcoming meeting.

Despite this being the second time she has been invited, Miss Lynch again refused the invitation because she felt that such a meeting could appear to some as an extension to the consultation period which ended recently.

The chairman of the Castlewellan group, Mr John Duggan, said he was “disappointed” by Miss Lynch’s decision, adding that he saw no good reasons why she could not have attended.

And he went on to repeat his warning that the people of Down District would not give up in their flight to retain their hospital services. 

“This is known as the heart of Down and the Eastern Health Board will find that we have plenty of heart for his battle,” said Mr Duggan.

SAINTFIELD – A Saintfield man has thrown away his ‘L’ plates and won his battle against a serious kidney complaint which threatened to confine him to a life indoors.

Richard Harper, who passed his driving test last week, has spent half his life suffering from kidney failure but now, with a full driving licence in hand, he is well on the road to recovery.

It was always his driving ambition to pass his test and when Downpatrick’s chief driving examiner, Mr Paddy Gordon, told Richard that he had passed after a nerve-wrecking 30 minutes last week, the Saintfield man was absolutely delighted.

“When the examiner told me that I had passed it was so hard to take it in”, he beamed. “I had this feeling that I was going to fail and still can’t believe that I will be able to throw away my ‘L’ plates.

Richard was first diagnosed as having kidney failure in 1987 when he was aged 14 and he had to wait for two years before he had his first transplant. Sadly the donor kind failed after two days.

Than last June he was offered new hope and underwent a second transplant operation at the Belfast City Hospital where he received the kidney of a 19 year-old girl. 

BALLYGOWAN – Ballygowan’s campaign for a safe pedestrian crossing on the Belfast Road has been boosted with news of a new DoE survey of traffic levels in the village.

Last week Ards Borough Council backed a motion by three councillors to make an official request for a crossing to the Department.

A spokesman for the DoE said last week that they had not yet received the request, but had been contacted by a Ballygowan resident who was told about the new survey to be carried out in September.

“The department had one inquiry from a resident and we informed them that the DoE will be carrying out a survey to ascertain whether a crossing is justified,” she said.

“It will be carried out in September because if it was done before the schools went back then that would give a false picture of the traffic levels,” she added.

At the start of last month, more than 50 local people stopped traffic for 20 minutes with a sit-down protest in the village because they said the DoE were “ignoring the views of the people.”

CARRYDUFF – Rents of between £40 and £50 per week have been announced for the area’s latest sheltered housing scheme to be completed in October.

Edgar Boyd Court, a newly-built block of 36 self-contained apartments at Killynure Gardens, Carryduff, is for older people and provides “security” independence and peace of mind” said the developers.

There will be accommodation for 24 single people and 12 couples, including two wheelchair apartments and two with two bedrooms all for rent from leading sheltered housing company, Oaklee Housing Association Ltd.

Finished with full carpeting, double-glazed, Economy-7 heating and a lift, Edgar Boyd Court has a full-time warden living in the building as well as a communal lounge kitchen and utility room for hobbies, hairdressing etc.