Lift off for Newcastle ferris wheel

Lift off for Newcastle ferris wheel

24 November 2021

NEWCASTLE is set to get its first ever ferris wheel — but it won’t be a permanent fixture.

The wheel will be located at Castle Park in the heart of the resort next summer for three months after the green light was given by Newry, Mourne and Down Council planners.

The 21-mete high wheel — which will provide spectacular views of the Mournes, Dundrum Bay and across the resort —  will be in place every June, July and August until 2024.

Planners gave the green light for the  towering new wheel at last week’s monthly meeting of the local authority’s Planning Committee.

At the end of August each year, the wheel will be removed, with confirmation that planning permission for Newcastle’s latest tourist attraction has been granted welcomed by local politicians.

South Down MLA Colin McGrath revealed he was involved with the funfair promoters from the outset and is pleased that the big wheel application has been approved.

He added: “Newcastle has so much to offer visitors and the wider Mournes is growing in popularity with such a variety of activities for the young and not so young. I believe this ferris wheel will be a further pull for people to visit Newcastle. 

“I want to thank local planners who worked alongside council officers and the applicant to get the proposal over the line.”

Mournes councillor, Laura Devlin said the new attraction will be a “major boost for tourism in Newcastle”.

Councillors were told last week that the wheel’s location had to comply with the district’s development plan.

In addition, it was confirmed that no objections were received from any of the statutory agencies including the Rivers Agency, Department for Infrastructure’s Historic Environment, the Environment Agency and the local authority’s environmental health department.

The temporary approval for the ferris wheel expires at the end of August 2024.