Ballynahinch bypass approval is welcomed

Ballynahinch bypass approval is welcomed

1 October 2025

LOCAL politicians have again welcomed news that work on the planned £50m Ballynahinch bypass could start in 2028 with the new road opening in 2030.

They met with the district’s divisional roads manager during a meeting of Newry, Mourne and Down Council on Monday night.

Last March, Stormont Roads Minister Liz Kimmins said she was keen to see work starting on the biggest ever roads scheme proposed for Down District.

The near two-mile bypass will link the Belfast and Newcastle roads and is designed to address town centre congestion and work is underway on the scheme’s business case.

Work is also underway to review and update all the necessary documents to bring the bypass scheme to construction, including finalising the business case with this work likely to take two years.

Roads officials say major projects take years to develop and complete the necessary statutory orders and they have prioritised the development and delivery of schemes.

Having already committed to take forward the Hillsborough to Loughbrickland junctions improvement scheme, the Ballynahinch bypass will be managed sequentially alongside it, but delivery of the local scheme is dependent on the successful completion of the statutory processes and the future availability of finance.

Ms Kimmins said that while the DfI had to go through formal statutory procedures, it had given a firm commitment that it will deliver the project.

“The bypass has been long-awaited in this area and it will be transformational and my officials working really hard to deliver this project,” she said.

“We are keen to get moving on this as quickly as possible.

“This is a long awaited project and one local people and my colleagues in this area have been campaigning for for a long time. Hopefully it will offer confidence to the local community that this scheme will be delivered and it will be transformational for the area.”

Roads officials have consistently argued that the bypass will significantly benefit both strategic and local road users by reducing journey times and improving road safety with the progress on the scheme welcomed by Rowallane councillors Terry Andrews, Callum Bowsie and David Lee-Surginor.

Major new roundabouts are proposed at the Belfast Road junction with the Saintfield Road and at the Newcastle Road junction with the Downpatrick Road, with a new bridge constructed over the Moss Road. 

The new road will pass under part of the Crossgar Road with a 90 metre long bridge constructed to take traffic over Ballynahinch River.

Overtaking lanes stretching almost 900 metres are proposed at either of the by-pass where the major new roundabouts are to be constructed, with the scheme also including a shared footpath and cycle lane.