RESIDENTS and traders are to be asked for their views on the redevelopment of the former Irish Street police station site and a number of adjacent empty properties in Downpatrick.
Ambitious plans for a new retail and commercial centre as part of a multi-million pound regeneration initiative at the site were unveiled last December, with the sprawling site recently purchased by the Department of Communities.
Plans have previously been outlined for a new road through the former police site linking Irish Street with St Patrick’s Avenue, but roads officials are no longer in favour of the move given it would cost in the region of £3m to deliver.
They claim the link would not result in a significant improvement to town centre traffic flow and are confident a one-way system linking Market Street, Irish Street and St Patrick’s Avenue will help ease congestion, with this proposal involving an upgrade of the Collins’ Corner junction and adjustments to traffic light sequencing. Roads officials are currently organising a meeting with local politicians to discuss town centre congestion.
Two Downpatrick councillors who met with Department of Communities officials last week to discuss the redevelopment have welcomed confirmation residents and traders will be asked for their views.
Cllr Gareth Sharvin said the former PSNI site offered a “great opportunity” to regenerate Irish Street and build a central location which is adjacent to an existing car park close to main shopping areas, while Cllr Cadogan Enright – an ardent supporter of the proposed link road labelled ‘New Street’ — said the restoration of the listed police base was to be the corner site of a new one-way system around an expanded town car park aimed at reviving town centre trade.
It was also confirmed at last week’s meeting that the Department for Communities is to conduct contamination surveys at the Irish Street site and work with historical heritage experts to understand restrictions already in place for properties at this part of the town before any work progresses.
“The government department purchased the Irish Street site as part of a regeneration programme for Downpatrick town centre and is working in partnership with Newry, Mourne and Down Council to deliver a scheme and development brief that can go to market for delivery,” explained Cllr Sharvin.
“Department of Communities officials agreed there was a need for an engagement forum to enable the public to have an input into what they want to see at the site. This forum will bring departmental officials, council officials, traders and the public together to support the brief.”
Cllr Sharvin confirmed that during the meeting it was agreed Downpatrick councillors would meet roads officials following their report that the proposed link road “was not value for money” as it would cost over £3m and not deliver major improvements.
He added: “Town centre congestion is a high priority for me and my SDLP colleagues. We want to understand how these proposed changes can truly deliver the same improvements as a link road. If Transport NI is not willing to deliver the scheme, the question which needs to be asked is that if a private investor takes the former PSNI site forward, would money be invested in building the link road and the extra cost of purchasing additional lands?”
Cllr Enright has appealed to people to come forward and make known their views on the future development of the Irish Street site. He also claimed there have been numerous newspaper articles over recent years reporting that the local authority would only have to acquire the land around the former police base for New Street to be delivered.
“The people of Downpatrick are now being sold a pup with this scaled down ‘terms of reference’ for this development. In no way does it reflect what we were promised in the Downpatrick masterplan,” he declared.
“At Monday night’s council meeting, Sinn Féín and SDLP councillors voted though a £35m scheme to transform Newry town centre. But we are being told that the £3m needed to transform Downpatrick town centre and a new one way system is too expensive. I am appealing to people, especially those in business, to make their feelings known.”
Cllr Enright said the proposed link road was designed to create a 600 metre circular one-way system around the Irish Street car park, with additional parking spaces and shops being built on land currently home to six empty buildings.
He added: “We are now told that any one way system will be routed up Irish Street, Collin’s Corner and Saint Patrick’s Avenue, creating a one way system nearly a mile long and doing nothing to revive the retail trade in our old town centre and clogging up traffic all around the town.
“Downpatrick’s town centre deserves better. Just 10% of what is being spent on Newry town centre would transform the centre of Downpatrick and deliver what was promised in the masterplan, but that was prior to the advent of this new Newry-dominated council.”