Warning that Newcastle may miss out on leisure centre

Warning that Newcastle may miss out on leisure centre

29 May 2013

A NEWCASTLE councillor has warned the resort’s proposed multi-million pound leisure centre may never be built, if politicians can’t agree on where it should be located.

Patrick Clarke’s comments come a week after the Recorder revealed that plans for the £7m project could be delayed for several years.

Attempts to purchase a former primary school site at Shanslieve Drive as the site for the new leisure complex have to date proved unsuccessful. Last week, council officials confirmed they are set to end negotiations to buy the Shanslieve Drive site if they can’t agree a price with its owners within the next few weeks.

Donard Park was initially agreed as the preferred location for the new leisure centre before councillors switched attention to the former school site, a move which led to political wrangling between the SDLP and Sinn Fein.

Councillor Clarke said he’s becoming “increasingly concerned” over the future of the project.

“If the Shanslieve Drive location can’t be secured at a realistic market price, Down Council should revert back to Donard Park in order to move the project forward and deliver a 21st century leisure centre in Newcastle. If a price can’t be agreed for the former school site, we need to end negotiations and move on.

“Donard Park was the preferred location for the new centre before some councillors switched attention to the former school site. The decision to look at an alternative site ultimately led to political squabbling between certain political parties.”

He said the “clear and harsh reality” is that elected representatives now face a deadline to make a decision on the future of the Newcastle leisure centre ahead of the proposed merger between Down and Newry and Mourne councils.

Councillor Clarke continued: “In July, a transition committee will be formed which will have control of all major capital spend decisions across the new council area so agreement on the Newcastle project is needed before then if we are to be realistic about delivering this new leisure centre.

“If a decision on its location is not made within the coming weeks, it would be a wasted exercise to appoint consultants next month to move the project to the detailed design stage.”

Councillor Clarke said Down Council, which is holding a special meeting next month to discuss the future of the Newcastle leisure centre project, has a clear choice.

He suggested the local authority can either suspend work on the project until the merger of Down and Newry and Mourne councils, by which time work on new leisure centres in Downpatrick and Saintfield will have commenced, or concentrate on delivering the new centre in Newcastle.

Councillor Clarke added: “I am very conscious that failure to deliver a new leisure centre in Newcastle could have major ramifications for two other proposed projects including a new town centre hotel and a health centre, both of which have the potential to create jobs and boost the local construction industry.”

“Ultimately, it will be the people of Newcastle who will hold Down Council and its elected representatives to account if we do not deliver a new leisure centre in the resort. The clock is now ticking. I hope other political parties can show leadership by putting their differences aside and reaching agreement on the location of the new centre.