£3m scheme ‘welcome boost’ for Downpatrick

£3m scheme ‘welcome boost’ for Downpatrick

19 February 2025

WORK on a £3m regeneration scheme in Downpatrick town centre is expected to start in the summer.

The Department for Communities and Newry, Mourne and Down Council have joined forces to finance a major public realm initiative in Church Street and De Courcy Place in English Street.

The government department is contributing £2.7m towards the cost of the scheme which will be carried out in two phases over the next two years.

Design consultants will be appointed to take the public realm to the next stage with politicians also agreeing to appoint a contractor to carry out the work designed give both locations a distinctly modern feel.

A design concept drawn up for De Courcy Place features a planted area and the removal of existing bollards which will be replaced with decorative plant pots. New seating is also proposed in tandem with improved street lighting.

The public realm schemes feature new footpath paving and kerbing, decorative street lighting, street furniture, tree planting and relocating overhead cables underground.

A significant part of Church Street, which is one of the main gateways into the town centre, has already been resurfaced and new street lighting provided, with plans to install new traffic lights at the Saul Way junction.

Work on the multi-million pound scheme is due to be completed by the end of March 2027, with the scheme focusing on improving and enhancing the streetscape along Church Street to Pillar Well Lane and in De Courcy Place at the lower end of English Street. 

Stormont Communities Minister Gordon Lyons sad the scheme will deliver “high quality measures” including paving and landscaping.

“I am pleased to announce this £3.1m investment in Downpatrick, with £2.7m coming from my department,” said Mr Lyons.

“This funding will complement previous public realm works in Downpatrick and is part of my ongoing commitment to the regeneration of our town and city centres. This investment will help to improve the streetscape and boost the rich heritage of the town.”

Mr Lyons said confirmation of the investment came after a difficult period for high streets, particularly Downpatrick where many businesses had their premises damaged by the floods in November 2023.

“I hope this will be a welcome boost in sustaining the long-term viability and prosperity of the town,” he added.

Mr Mal McGrady, chairman of the Downpatrick Regeneration Group chairperson, also welcomed the joint investment.

“We are delighted that funding for a further infrastructure project identified in our Living High Streets Framework has been approved and that the Department for Communities and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council have been able to support Downpatrick with this funding package to transform Church Street and De Courcy Place,” he said.

Council chairman Pete Byrne, said the next phase of Downpatrick public realm works represented a “great opportunity” to further boost the overall regeneration and recovery of the town.

He added: “The council and its partners look forward to working closely with the Department for Communities, as well as other departments and stakeholders, to complete both the advance utility works and public realm improvements.”

While major investment has been poured into neighbouring Market Street and Irish Street over recent years, Church Street missed out when it came to public realm schemes but that is changing thanks to the Department for Communities (DfC) — which is already heavily involved in the regeneration of the former police base at Irish Street in the town — and the local authority.

The schemes are part of the town’s Living High Streets Framework and is designed to create more vibrant and accessible spaces for residents, businesses and visitors.