2,000 people sign Rock Pool petition

2,000 people sign Rock Pool petition

24 February 2021

ALMOST 2,000 people have signed a petition to preserve Newcastle’s iconic Rock Pool.

The petition was launched last week after claims that it could cost up to £5m to repair the outdoor seawater facility which has suffered from a lack of major local authority investment over many years.

Those behind the online petition — the Friends of the Rock Pool — want Newry, Mourne and Down Council to carry out the necessary repairs at the South Promenade facility which enjoys protected status and opened in 1933.

On Monday, local authority officials organised a visit of the pool for local politicians which took place at low tide to provide an opportunity to view the structure from the seaward side in particular where there are reported to be a number of issues.

Campaigners insist that there is a lot of support in the community for the local authority-owned pool, with suggestions that the Heritage Lottery Fund may be one of a number of bodies which could provide a cocktail of funding to finance the much-needed repair work.

As survey work continues at the pool to determine the full extent of its structural integrity and what level of investment may be required, campaigners say that the final cost of repairs to the vital community asset have not yet been confirmed.

Mournes councillor Glyn Hanna, who claimed recently that the cost of the work at the pool could be between £1.5m and £5m, said it was great to see the pool’s profile being raised and the interest in its potential. However, he insisted that he stood by the concerns he has raised to date.

He said the local council owned two outdoor pools, one in Newcastle and one in Warrenpoint, and he called for the establishment of a working group to look at the detailed costs of upgrading both facilities.

Cllr Hanna said people in Warrenpoint were also very passionate about their 120 year-old facility and suggested that recent media coverage on the future of the Newcastle pool indicated that no one was disagreeing with him over its condition, reaffirming that the facility will require substantial reconstruction — not remedial work the current online petition is asking for. 

He said the figures he had suggested about the required upgrade were realistic and that carrying out remedial work would only be a sticking plaster solution.

“Nobody disagrees with the fact that the pool is a historic place that we all want to see preserved, but I would rather see its value maximised with the attraction of outside investment, rather than continue on the path of the sticking plaster job,” he continued.

Cllr Hanna says he agrees with those who say that the Newcastle pool was neglected for decades by the legacy Down Council with its successor “left to pick up the pieces”.

He continued: “I never served on the old council but believe that is where the roots of the Rock Pool’s problems came from and commend our current council officers in their efforts to address the current condition of the facility.

“There is an opportunity now to fully face up to the problems and either turn the pool into a modern, outdoor facility which can serve the community for decades, or mothball it which will require a substantial amount to ensure its structural condition is that required by it’s heritage listing status to stop it washing away into the sea.”

Cllr Hanna maintains that he did the right thing by highlighting the issues around the Newcastle pool, reaffirming that ratepayers should not have to carry the burden of the restoration costs if the local council decides to foot the bill.

“It will take between £1.5 million and £5m to restore the pool properly and invest in its future. I know the media have latched onto the upper figure, but I have said somewhere between the two.

If the pool is to have a future, a proper job of work needs done,” he declared.

Cllr Hanna said as one of the councillors who makes a big effort to attend all meetings on Mournes matters and engaged with those who have worked on the higher specification options to make projects like the Rock Pool into tourist attractions, he was well informed on the relevant information. 

He believes business cases for all designs for projects and their longevity should be drafted with the figures used to inform decision making, with a focus on a return on the required investment and sustainability before committing ratepayers money.

Cllr Hanna reaffirmed his position that the majority of the funding for the work required at the Rock Pool should come from external sources, such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, which he revealed recently announced details of a £500m funding stream for projects like the restoration of the outdoor pool, with £5m the maximum amount available.

“This is only one source, there are others. The Rock Pool project I believe should be a community/council partnership with the community taking ownership when the reconstruction work is finished and a service level agreement in place to support local people looking after the pool,” he said.

“What is now required is for community groups to step forward and not stand and watch from the sideline relying on the council. The Rock Pool would never be able to stand alone financially, but if it was restored properly with minimum running costs, this could work.”

Cllr Hanna said Newcastle required wet weather attractions with plans for a new Newcastle Centre which could feature in an indoor pool, taking the number of pools in the resort to four, including those at local hotels.

The councillor said South Down’s biggest attraction is the Mournes and while he welcomed plans to extend parking provision at Newcastle’s Donard Park, he said there are major problems with parking provision in other areas, particularly on the southern side of the mountains where there has been a significant increase in the number of walkers.

“Newry, Mourne and Down Council needs to provide parking and other facilities if it continues to promote the mountains as a tourist destination,” said Cllr Hanna.

“There has been significant investment in Newcastle and if City Deal funding is secured for the Mournes Gateway project, it could generate investment of between £40m and £50m.”