Design team put in place for Newcastle leisure centre plan

Design team put in place for Newcastle leisure centre plan

5 November 2025

DESIGN consultants have finally been appointed to deliver Newcastle’s new £12m leisure centre in the heart of the resort.

The decision was taken at Monday night’s meeting of Newry, Mourne and Down Council with an appeal to the public to fully immerse themselves in a forthcoming consultation process.

After weeks of discussion about the location of the new multi-million pound facility, it will be constructed as originally planned to the rear and side of the existing Newcastle Centre in Main Street.

The new complex could potentially open some time 2027 if all the pieces in the development jigsaw — including planning approval — fall into place.

While some councillors had suggested examining out-of-town sites which were not as restricted in size and parking availability as the preferred option, council officials warned that going down this particular road had the potential to set the proposed ultra-modern new leisure centre back by a decade.

In addition, council officials said that given initial designs have been drawn up and consultants due to be appointed to drive the scheme forward, considering another site at this time was a non-starter “given the risk associated with it”.

The local authority said all of the timeline and surveys that had been completed have “brought us to the stage where Newcastle Leisure Centre is the preferred site” with the appointment of design consultants a “key milestone for the delivery of the new centre”.

While detailed design work now starts, it has been reported that the complex will feature an indoor leisure pool, three 30 metre swimming lanes, dedicated heated play pool for children and an ultra-modern gymnasium.

The existing Tropicana outdoor children’s pool at the Newcastle Centre will bulldozed under the preferred option.

Over the past two decades, multiple feasibility studies and appraisals have identified the urgent need for replacement leisure facilities in the resort.

Council officials say all the reports have “consistently confirmed” the inadequacy of existing facilities and the need for modern wet and dry leisure provision, with the Newcastle Centre agreed as the most appropriate location.

Politicians have been told the town centre site can provide opportunities for a mixed-use approach, including leisure and commercial facilities, maximising benefits to residents, visitors and the local economy.

South Down MP Chris Hazzard described the appointment of consultants, describing it as “huge news” for Newcastle.

“This is a massive local investment, a state-of-the-art facility that will be delivered right here on Central Promenade,” he said.

“The new centre will have a modern indoor pool, dedicated swimming lanes and a brand new gym — the quality leisure facilities that our community deserves.”

Mournes councillor Laura Devlin said the appointment was a “very notable step forward”.

She continued: “The design team will begin engaging with local groups and people about what they what to see in this new leisure and community facility.

“A lot of facilities have been mentioned in the press and social media but no decision has yet been made so please do feed into the consultations that will take place,” she urged the public.

Cllr Devlin added: “It’s now time to look positively to the future and see, at very long last , a new leisure centre delivered that is fit for purpose for the greater Newcastle area."