Masterplan projects will not return to blueprint

23 August 2017

SOME of the most eye-catching projects from Downpatrick’s regeneration blueprint have been formally shelved.

A decision by Newry, Mourne and Down Council officials to remove huge swathes of the projects contained in the Downpatrick Masterplan will stand despite unprecedented and united criticism from the town’s political establishment.

The council’s Enterprise, Regeneration and Tourism (ERT) Department has refused to back down after being strongly criticised by an MP, MLAs and councillors for removing “the heart” of the Masterplan.

A last-ditch appeal to have the decision overturned and control of the Masterplan returned to a special implementation group was ruled out last week.

Among the projects that have now been removed from the plan are:

Plans for a Quoile Country Park, a project of “national significance” stretching from land beside Downpatrick Railway, behind the Mount of Down and eventually linking up with the Quoile Pondage.

The building of a new road linking the Ballydugan Road with St Patrick’s Avenue.

The development of a new retail quarter taking in the Grove Shopping Centre, library, Social Security buildings and Translink bus depot.

The eastern distributor road connecting the Belfast Road to the Saul Road and then the Downshire public sector campus.

The extension of Downpatrick and County Down Railway.

A project to boost the evening economy in Downpatrick.

The decision to remove the projects was made by council officials earlier this year who reviewed the four Masterplans in the area — Downpatrick, Ballynahinch, Newry and South East Coast — and produced what was called a “workable priority action plan.”

At that time it was also decided not to re-establish the Downpatrick Masterplan Implementation Group, a body formed by Down District Council to drive forward the various plans contained in the blueprint.

The decision sparked unanimous opposition from the Downpatrick District Electoral Area Forum, the council’s own body, and strong criticism from the then South Down MP, Margaret Ritchie, MLAs, Chris Hazzard and Colin McGrath, and all the Downpatrick councillors — Cadogan Enright, Dermot Curran, John Trainor, Gareth Sharvin and Naomi Bailie.

In a bid to have the decision overturned, the Downpatrick councillors put forward a motion to the ERT committee last week calling for the work of the implementation group to be resumed and work to begin again on all the major projects in the original Masterplan.

The motion was rejected by the committee.

Councillor Enright said around 30 projects have been removed from the Masterplan and said the only initiative of note that has been left is the Irish Street development and the plan to create a one-way system in the town centre.

“We are very concerned about what we see happening with our Masterplan,” he said, adding that all the various Masterplans in the district should have implementation groups headed by local councillors.

“We reflect back on the fact that one of the most successful things that happened in the old council was the way in which DEA councillors led their Masterplans, very successfully in Downpatrick, and there was wide political consensus across all parties about what needed to be done.

“We would suggest that the Rowallane area councillors should have a say in how the Ballynahinch Masterplan is developed and the same thing should happen in Kilkeel and Newcastle. We are very concerned with what we see happening with our masterplan.

“We need to find out why the major projects that have complete consensus across all parties are now missing and we feel that the best way to advance master plans right across the district, not just in our area, is to let the local councillors who have worked with their masterplan for many years, to continue with that role,” he said.

However, Downpatrick SDLP councillor John Trainor, who was one of the proposers of the motion, distanced himself from it when he accepted assurances from council officials that members of the Downpatrick DEA will be kept informed of the progress of the action plan.

“People do not want to see the Masterplans sitting on the shelf gathering dust. They want to see them being physically worked on and progressed,” he said.

“I would be happy if I was assured the DEA does have an input into the Masterplan and have influence over the action plans, because as local representatives we know what is happening in our areas and know where the needs are in the local area and need to have the freedom to adapt to meet those needs,” he added.

Newcastle Sinn Fein councillor, Willie Clarke, also rejected the motion arguing there had to be prioritisation within Masterplan projects because of financial considerations.

“There is probably frustration within the Downpatrick DEA that there are not more projects coming forward. I know there is huge interest in projects such as an environmental habitat or park based around the Quoile,” he added.

Speaking after the decision councillor Enright said the Downpatrick DEA was unanimous in its opposition to the downgrading of the Masterplan.

“The big parties are going to have to change their attitude towards east Down and Downpatrick in particular,” he said.

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