No disabled beach access at Newcastle this summer

No disabled beach access at Newcastle this summer

22 March 2023

NEWRY, Mourne and Down Council won’t be providing disabled access to Newcastle beach this summer.

The news was confirmed at Monday night’s meeting of the local authority’s Active and Healthy Communities Committee.

A business case paving the way for a new disabled access to the beach at the Downs Road and the provision of so-called changing places facilities for people with a range of mobility needs at the same location, will not now be ready until June, delaying the project.

Local Sinn Fein councillor Willie Clarke says he is “disappointed” at the news which means there will be no disabled access at the beach until next summer.

He said there were a number of initiatives along the east coast of Ireland, including the installation of an inclusive beach at Cranfield, with the schemes designed to help wheelchair users access beaches and, in some cases, the sea.

“A beach is a superb, natural asset that needs to be accessed by all citizens,” Cllr Clarke continued.

“Wheelchair users face obstacles on a continual basis, including travelling across uneven surfaces, and there are few terrains as challenging as a sandy, rocky beach. It’s impossible to push a normal wheelchair through sand and stones.”

Cllr Clarke also expressed concern about what he described as “disingenuous” social media statements by other elected representatives claiming Sinn Fein was responsible for stalling moves to provide a disabled beach access.

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” he declared, explaining he tabled a motion on the issue in 2019 which resulted in the council committee investigating the best location to provide a disabled access to Newcastle beach, opting for the Downs Road.

“I also ensured changing places facilities were included in the council’s public toilet strategy which aims to refurbish and replace toilets across the district, but when it became clear that the Active and Healthy Communities Committee could not deliver the changing places aspect of the project, I agreed that the council’s environment and sustainability department was best placed to deliver this scheme.”

Cllr Clarke said he wanted disabled beach access and the changing places facilities installed this summer, but it is no longer possible.

He added: “I have been working on this issue since 2019. It’s been a long process, but we are going to deliver for all the people with the council close to completing the outline business case for the new toilet strategy, with some of the options including the provision of changing places facilities.

“It had been hoped this would be ready for presentation before the end of the current council term but this is unlikely and it will go before the new council in June following the May election.”