DOWNPATRICK – Downpatrick’s £1.7m link road will be built during the next financial year, even thought it has been confirmed that a public inquiry is to be held into the construction of the project.
The commitment was given to Down councillors last week by the province’s Environment Minister, Mr Tim Smith, who viewed the Church Street/Scotch Street link proposal during whistle-stop tour of the town on Thursday.
His Department has come under increasing pressure over recent months and viceroys political lobbying by local politicians and the South Down MP, Mr Eddie McGrady.
The Minister has also given an assurance that the money will not be diverted to another scheme elsewhere in the Province.
“I was delighted to be able to bring this scheme forward in the roads programme and it will go ahead during the 1995/96 financial year,” he confirmed.
“I don’t feel that because we are to have a public inquiry over this issue that it will cause any undue delay. As far as it is possible, I will ensure this scheme goes ahead.”
“A number of objections have been received but I will, however, try to ensure that a public inquiry will not delay the project,” he added.
Earlier, the council’s vice-chairman, Mr John Doris, said the project “will make a significant improvement” to town centre traffic flow.”
NEWCASTLE – Newcastle parents are being advised to keep a close watch on their children following an outbreak of indecent exposure cases in the town.
Senior police officers have said they are concerned at the recent incidents which have centred on the Shimna Road, Dunwellan Park, Ballaghbeg Park and Golf Links View areas.
More than one man is believed to be involved in the exposures which have all been made to young children and which began around the Twelfth holiday week.
The police say one of those responsible is believed to ride a black mountain bike and is responsible for at least three exposures.
Newcastle sub-division commander, Superintendent Sam Martin, said there have been a series of incidents in the town and as with all such occurrences, there is a fear that something more serious could occur.
SAINTFIELD – Plans to provide new sports pitches in Saintfield, along with a number of associated amenities, have been lodged with local planning chiefs.
The application by Down Council, is to provide the pitches at the town’s Todd’s Hill.
The associated development will include a number of formal and informal planting schemes, new sports pavilion, car parking facilities and a duck pond.
Last month, council officials were concerned that they would get involved in a “bidding war” for the prime section of land, but an alternative proposal for the land by a developer was kicked into touch by planning chiefs.
The council has identified the area as an “ideal spot” for developing an amenity area for Saintfield to meet the needs of the town’s growing population.
ARDGLASS – A major land and sea rescue was launched along the East Down coast at the weekend for a lone fisherman who failed to return to Ardglass harbour.
Two lifeboats, several Coastguard teams and the RUC were involved in the search which eventually ended early on Sunday morning when the fisherman’s boat was found aground at the mouth of Killough harbour.
The Downpatrick fisherman had left Ardglass harbour in his boat, the Lady Philomena, on Saturday morning and had been due back in the local port at 7.30 pm that evening.
However, the alarm was raised just before midnight on Saturday night when his car was spotted still parked at the harbour and his family confirmed he was still not home.
Newcastle and Portaferry lifeboats were launched to begin an immediate search around the coast. A Coastguard team from Ardglass later located the inflatable’s crew and established that all were safe.
TYRELLA – Police investigation a vandalism attack at the new amenity block at Tyrella beach believe that people attending a rave party may have been responsible.
Damaged estimated at £2,000 was caused to the facility during the early hours of last Sunday and the attack has been condemned by politicians.
Police discovered the damage at 5am on Sunday morning when around 20 people were still at the beach, which was littered with around several hundred empty beer cans.
Down Council officials inspected the damage early on Monday morning and emergency repairs were carried out to the building which opened its doors for business in May.
The amenity block provides accommodation for a warden and houses various educational displays. It also has toilets with facilities for the disabled, along with a number of seated areas.
Mr Jack McIlheron, chairman of Down Council’s Economic Development Committee, says the people responsible for the attack are not welcome.
“The council strives to provide top quality facilities which will attract people to the area, but we don’t want our hard work and efforts destroyed by louts,” he declared.
KILLOUGH – Officials from Down Council and the DoE have visited Killough in a bid to help the village’s clean-up campaign.
Members of Killough Development Association met officials from the could’s corporate services department and the DoE when they visited the picturesque village on Wednesday and Thursday.
The visitors were given a guided tour by the Association chairman, Mr John Owens, and the vice-chairman, Mr Robert George, who highlighted eyesores and litter spots.
A major anti-litter drive has got underway in a bid to spruce up the village and give it a brighter image.
Welcoming the Keep Killough Tidy Campaign, local councillor Malachi Curran said the council was extremely concerned about litter and pollution problems.
“Any initiative which encourages cleanliness and tidiness is to be welcomed,” he said.
KILCLIEF – Litter at one of the area’s most picturesque beaches is set to become a thing of the past, Down Council chiefs have confirmed this week.
They have given a commitment to ensure Kilclief beach is litter free but have moved away from a suggestion to put bins along the shore, claiming it would spoil the beauty of the area.
Instead, a container for collecting rubbish will be sited in what the council have described as a “suitable location”.
The commitment to clean the beach is contained in a new directive which the council is taking on board and Tyrella and Newcastle will also now be cleaned on a more regular basis.
Local man Alan Johnston voiced his concern about the state of Kilclief beach after collecting almost 500 items of litter, with the help of some local children.
He collected the items in less than an hour and took the rubbish to the council’s Strangford Road headquarters in Downpatrick to show how bad the problem is at the beach.
BALLYNAHINCH – Social Services staff in Ballynahinch are working around the clock in a bid to restore normality following last week’s arson attack, which caused damage estimated at £300,000 to the town’s health centre.
Their immediate priority is to maintain services for the centre’s 3,500 patients and clients, but the pressure on staff is being eased by the various offers of help from other groups in the town.
The community services manager for the Ballynahinch area believes that with a little more effort, a normal service will be resumed, even though the building itself will be closed for up to nine months.