Newry and Mourne District Council

Newry City Centre Strategic Development Framework March 2004
4.0 THE WAY FORWARD
4.1 Key Themes
The following key themes have emerged from the public consultations, the SWOT analysis and
general observations by Ferguson McIlveen LLP. They form the basis for the Action Plan under
Section 6.
life to the centre but have the potential to compete with traditional shopping streets. The
primary retail areas need protection and should remain the focus for retailing and other
commercial uses during the day while after 6pm opportunities need to be provided for the
creation of an evening economy.
a. Rediscovering the Waterside City
Very few towns or cities in Ireland can boast two main water bodies within the centre of the
urban area. As well as the canal and the river, Newry has an intact canal basin that has the
potential for recreation use and further development around its edge. In the long term the
canal may come back into use, but in the interim access to it and the river in terms of
waterside frontage development and views of the waterways is essential.
b. Creating an Accessible City
The canal, river and Abbey Way, are key components in the fabric of Newry, but also act as
barriers to easy movement around the city centre. This is compounded by the fact that the
central area is quite large and likely to increase in size. Accessibility for able-bodied people is
much worse for those in wheel chairs or the visually impaired. Inappropriate sites are
currently being used for car parking; these include the central area between the canal and the
river, which would be better used for open space and civic use. Traffic flow through the city
centre also needs to be addressed and at present is a cause for concern along the William
Street and Bridge Street area.
c. Transforming the urban environment
As a city, Newry needs to look like a city. In urban design terms this means that buildings in
central Newry need to increase in height so as to portray that large inner city image. In
conjunction with this the city needs open space for passive recreation and events. The
central space between the canal and the river is the ideal area for civic space and events. But
there are also a number of other small areas around the city centre which, if transformed
into public spaces, would help define the setting of buildings and form important nodes in the
urban fabric.
4.2 Vision
In many ways the Vision for Crossmaglen is a simple one. It does not envisage significant change
from being a small market town, but seeks to create a settlement that builds on its current assets
in order to become a successful tourist base for South Armagh. Having considered the views of
the community groups, business people and the general public, it is considered that the future
development of Crossmaglen through to 2015 should be driven by the following Vision.
Newry 2015 – The Small City with the Big Future
Newry is some way down the road from being a large town a decade ago to being a thriving
small city. It is now a modern, accessible city that has regained its merchant city image. The canal
and riverside area is now Newry’s Central Park and is the location for concerts and other
events. The expanded central area has provided sites for extensive office and commercial
development well served by a necklace of car parks. Civic space has been created by the
displacement of vehicles from key sites, such as the Cathedral, which is now a significant feature
in the centre of the city. Hill Street is a pedestrian friendly zone and Marcus and Margaret
Squares are attractive plazas surrounded by bars and cafes, which cater for the new residential
population in apartments in the nearby streets. Monaghan Street and Sugar Island have been
transformed into vibrant district shopping and entertainment centres.
d. Retaining a vibrant city centre
A vibrant city centre is about attracting people to the area both day and night. Newry city
centre provides significant choice for retailing. The major shopping centres have brought new
Ferguson McIlveen in association with Mentor and Scott Wilson Page No. 13