Newry and Mourne District Council

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Newry City Centre Strategic Development Framework March 2004 depot and change of use of the existing bus depot to a civic use, surrounded by civic open space. Ideally, the bus station should be easily accessible from Abbey Way/ City Centre through pass and might be incorporated within a new multi-storey car park development viii. Merchants Quay/ Buttercrane Quay – these streets provide a similar function to the Mall. Merchants Quay in particular should almost be a mirror image of the Mall with 3 to 4 storey buildings and more open access to the water. No significant change has occurred along these streets since 1999. Buttercrane Quay is dominated by the blank frontage of the Buttercrane Shopping Centre, which contributes little to the streetscape. Merchants Quay has a surprisingly few commercial units in relation to the length of the street. The most dominant uses are car related or blank retail sheds, which do little to enhance the vitality of the area. All of this results in a stagnated street with no sign of renewal and growth. The blank frontage uses such as the car garages and retail sheds need to be relocated to make way for residential uses in redeveloped warehouse buildings, cafes and alternative comparison goods shops. The scale of the buildings should reflect the hotel and traditional warehouse buildings, some of which still exist. A degree of uniformity in scale, design and materials and a greater focus on the water would greatly enhance the street. ix. St. Mary’s Street – further along the Mall, the activity and vibrancy decreases as one moves into St. Mary’s Street. This has the appearance of a former district shopping street with a large number of small comparison and convenience shops providing service to the immediate community. Since 1999, the vitality of the street has declined further, with more vacancies and fewer comparison good shops. There is an increase in bulky durables, which appears to be a trend in streets with edge of centre locations. These uses are however of low quality and poor appearance and in this regard add little value to the city centre. From observation it appears that the street relies heavily for its commercial survival on its proximity to the Market. There is however a strong community spirit in the area and any redevelopment should recognise and be sensitive to this. At present the street and the uses along the river are creating a barrier between the strong magnets of the Buttercrane and the Market. A strong link is required between these two uses and redeveloped riverside buildings could have a role to play in such regeneration. c. The Quays The Quays shopping centre is not within the current city centre boundary and was therefore not included in the 1999 or 2003 city centre health checks. However, there has been debate as to whether or not to include the Quays within any revised central area or not. The Quays, is an attractive, convenient, modern shopping facility which has the potential to either compete with or contribute to Newry City Centre. Inclusion within the city centre boundary would be advantageous from the point of view of the Quays shopping centre if expansion were ever considered. Expansions to large retail developments outside city and town centre boundaries require a retail impact assessment under PPS 5. Inclusion within the boundary could simplify planning applications for any such expansions and equally afford the Quays protection under PPS5. On the plus side, inclusion of the Quays within the boundary means that overall, Newry city centre would be consolidating its main retail offer within one boundary. On the negative side, inclusion of the Quays within the city centre without adequately linking it with the rest of the city centre would mean that it would be allowed to expand in isolation. This will almost certainly result in drawing further trade from Hill Street and Monaghan Street. Excluding the Quays from the city centre would mean that its benefits might not be fully realised by the city centre. However, further expansion of the Quays and the provision of more higher order shops has the potential to compete with the rest of the city centre. DRD are currently working on a replacement of PPS5. Indications are that the new policy may be even tighter than the current policy, with retail applicants having to prove need as well as deficiencies if they want to locate outside town and city centre boundaries. A shopping centre outside the city centre boundary, which is restricted from expanding due to tight planning policies may not be good for Newry. Potentially retailers might go elsewhere if they are unable to establish in a location that is most beneficial to their business. Retailers are more likely to want to locate in the Quays which has an existing critical mass of UK multiples that form a strong attraction to consumers. On balance, any expansion of the Quays would probably be better done within the context of the city centre as a whole and not in isolation. Inclusion therefore would make it easier for the Quays to expand but would also provide a degree of control for Planning Service, as decision-makers on such applications. Future proposals for the Quays would have to conform to an overall strategy for the city centre. The owners would have to recognise that in order to avail themselves of the benefits that come with being within a city centre boundary under the protection of PPS5, they would need to embrace the city centre plan and contribute to any strategy that emerges for the centre, for example the provision of better linkages. Ferguson McIlveen in association with Mentor and Scott Wilson Page No. 6
Newry City Centre Strategic Development Framework March 2004 3.2 Townscape Appraisal The Townscape Analysis sketch below summarises the key urban design issues that this study will seek to address. The consultants noted these issues during site visits to Newry. Combining these observations with the SWOT analysis above will build a picture as to the way forward for Newry City Centre. Newry City Centre is a collection of uses in distinct areas, which are not well linked. Much of the movement in the centre is in a north-south direction and movement across the water bodies is limited. Some key vistas exist between several nodes, but their use is not being fully realised. Vehicles dominate the area of land between the river and canal which would be an ideal pedestrian area for use as open space and events and as a linkage point between all parts of the central area. There are a number of key landmark buildings in central Newry as well as a few small areas of good civic space, again not being fully utilised due to the dominance of the car. Some traditional frontages still exist and these should be preserved and reused. On the other hand, there are also many poor building frontages on prime sites in the city, especially along Merchants Quay, Mall and Canal Street. The area to the rear of Dunnes on Monaghan Street is in need of major redevelopment as it appears to have been allowed to develop without any form of co-ordination. Traffic congestion is a major issue, but it seems unlikely that there will be any major improvement in this situation until such times as alternative routes in and around the city centre are established. Ferguson McIlveen in association with Mentor and Scott Wilson Page No. 7
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Newry and Mourne District Council

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