Newry City Regeneration Gathers Momentum as Major Projects Move into Delivery

Newry is entering a significant new phase of regeneration, with major public and private investment progressing across the city and several long-awaited projects now moving firmly into delivery.

Planning permission has been approved for Newry City Park, marking a major milestone for the transformational project. The procurement of a contractor to deliver the park is now at the Invitation to Tender stage, with a select list of contractors already established as we move into the construction phase.

The City Park will create a major new public space in the heart of Newry, providing high-quality recreational and community facilities while helping to reconnect the city centre with the Clanrye River, Newry Canal and Carlingford Lough Greenway.

Alongside this, construction has commenced on the Newry Theatre and Conference Centre, providing further visible evidence of the Newry City Centre Regeneration programme moving from ambition into delivery.

The Theatre and Conference Centre and new Public Realm space will transform the existing Town Hall and Arts Centre area into a new cultural, conference and events destination. Importantly, the Department for Infrastructure and the Council are working together to deliver advance elements of Phase 2 of the Newry Flood Alleviation Scheme which aims to reduce the risk of flooding to properties in Newry. The first phase of the scheme was completed in 2023, and this next phase of works will support the delivery of the wider Newry Flood Alleviation Scheme currently under development.

These projects are complemented by additional and significant new interventions designed to encourage further private-sector investment in Newry.

One such intervention is the Commercial Property Revive and Reimagine Grant (£2m) under the Local Economic Partnership, which is currently open for applications. This funding is supporting investment in vacant and underused properties, helping property owners and businesses bring buildings back into productive economic use while improving the appearance and vitality of the city centre.

Another is the Grade A Office Development Grant Scheme, which is currently offering financial incentives to investors and local businesses for the creation of new Grade A Offices in Newry City Centre. With £3m funding through the Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD), the investment programme is acting as a catalyst for levering in new private sector funded developments. By offering a high-quality work environment, it is intended that companies will see the value of choosing Newry as a viable base for their business to grow.

Newry has also benefited from the Hotel Accommodation Development Scheme, with £600,000 funding awarded to two proposals within Newry city. This scheme aims to increase the supply and quality of visitor accommodation and support Newry’s development as a destination for tourism, business travel, conferences and events.

The opening of the Newry to Carlingford Greenway represents a significant milestone for the wider area, creating a high-quality cross-border active travel and recreational route linking Newry with Carlingford. The Greenway is already providing significant benefits for local communities, encouraging walking and cycling while strengthening connections between communities on both sides of the border. It also adds considerably to the area’s tourism offering, providing visitors with a new way to experience its landscape, heritage and attractions, while creating opportunities for local hospitality, tourism and leisure businesses.

Newry has a unique strategic position on the Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor with an ambitious pipeline of residential, commercial and regeneration projects.

The Council has leveraged significant public sector funding in the region of £30m to support the delivery of investment in Newry city of up to £70m. The crucial support of our public sector partners is enabling delivery, maximising the impact of local investment and ensuring that the resources are in place to turn long-standing regeneration ambitions into lasting improvements for the city and its communities.

Taken together, these developments demonstrate that Newry’s regeneration is now entering a period of tangible delivery. The coming years have the potential to deliver some of the most significant physical change Newry city centre has experienced in a generation. The priority must now be to build on this momentum and ensure that public investment helps unlock further private-sector development.

As major public projects become visible on the ground, there is an opportunity to showcase Newry’s growing momentum and demonstrate clearly that the city is a place in which to live, visit, work and invest.

The following videos showcasing the planned regeneration work at Newy City Park and across Newry City can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/ho3hnEnEk34
and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTUkQ1T3-H8&feature=youtu.be

ENDS