Plans for Newry City’s regeneration have been abruptly pulled from a decision making committee due to governance concerns raised by the council’s chairman.
A special sitting of the strategy, policy and resources (SPR) committee was due to sign off on a draft full business case for the massive programme of development behind closed doors on Monday night (March 24).
The Newry City Centre Regeneration (NCCR) project includes tens of millions of pounds to be spent on the construction of a new council HQ, a theatre and conference centre at Newry Town Hall as well as a city centre public park at Albert Basin.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) chairperson, Pete Byrne (SDLP) halted proceedings to consult party members on his concerns before the meeting was due to be brought into a confidential session away from the public and media.
He said: “I have a concern over governance, and I am going to mention some things in the past, so I don’t know whether we need to go into a confidential session?”
NMDDC chief executive Marie Ward advised Cllr Byrne to bring the matter forward in closed chambers.
However, Cllr Byrne added: “Given some concerns raised by Cllr Doire Finn (SDLP) and response from Cllr Oonagh Hanlon (Sinn Fein) I am going to propose that we have a five minute recess to discuss the governance concerns that I have with officers and all parties.”
Cllr Finn, who is not a member of the committee, had earlier highlighted in chambers that she was a member of the NCCR programme board.
She said: “I just think it is important to say that as a member of the board, we actually haven’t seen sight of the business case, we were due to last week and we haven’t.
“So I would like that on record. We would like to see this project advance, but it needs to be done within our own governance structures.”
In response, CEO Ward stated that the draft full business case would return to the programme board once it had been approved by the Department for Communities (DfC).
Cllr Hanlon also added: “Just to clarity all councillors would have been able to look at the SPR agenda and papers, but I would welcome that it does go back to the programme board.
“We do need DfC approval and that is why we are having a special meeting this evening.
“So, it will go back to the board and to the full council.”
In 2024, local government auditor Colette Kane contacted the council’s CEO raising potential concerns over the building of its new estimated £17m civic centre located close to Newry Cathedral at Abbey Way.
The spending watchdog’s concerns related to construction cost increases, proposed occupancy levels and car parking arrangements.
Planning permission for the council civic hub, as well as the estimated £23m theatre and conference centre, were signed off in December last year.
Phase One of the Newry City Park has received £16m funding from the Department of Finance (Dec 2021) with NMDDC providing £2.4m.
The planning application for the long anticipated 15-acre park are due to be lodged this April with an “establishment” date of 2027, according to the special SPR report.
Following the chamber recess, committee chairperson, Cllr Tierna Howie said: “It was agreed on the proposal of Cllr Byrne and seconded by Cllr McAteer (SDLP) that the discussion on the NCCR full business case be adjourned to the next SPR meeting on April 3.”
