CALL TO PROGRESS HARBOUR REGENERATION PROJECT

THE council has been urged to show “greater urgency” in implementing recommendations contained in ambitious Newcastle Harbour regeneration strategy documents. Willie Clarke (Sinn Féin, Mournes) made the call recently in relation to proposals included within a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) and a Strategic Development Framework (SDF) for the town landmark, both of which were adopted by the local authority in January. The councillor pointed out that the establishment of a Newcastle Harbour management forum to help progress identified projects to feasibility stage had been agreed as part of this, and stated that progress must now be made in setting this body up as “it is essential for council to commit the resources to enable this work to begin”.

An officer’s report on the strategy documents – initially presented to the Enterprise, Regeneration and Tourism Committee last December – confirmed that a consultant had been appointed in 2022 to undertake a review of a previous management plan for the harbour, and, as a result, had developed the CMP and SDF. ‘The CMP uses the understanding of the heritage significance of the harbour to develop a set of conservation policies, which will be used as a guide for proposed works and how they could be carried out in a way that preserves and enhances the significance of the monument,’ it read. ‘The primary outcome of the SDF is to create a guiding tool to inform future development proposals and to evaluate their appropriateness for the Newcastle Harbour, whilst adhering to conservation principles as set out in the CMP. ‘The SDF is also set within the wider context of how the town centre has developed, and creating linkages with the town and other exciting development proposals for the area, such as the Gateway to the Mournes Belfast Region City Deal initiative.’ The CMP highlighted that the harbour is a scheduled monument, and that the structures that make it up – the two quays, the boundary wall and the watch house – ‘should be considered as a whole when considering the heritage significance’. Conservation policies proposed within the document include the maintenance of the primary maritime use of the harbour, and a minimum intervention approach in relation to the key structures. Within the SDF, a number of initial priority projects ‘that will support the safeguarding and enhancement of the visitor and user experience of Newcastle Harbour’ have been identified. These include a recommendation that the council seek to acquire the watch house and restore it, for the purpose of enhancing tourism and facilities available at the harbour.

Also suggested are the provision of changing facilities for swimmers between the slipway and car park, and the installation of a footbridge between the piers. An exhaustive list of future opportunities – including repairs to the piers, improvement to amenities, the insertion of a floating pontoon, and the installation of water sports equipment beach huts – are also considered within the framework. In his statement, Cllr Clarke said: “During the last term in council, I ensured the Newcastle Harbour CMP and SDF were developed. “The CMP and SDF highlight what works should be carried out: these actions need to be acted upon, including linking the two piers with a boardwalk, work on the piers, health and safety improvements, disability access, the restoration of the generator house, which is being progressed by the Newcastle Harbour Heritage Association, and improvements for sea swimmers. “The plan also recommends an appropriate and sustainable new use should be identified for the watch house – it is essential that this building is brought back into community use.”