The first phase of a major regeneration project in Dundrum will get under way next week. A specialist demolition firm will begin to remove part of a derelict building at the junction of Main Street and Manse Road to make way for a new retail and apartment complex.
The building being demolished is the former Castle Vaults bar, which was badly damaged in an IRA bomb attack over 50 years ago. The lounge remained open for several years before closing permanently; since then it has decayed significantly and, despite having several owners over the years, has remained derelict.
Three years ago the building was purchased by Dundrum Development Association (DDA), which was keen to remove what is one of the most visible derelict buildings at the entrance to the central core of the village. However, the project has been bedevilled by problems caused by the almost complete ban on development in the village because of limitations in the sewage treatment system.
Although the wastewater treatment plant has been upgraded, two new pumping stations – one opposite the chapel and one opposite St Donard’s Church – have yet to be constructed, meaning planning applications which need a connection to a public sewer are being refused.
The DDA has been working closely with local politicians and Northern Ireland Water (NIW) in a bid to advance the Castle Vaults project and late last year received planning permission with the condition that a sewerage solution is agreed upon and deemed deliverable by both NIW and the DDA.
A part of the building will be demolished to allow exploratory work on the former pub sewers. The DDA hopes then to be able to create a sewerage solution by diverting enough surface water out of the foul sewerage system which will allow an equivalent amount of sewage from the new development to enter the foul system. If the exploratory work confirms this is possible, then it is hoped that full planning permission for the scheme will be given and construction work can begin.
The building at the rear of the site will be completely demolished; however, the building facing the Main Street must be retained, by order of Newry, Mourne and Down Council’s planning department, to preserve the character of the Main Street.
The wooden hoardings which have surrounded the site for some time will be removed next week to allow demolition to take place and the following exploratory examination of the site. They will then be replaced until the go-ahead is given for construction to begin.
Stephen Calvert, the chairperson of the DDA, said he was pleased to see some progress in what has been a drawn-out planning application to date. “This is a difficult site to develop, and the project has been hampered by the problems associated with the wastewater treatment limitations in the village,” he said. “We are delighted that some progress has been made and that demolition can take place of what is a major eyesore in the village. We are hopeful we can overcome our planning difficulties and progress this key development project over the coming year.”
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