A local councillor has said the state of the weir on the Shimna River in the centre of Newcastle is a source of “deep frustration.” Jill Truesdale explained that the water is not flowing properly over the top of the concrete weir and added that she has been working on the issue since the start of 2024.
“At the time I assumed it would be a quick fix by the council, as it was unsightly, right in the middle of the town, and would obviously lead to further difficulties if not rectified quickly,” she said. “I want to thank the council officer responsible for assisting, as he has relentlessly gathered information and liaised between departments in an effort to try and clear this up. However, it seems we are stuck in an eternal blame game of responsibility between council and (Department for Infrastructure) Rivers.”
The councillor for The Mournes said Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has no plans to carry out repair work because the weir is not owned or maintained by the district council. She added that legal advice indicates the Shimna River is a designated watercourse.
“As such, it falls under the remit of DfI Rivers for all maintenance and remedial works,” the Alliance councillor stated. “However, Council does retain responsibility for the land on the embankment, but this does not extend to the infrastructure that controls water levels or flow within the designated Shimna River. The retaining walls located outside Mauds and within the boat pond are the responsibility of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, and the proposed works will be followed up with Sustainability and Environment (a department within the district council) to progress works to the next stage.”
Cllr Truesdale said she has been in contact with the Department for Infrastructure Rivers with “the evidence provided by Council on the issue of land ownership and responsibility.” She continued, “I have continually called for a joint working partnership between the two agencies as they battle it out with who owns what.”
She also pointed to environmental concerns: “The exposed riverbeds are contributing to fish becoming stuck and, in hot weather, the smell of sulphur is very strong. Since 2024 we have had storm after storm, all worsening the weir and retaining walls, all worsening watercourses.”
Cllr Truesdale stressed the need for a more strategic approach: “Newcastle needs to be looked at with an overall geographical and topographical response—as it sits in South Down, as it sits in Northern Ireland, and as it sits in Ireland. We cannot build a flood alleviation scheme and walk away thinking everything is fixed. We are an island surrounded by water, with huge bodies of water within the island. We cannot afford to be parochial about our responses.”
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