Newcastle group is appealing for a helping hand to enable facility to be completed
WORK has begun on transforming the old Generator House at Newcastle Harbour into a community hub for swimmers and other harbour users.
The Newcastle Harbour Heritage Association signed a 25-year lease for the old Generator House earlier this year.
The group plans to completely overhaul the building, turning it from disused premises to an accessible facility for those using the harbour.
Planning permission was secured for the project in 2023.
“It’s an old generator house and it was used to power the sewage plant,” Campbell Miller, chairman of the Newcastle Harbour Heritage Association, explained.
“So, we’re going to convert it into a community hub.
“We’re putting in a shower, toilets, a community multi-purpose room and a small kitchenette,” he said.
“We want it to be used by all harbour users, whether that is boaters, kayakers or swimmers.”
Campbell said that it will give people who use the harbour a place to change into dry clothes, to use the toilet, to make a cup of tea and to chat with each other.
The Newcastle Harbour Heritage Association is a charity which began in 2020 with a small group of people who were interested in the harbour area of the town, including people involved in the local yacht club and RNLI, as well as other boat owners and swimmers.
‘Our aim is to help protect the history of Newcastle Harbour and encourage all locals and visitors to enjoy our harbour,’ the group’s Facebook page states.
“With the removal of the cast iron Victorian-era toilets at the harbour over 25 years ago, the harbour users and boat owners have been left without proper facilities. As the harbour and the sea itself has become more popular with swimmers, kayakers and canoeists, jet skis and paddleboarders, the necessity for clean, accessible facilities has become more evident,” a spokesperson for the association said.
One of the main things that will be provided in the community hub building once it is completed will be toilet facilities.
“The harbour has no toilets in that area,” Campbell said.
He said that although there are some public toilets around 500 metres away from the harbour, that is “too far away” for many people when they need access to the facilities quickly. The new toilets will be accessible for those who need them, including older people and those with limited mobility.
“It would be good to have the facilities right there in the harbour,” Campbell said, adding that the generator house’s location will make it easier for sea swimmers to get to, as well as those getting on and off boats.
The renovation project is a very expensive one, with the cost of the improvements to the building estimated to be around £80,000, which does not include the cost of the electricity and water connections to the property.
“Currently we have enough money to do one half of the building,” Campbell said.
“What is costing us a lot of money is just bringing utilities into the building.”
The project is moving ahead though, with an electricity connection having been installed at the building earlier this month.
“It’s the first time that electricity has been brought to the harbour in generations really,” Campbell said.
This was an important step in the creation of the multi-purpose room since it will allow those doing the work to have access to electricity to use their power tools. The interior work on the building is due to start in September.
The cost to connect the electricity is more than £5,000 and the building will also need to be connected to the public water and wastewater system.
“The nearest water connection is 50 metres away,” Campbell said.
“Sewage is costing us £3,000 just for the connection.”
That cost does not include additional money for additional work that will have to be done to enable the waste to be properly disposed of.
“That is going to be very costly,” Campbell said.
Thus, the Newcastle Harbour Heritage Association is continuing its fundraising campaign for the foreseeable future until they raise enough money to complete the project.
“In the past, we’ve had festivals, we’ve also put on fishing competitions, we’ve had people of Newcastle, and the surrounding areas recycle by bringing scrap metal, which we were able to convert into money to get this work done,” Campbell said.
They also held pub quizzes and a yard sale to raise money, with plans for another pub quiz fundraiser in the run-up to Christmas.
“Recently we have been very lucky to get funding from the National Lottery and the Newcastle Development Association to go towards this conversion.”
He said the harbour group appreciates all of the assistance and donations it has already received and would welcome new offers of help and support from the local community and businesses who would like to donate money, materials or efforts to bring this project to life.
“If anyone believes they can help us with fundraising or can help us with the construction project, please reach out to us. We would love to hear from them,” Campbell said.
Donations can be made through their JustGiving page and PayPal, with links available on the Newcastle Harbour Heritage Association Facebook page. Or alternatively, email Newcastleharbour@outlook.com for more information or to get involved.
Another thing that the Newcastle Harbour Heritage Association is involved with is hosting an annual remembrance service to highlight the lives of those lost at sea.
“In the new year, we’ll have an annual service remembering all of those who died at sea, which coincides with the great fishing disaster in Newcastle,” Campbell said.
One of the other ongoing projects for the local heritage association is lobbying for more all-ability access to Newcastle Harbour. The group is asking that Newry, Mourne and Down District Council do more to make Newcastle Harbour more accessible for those with disabilities.
“There’s no disability access at the harbour,” Campbell said. “It’s something we’re campaigning for.”
“It’s something we want our council to be looking into to make it happen,” he said.
He said that disability access to the sea would benefit those who need it and their family and friends, as well as those who find they need more accommodations in order to access the harbour area and boats as they age.
“We want our council to be able to step up and make this accessible,” Campbell said. “This is something we have been looking for this last four years.”
