A formal application for a new £100 million retail park in Newry has been submitted to planners. The Carnbane Way development, if approved, is expected to create around 1000 jobs and, with Asda believed to be on board as anchor tenant, it is hoped the retail hub will attract cross-border shoppers.
A full consultation and exhibition of the proposals was held at the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre in Newry in January and are due to be publicly advertised this week.
According to Damolly Developments, the company behind the plans, all but one response generated during the consultation evening was positive.
The original plans for a 30 acre development on the former HMRC site in Newry were granted planning permission more than two years ago by then Environment Minister Mark H. Durkan. The proposed mixed use development comprising of 70 industrial and business units, a retail foodstore and 14 residential units, divided local opinions and faced staunch opposition from various local political representatives as well as the Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade, who sought a judicial review of the Minister’s decision. The Chamber failed in its High Court bid to overturn the planning permission with their claim that it would have a detrimental impact on city centre investment.
Now the Newry-based developers have acquired lands adjacent to the original site and are seeking planning permission to expand the original plans to 35 acres. The development would be situated next to the Damolly Retail Park and would be known as the Newry City Business and Retail Park.
A pre-planning community consultation report, which has been submitted to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, has described January’s consultation as “very successful” and
Damolly Developments says it has been “heartened by the overwhelmingly positive feedback we have received”.