DUP opposes plans for £17m new centre for Newry Mourne and Down District Council in Newry city
The DUP has voted against a controversial new £17m headquarters for Newry Mourne and Down District Council in the city of Newry, citing cost concerns.
The controversial plans for the £17m civic centre has been approved by less than half of the local authority’s planning committee this week, amid legal concerns.
Downpatrick Alliance councillor, Cadogan Enright, walked out of the meeting following legal advice provided in confidential session away from public view saying, “I urge you all to do the same”.
Out of the 12 councillors on the committee, only six turned up for the decision. When put to a vote four members (three Sinn Fein and one SDLP) voted in favour of the application, one against (DUP) and one abstained (SDLP).
Proposing the recommendation, Slieve Gullion councillor, Declan Murphy said: “We’ve heard the arguments for and against this quite a number of times, so whatever decision we make it is based on a lot of scrutiny and means our decision will be robust.
“I am satisfied that the recommendation by the planners for approval and we should accept that recommendation.
“There will be concerns whether they be from Protestant, Catholic or Dissenter, they all have to be taken into consideration, and I think from the evidence put forward that has been done.”
The proposal was seconced by Newry Sinn Fein councillor, Cathal King with Mournes DUP councillor, Glyn Hanna calling for a recorded vote.
DUP group leader on the council, Johnny Jackson, later explained why the DUP voted against the project.
"We do cover a massive area, from Crossmaglen to Crossgar, so in principle we accept that we need a new central civic building in Newry," he said.
"But we do have concerns about ratepayer value for money with the current £17m price tag."
Although the council owns a very modern new centre in Downpatrick, it is not considered central to all councillors, he said.
The Newry city civic centre has been dogged by controversy with more than 2,500 parishioners at the nearby Cathedral signing a petition opposing the building amid claims it will leave them no where to park during mass.
UUP Councillor David Taylor expressed similar concerns to the DUP.
“I support in principle the requirement for new office space in Newry as such provision is needed to facilitate Council staff following the sale of the Monaghan Row building to the Southern Health and Social Care Trust.
“However, I took a conscious decision in recent weeks at Council given the scale and significant cost associated with the project and the potential for further increases not to support the full business case for the proposed Civic Centre. A major contributory factor for my decision was that I do not believe at this point the current proposal is good value for money for local ratepayers.
“There are also genuine concerns being raised by the community and local business representatives in respect of the Civic Centre and there is a strong feeling that these have not been given the necessary consideration as the project moves on to the next stage.”