Newry BID is delighted to report to members that our objection to the proposed massive out of town unrestricted retail development has been successful.

For further information please contact the BID office and please see joint press release with Retail NI and Chamber:

Retail NI, Newry Chamber of Commerce and Newry Business Improvement District have welcomed this morning’s vote at Newry, Mourne and Down Council Planning Committee to reject the proposed out of town retail application in Carnbane.

Matrix Planning Consultancy, Retail NI and Newry BID presented to Committee this morning outline their objection to the application. The Committee voted 4-2 in favour of accepting the Council Planners’ recommendation to reject the application.

In a joint statement, Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts, Newry Chamber CEO Colm Shannon and Newry BID MD, Eamonn Connolly said:

“This is a very welcome development and a good news story for Newry City Centre and its traders”

‘If this application had been granted, Carnbane would have been a competing city centre, drawing away jobs, retailers, hospitality and shoppers and would have caused incalculable damage to Newry City Centre. It would have had a retail impact on Newry City Centre of nearly 30% and would have been completely contrary to the town centre planning policy and the local development plan”

“We want Newry City Centre to be the location for new retail stores”

“Our three organisations believe that Newry City Centre has a fantastic future providing a competitive 21^st Century retail and hospitality offer which is fun and family-friendly for shoppers North and South”

“We need to build on Newry’s strong track record of being an eco-system of innovation and meeting head-on the challenges that Brexit presents to the city”