feasibility study completed 4 february 2015

7/24/2019 Feasibility Study Completed 4 February 2015

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FEASIBILITY STUDY ON

PROPOSED WARRENPOINTCOMMUNITY HUB

FOR NEWRY AND MOURNE

DISTRICT COUNCIL

4 FEBRUARY 2015

turning complex problems into simple solutions


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Williamson Consulting

1

Introduction ............................................................................................................ 3

1.1 Executive Summary ........................................................................................... 3

2

Warrenpoint Community Hub ............................................................................... 7

2.1 The Brief............................................................................................................. 7

2.2 Warrenpoint ........................................................................................................ 8

2.3 Community Needs and Resources ................................................................... 15

2.4 Strategic Context and Statutory Consultation................................................... 21

3

Options for Development .................................................................................... 31

3.1 Sites ................................................................................................................. 31

3.2 Building Elements ............................................................................................ 34

3.3 Management Options ....................................................................................... 38

3.4 Objectives for the Hub ...................................................................................... 41

3.5 Community Hub Options .................................................................................. 43

4

Option Assessment ............................................................................................. 45

4.1

Constraints ....................................................................................................... 45

4.2 Monetary Analysis ............................................................................................ 47

4.3 Social Impact .................................................................................................... 50

4.4 Other Issues to consider .................................................................................. 56

5

Conclusions and Recommendations ................................................................. 59

5.1

Conclusions ...................................................................................................... 59

5.2 Recommendations ........................................................................................... 61

6

Appendices ........................................................................................................... 64

6.1 Optimism Bias Calculations .............................................................................. 64

6.2 Assumptions ..................................................................................................... 68


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6.3 Economic Projections ....................................................................................... 71

6.4 Option Sites and Layouts ................................................................................. 71


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1 Introduction

1.1 Executive Summary

1.1.1 The purpose of this feasibility study is to consider the provision of a community

hub in Warrenpoint which would provide a range of public services and

community, recreation and youth provision. Council wishes to consider the

economic and financial implications of providing such a facility in Warrenpoint

and wants to ensure that any hub is based on a sound understanding of need

and demand. Management options and long term viability are also taken into

consideration. It should be noted that while a feasibility study can consider all

these issues, there are numerous uncertainties which will inevitably impact on

how the project is eventually delivered. The feasibility study is written to assist

all of the potential partners to consider their role, financial implications for their

own organisation and perhaps to enter into more detailed negotiations abouthow the project can be taken forward. A more comprehensive and in depth

analysis of the financial implications for each of the partners will inevitably be

required once there is greater certainty about what they can and cannot

undertake.

1.1.2 The feasibility study is laid out broadly in line with HM Treasury guidelines for a

Green Book economic appraisal although it is obviously not undertaken to this

level of detail. Section 2 of the report focuses on the need and demand for a

community hub and involved extensive consultation with a wide range of

stakeholders in the Warrenpoint area. These include all of the potentialpartners for the building and a number of other key informants. This work

highlighted a number of factors:

While Warrenpoint is on the surface a relatively affluent town, the nature of

the town hides small pockets of significant deprivation. Many of the social

and recreational opportunities currently available within the town have a

cost implication and are therefore not accessible to some of those who are

most in need.

Provision for older people is in particularly short supply and is currentlylimited by suitable premises.

Small scale youth provision exists within the town however there is a

substantial gap in youth provision and a recognised need to greatly

enhance and extend this by providing purpose built youth facilities.


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While Warrenpoint has a good library, located within a dated Health and

Social Care Trust building, Libraries NI would like to have a better facility

located in a more central and accessible location and linked to a range of

other provision which would align with modern thinking on library

provision.

The largest GP practice in Warrenpoint (Summer Hill) is enthusiastic about

playing a key role in a community hub. Currently their preference would

be to develop this on their existing site however they would not be

opposed to considering alternative sites.

The Health and Social Care Trust provides a range of services at its

Summer Hill site, opposite the GP practice. It recognises this building is

dated and has a limited lifespan. The Trust also accommodates a GP

practice within this facility. It would be keen to relocate to a community

hub, subject to appropriate financial considerations.

1.1.3 Some of the partners are keen to make a capital contribution to the project and

would wish to own elements of the building. Others believe that it would be

preferable to rent their part of the building and all would be keen to have

occasional use/rent of shared, centralised meeting or recreational facilities,

recognising the potential efficiencies and synergies that would result. Newry

and Mourne District Council recognises that Warrenpoint is poorly provided for

in terms of indoor sports or community centre provision and sees this has a

logical element within a community hub. There is considerable synergy in

combining these elements so that shared space would be better used than itmight be in stand-alone facilities. The PSNI intend to vacate their premises in

Warrenpoint when the police station is extended in Kilkeel to accommodate

policing for the wider South Down area. Potentially this will leave a vacant site

in the centre of the town although the police would wish to have an occasional

or small scale presence within any new community hub.

1.1.4 The spatial requirements of each of the partners give a broad idea of the scale

and nature of the building required. These issues are set out in more detail in

section 3.2. Parts of the building will require dedicated own door access while

for others this is less important. It is also essential to ensure that access toshared space can be made from all elements of the building. These factors

indicate a minimum scale of building which is likely to be most efficient if built on

two storeys. This would provide around 2,870m2 on the ground floor with

approximately 2,170m2 on the first floor (allowing for a two storey height sports

hall). This is a large building which cannot easily be accommodated on some of

the sites under consideration. As further discussion with the partners may


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inevitably change their spatial requirements, the design of the building or indeed

whether they wish to continue to be involved, will inevitably change the ultimate

scale and nature of the building. However, at this point we have assumed all of

the partners who have indicated a willingness to be involved subject to financial

considerations are included within the building. As there is little reason to vary

the elements of the building, four options have been considered; all to do with

alternative locations. These are:

Option 1 Do Nothing this assumes that the current situation

continues with organisations located in their current premises and no

additional youth, community or recreational provision provided in

Warrenpoint. (There is potentially another option which combines these

latter elements in a separate building, although this would no longer be a

community hub, would not offer the required synergies and has therefore

not been included within the current study).

Option 2 Clonallon Park site this substantial public linear park has

sufficient space to accommodate a building of this scale however there

may be objections to such a large building being included within what is

currently a purely outdoor recreational area, surrounding by residential

developments.

Option 3 Summer Hill site this option assumes that the community

hub is built on the sites currently occupied by Summer Hill GPs and the

Health and Social Care Trust (immediately across the road). The building

is too large to locate on either of the sites individually and therefore it willinevitably involve a split building. Furthermore parking in this area can

lead to congestion.

Option 4 PSNI station site this option assumes that the building is

constructed on a town centre site currently occupied by the PSNI station.

In fact, the site is not large enough to accommodate this building however

extending into the grassed recreational area to the rear of the station

would make this site possible and may also allow for some off street car

parking if required (A three storey option may also be possible but would

probably be less attractive to Planning Service), however, without this

parking could be a problem. The recreational area which is currently

owned by Council is sufficiently large to accommodate this additional

portion without interfering with the current pitch/recreational space.

1.1.5 A range of management options have been considered in section 3.3. In

practice these would require considerable discussion between the partners;

however a number of options are possible and realistic. Perhaps the two most


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realistic options are for one of the tenant organisations to take overall

responsibility for management of the building under contract to the others or, as

an alternative, to have a Management Committee made up of representatives of

tenant organisations managing a dedicated Centre Manager. In practice, as

most of the elements of the building are self contained and will be the

responsibility of the tenant organisations, the cost of employing a separate

manager may be unnecessary.

1.1.6 A range of options have been considered from an economic, social and viability

aspect. The following table summarises the monetary and social impact

analysis and the viability of the building (assuming a 2m grant). This points

towards Option 4 the PSNI station site; which offers the best combination of

impacts by a small margin, however this is dependent on parking arrangements

and planning approval. Subject to these factors, this is likely to provide the

greatest social impact because of its centralised location and, while it has a

slightly higher NPV than Option 2, this may be offset by higher levels of

utilisation and in turn greater levels of income. In either case, it is clear that the

Summer Hill site would be insufficiently large to accommodate the full building

on a single site and the split site would diminish the potential impact of a

community hub. Option 2 at Clonallon Park is slightly off centre. While further

from public transport it has much in its favour, offering space for the building

and parking, is worthy of further consideration and comes a close second.

Summary of Option Impacts

NPV(000s)

Social ImpactViability5 yrs.

(2m. grant)CombinedRanking

1Do Nothing -561 18 n/a 4

2Clonallon Park -1,131 82 (6k) 2

3Summer Hill -2,817 70.5 (129k) 3

4PSNI site -1,475 100 (6k) 1

1.1.7 It is therefore recommended that Option 4 PSNI site is taken as a basis for

developing discussions between the stakeholders and in turn working on more

detailed plans and costings. Option 2 (Clonallon Park) is a close second and

may become more desirable if parking requirements cannot be satisfied at the

PSNI site. Section 5.2 sets out a range of actions that should be taken to

progress the project.


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2 Warrenpoint Community Hub

2.1 The Brief

2.1.1 Newry and Mourne District Council has commissioned this Feasibility Study to

assess options for the provision of a community hub in Warrenpoint. The brief

sets out an overview of the town of Warrenpoint noting that it is has a

population of around 7,000 people with a significant rural hinterland which

relates to the town. The brief notes that it has a busy town hall yet there are

few community based groups and no community centre. The priority for the

Feasibility Study is to produce costed options for a community hub prior to

progressing to a full economic appraisal. Council is keen to understand the full

financial implications of providing a community hub in Warrenpoint.

2.1.2 The consultancy work should:

Establish the strategic context for developing such a facility including

consideration of key stakeholder policy objectives and strategies.

Carry out a detailed assessment of need and demand taking into

consideration current infrastructure, the location of the town, expected

demand and likely space implications and benefits.

Considering suitable options and recommending a preferred option.

Identify and describe options for development.

Identify potential management options.

Identify potential income generating streams.

Detail outline costs for each option including an analysis of risk and

adjustment for optimism bias.

Provide outline design concepts for a preferred option.

Establish what arrangements need to be put in place to facilitate the

development.

Clarify the VAT position in relation to the capital project.

Establish a set of clear recommendations.

Follow HM Treasury and DFP guidance on a Feasibility Study.


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Confirm the proposals will be compliant with planning and building control

regulations.

Identify potential sources of funding or funding options.

2.1.3

The methodology used in developing the Feasibility Study included:

Meetings with Council Officers to gather information, agree approaches

and discuss options.

Detailed consultation with a range of stakeholders including statutory and

community organisations.

Assessment of need and demand based on current provision, limitations

and gaps and apparent demand.

Identification of a range of options which might meet identified need.

Assessment of options using monetary and non monetary analysis.

Consider a range of other factors including risks and uncertainties, net

present values etc.

Consideration of a range of other factors including risks and uncertainties

and net present values.

Assessment of each option from a social impact perspective.

Work with our associate architects to develop an outline design concept

for a preferred option including broad costings.

Review of other factors which could impact on the facility including

planning and building regulations.

Considering potential sources of funding.

Producing the Feasibility Study setting out clear recommendations.

2.2 Warrenpoint

2.2.1 Warrenpoint is a significant town within the Newry and Mourne District Council

area. It is blessed with a strategic and attractive location on the northern shoreof Carlingford Lough. The origin of the towns name is unclear with a number of

different alternatives although it is thought to have originated from a family

called Waring who lived in the area in the late 18th century and had a house

known as Warings Point. The Irish place name is Rinn Mhic Ghiolla Rua

(translated in English as McIlroys Point). Local people often refer to it as The

Point. In common with a number of coastal towns and villages across Ireland,


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growth in the popularity of seaside holidays also led to a rapid growth in

Warrenpoint rising from a population of 500 in 1824 to 2,000 by 1884. Again in

common to many seaside towns, the arrival of the railway in 1849 greatly

increased Warrenpoints popularity as a holiday destination.

The town has long been known as one which supports arts and culture and theWarrenpoint Pantomime Club dating back to 1950 has held annual pantomimes

in the town with few gaps ever since. This continues to be an important facet of

life in the Town Hall. Sport has also been important to the town for many years

with the GAC dating back to 1888, although the current club was formed in

1931. The club has had a series of successes over the last 60 years in senior

and junior football and more recently in the junior and senior hurling leagues.

Soccer is also represented in the town with Warrenpoint Town Football Club

being formed in 1987 and has had some success in both the IFA Championship

and Mid Ulster League. The town has also held an annual Feis for many years,

also located in the Town Hall.

2.2.2 According to official government statistics Warrenpoint is classified as a small

town (i.e. having a population between 4,500 and 10,000 people). The town

has continued to grow over many years, and according to the 2011 Census has

a population of 7,407 people in its two primary electoral wards. The settlement

development limit as defined by government goes a little further than this and

probably makes the realistic population figure closer to 7,800. Warrenpoint has

grown by anywhere between 15 to 25% over each ten year period since

1981and it would be realistic to expect such growth to continue as the town is apopular and attractive location.

Warrenpoint is also an important port, originally dating from the late 1770s. The

port continued in the ownership of its three original founders until 1919 when it

was sold to John Kelly and Sons who operated it until 1971. At this stage the

new owner, Warrenpoint Harbour Authority, undertook substantial

improvements and enlargements to create the modern port. Prior to 1971

Warrenpoint Port worked as a subsidiary to the Port of Newry, handling around

half a million tonnes of cargo jointly. The modern Warrenpoint Port is now

much bigger than Newry and handles around 2.5 million tonnes of cargoannually, making it the second largest port (after Belfast) in Northern Ireland. It

is a Trust Port and operates under statute with the public interest objective of

providing a sustainable port and transport service to its regional hinterland. As

such it is obliged to provide a certain level of provision including access to large

vessels, adequate berthing facilities, sufficient storage and other factors.


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2.2.3 The town of Warrenpoint is largely contained within two district electoral wards.

To the east the ward of Seaview has a population of 3,014 people (Census

2011) while to the west the ward of Clonallon has a population of 4,393. Both

wards can be further sub divided into Super Output Areas of which both wards

have two. To the north of Warrenpoint a geographically much larger ward,

Burren and Kilbroney, includes a rural population of around 4,500 people. It is

probable that a significant number living in this area see Warrenpoint as their

natural focus for recreation, shopping and access to services although many

may also use facilities in Newry, Rostrevor or Kilkeel. The neighbouring village

of Rostrevor is also likely to see Warrenpoint as a location for access to certain

services which are not available in the smaller village. Warrenpoint is therefore

an important town for the district let alone those living within the town.

2.2.4 In the following tables we profile some key statistics relating to Warrenpoint.

These show that the core wards are relatively unremarkable by Northern Ireland

standards although some features stand out:

Using the Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measures, the two core

wards are close to the Northern Ireland average (Seaview 271 and

Clonallon 250) out of 582 wards while Burren and Kilbroney would be

considered to be much more affluent (480).

It is only under the Crime and Disorder Measures that significant evidence

of deprivation is shown, with Seaview falling into the bottom 20% (91) and

Clonallon the bottom 10% (56).

However, these statistics hide a number of other factors which are

important. By its very nature, the town incorporates affluence and poverty

living relatively close side by side and one masking the other. For

instance, if we look at the percentage of households in relative poverty we

can see that Seaview has 33.1% and Clonallon 28.4%, both around the

Northern Ireland average (30.2%) however a significant factor for those

who fall within this statistic.

Seaview has a much older population with a significantly proportion over

65s and a smaller proportion under 16 years of age compared to

Clonallon, Burren and Kilbroney, or indeed the Northern Ireland averages.

Importantly, a high proportion of older people and children are income

deprived.

Probably because of the older population, Seaview also has a higher

proportion of long term health problems but also has the higher proportion


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of owner occupied dwellings and the lowest proportion of lone parent

families.

Economic activity levels are also lower than average because of the older

population.

The following table provides more detail on all of these issues. Wards in the

10% most deprived under any domain are shown in red. Wards in the 10

20% most deprived are shown in bold.

Deprivation Indicators (NI Multiple Deprivation Measures, ranking of 582 Wards)

Indicator Seaview Clonallon Burren and Kilbroney

Population 3,014 4,393 4,491

Households in relative poverty 33.1% 28.4% 19.5%

Household size 2.4 2.65 3.29

People under 16 years 18.36% 23.47% 28.67%

People of 65 and over 18.39% 11.13% 8.63%

Median Age 41 35 32

Catholic/Protestant population 85.1%/11.4% 87.43%/10/02% 91.99%/6.17%

Long Term Health problem 23.57% 18.51% 12.81%

Carers 11.4% 11.5% 10.05%

Owner Occupied Homes 62% 28.55% 81.67%

Lone Parents 6.36% 11.16% 6.38%

People with no qualifications 35.78% 35.28% 31.71%

Economically active 60.99% 64.63% 70.77%

Multiple Deprivation 271 250 480

Income 222 216 468

Employment 339 263 467

Health/Disability 193 273 462Education, Skills, Training 372 224 495

Proximity to Services 288 296 151

Crime & Disorder 91 56 370

Living Environment 150 317 548


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2.2.5 Within the Newry and Mourne area an innovative website collates information

from a range of statutory bodies to look at specific need for, and provision of

services within the district. On a quarterly basis this provides comparable

rankings on a five point scale from above normal to below normal at ward level.

Care must be taken in use of some of this information at a very local level as

the numbers may be relatively small. For instance, the website shows

individual wards going from one extreme (below normal) to the other extreme

(above normal) from one quarter to another. However, allowing for these small

scale fluctuations it is possible to pick out some significant factors that should

be taken into consideration in developing plans for a community hub. The

following table sets out some of these key factors, necessarily summarised for

ease of consideration. In this case we have taken the indicators on the website

and converted these to a numerical scale with 1 being much below normal, 2

below normal; 3 normal; 4 above normal and; 5 much above normal.

Local Statutory Indicators for Key Wards (Planning Palette Ltd.)1

Indicator Seaview Clonallon Burren & Kilbroney

Antisocial Behaviour(JanSep. 2013)(OctDec2013)

14

13

15

Burglary 2 5 4

Criminal Damage 1 5 4

Combined Crime 1 - 3 3 - 4 2

4Fire Service combined(JanSep. 2013)(OctDec2013)

5

111

1 - 2

NIHE combined Generally lowno obvious trends

SH&SCT combined(JanSep. 2013)(OctDec2013)

5

241

1 - 5

Outpatient attendance 2 5 3

A&E attendance 3 4 2

3

Combined Partner Score 1 2 - 5 1 - 2

1Key :1 - much below normal, 2 - below normal; 3 - normal; 4 - above normal and; 5 - much

above normal


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2.2.6 In all cases, the higher the score the greater the need, or greater the problem.

In this case we have considered the four quarters for the calendar year of 2013.

Interestingly these show substantial variations across the year in some cases

however we have shown an average for the year as it is likely to better reflect

long term trends. Figures which are much above normal are shown in bold.

As the table shows, combined crime figures show Seaview being well below

normal up to normal across the full year while Clonallon shows slightly higher

crime figures. Burren and Kilbroney sit around average. However, a more

detailed look at the statistics shows a very low level of anti social behaviour in

the first three quarters of the year but a much higher level during the October to

December period. Similarly, across the October to December period burglary

figures were high in Clonallon and Burren and Kilbroney but low in Seaview, as

was criminal damage.

The Fire Service combined figures show the area being well below normal at

most times although the first three quarters of 2013 showed a much higher

figure for Seaview, probably due to the small numbers involved. The Northern

Ireland Housing Executive figures covering a range of issues which affect

tenants show no obvious trends across the year and a generally low to normal

rating. The Southern Health and Social Care Trust combined figures again

show substantial variations with high to very high demand for services during

the first three quarters of the year dropping considerably in the last quarter.

However, a more detailed assessment of outpatient attendants and A&E

attendance shows much higher figures for Clonallon ward than for Seaview orBurren and Kilbroney.

In total, the combined partner demand figures show well below normal demand

in Seaview and Burren and Kilbroney but a variable and much higher demand

across the year for Clonallon. This is probably also reflected in the much higher

crime and disorder figure within the deprivation indicators.

2.2.7 A more detailed analysis of the four Super Output Areas may be helpful in

considering the needs of the area. The following table breaks down the two

wards into individual Super Output Areas, of which there are 890 in Northern

Ireland. This also allows us to look at specific issues in more detail. As the

table shows, only one of these indicators falls into the most deprived 10%

however, Clonallon 1 at a rating of 22 is shown to be one of the most

significantly affected by crime and disorder. Although much less affected,

Seaview 1 also shows a significant deprivation rating under this measure. The

other significant elements of deprivation are income deprivation affecting


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children and older people with Seaview 2 (170) and Clonallon 1 (137) showing

significant deprivation hidden within a larger and more affluent ward. If we look

at the percentage of people affected by income deprivation within these two

groups (children and older people) we can see that this ranges from 36% to

56% in Seaview 2 and Clonallon 1 SOAs, which include much of the central

town area and the housing immediately surrounding this. Clonallon 1 also

shows a poor rating for education, skills and training. These figures also show

the substantial difference between Seaview 1 and Clonallon 2 and their

neighbouring Seaview 2 and Clonallon 1 SOAs, the latter being substantially

more deprived.

The following table provides more detail on all of these issues. SOAs in the

10% most deprived under any domain are shown in red. SOAs in the 1020%

most deprived are shown in bold.

Deprivation Indicators (NI Multiple Deprivation Measures, ranking of 890 SOAs)

Super Output Area Seaview 1 Seaview 2 Clonallon 1 Clonallon 2

Multiple Deprivation 588 237 181 597

Income 539 (18%) 199 (35%) 191 (36%) 467 (22%)

Employment 679 (9%) 300 (15%) 223 (16%) 560 (11%)

Health/Disability 523 174 244 575

Education, Skills, Training 784 285 164 647

Proximity to Services 330 464 531 344

Crime & Disorder 121 243 22 384

Living Environment 260 247 208 748

Income DeprivationChildren 530 (18%) 230 (36%) 137 (47%) 428 (24%)

Income DeprivationOlder People 593 (29%) 170 (56%) 306 (46%) 558 (32%)

2.2.8 In summary, Warrenpoint is a significant town which is of a size which justifies

the provision of many public services at a local level. The hidden deprivation

within more affluent wards highlights the fact that a significant proportion ofpeople in the area, particularly children and older people, are likely to be

affected by low income and therefore limited ability to access services that

others pay for. Warrenpoint has a strong social scene around sports clubs and

arts and culture activities. Many of these would be less accessible to young

people or older people and in particular those who lack the ability to pay for

membership or participation. The significant crime and disorder deprivation


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figures are also frequently correlated with poor youth provision and a shortage

of alternatives for children and young people. Clearly the figures must be

considered alongside the views expressed by statutory bodies in the following

sections however on their own the statistics suggest that there is a need to

specifically address provision for children, young people and less affluent older

people.

2.3 Community Needs and Resources

2.3.1 Warrenpoint is an unusual town in that its development and current size have

probably affected community development within the area. Inner city housing

estates and small rural villages often have vibrant community associations or

residents groups which play a part in bringing forward projects to meet need or

lobby the statutory sector for support or improved services. Warrenpoint is of ascale which has probably worked against such mechanisms. While it has some

housing estates/developments, none of these are of substantial in scale and

tend to be mixed with different types of housing, perhaps making it less likely

that there would be active residents groups or very localised community

development activity. Similarly, the town is too large to have a single

community association and, while there is much community activity within

Warrenpoint, much of this relates to specific interest groups, sports clubs or

churches. While most of those consulted felt that a lack of youth facilities had a

significant impact on the town, in many other ways Warrenpoints problems are

relatively modest, generally low profile and not of sufficient impact on most

residents to result in a major ground swell of community activity.

Most of the churches have modest facilities for non-Sunday activities and these

generally appear to be well used by local church members. However, none has

the capacity to accommodate major external activity. The parish centre which

was located in Clonallon Park (formerly a private sports facility) provided an

important resource for the town as a whole however since this was burnt down,

no other significant facilities of this kind have replaced it, leading to major gaps

in youth provision and lack of capacity for community meetings outside specificdenominations or sports interests. At times there have been significant lobbies

within the town on issues such as a new swimming pool or a bridge across the

inlet to Louth. In practice, these lobbies have tended to exist for a while and

then lapse without the capacity to drive them forward to achieve outcomes and

perhaps in some cases pursuing facilities which are unrealistic or

unsustainable.


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2.3.2 Warrenpoint Town Hall provides an important focus for the town however it has

not traditionally been a location for community development activity, apart from

occasional events or a regular and comprehensive arts programme.

Discussions with local people suggest that its continuing use for a Feis and a

pantomime, both if which require major input by a range of people over an

extended period, lead to block booking facilities and limit the potential for other

community activities within this building. Discussions with the town hall staff

show that it has a playgroup operating each morning from Monday to Friday. In

addition there are three offices rented out to other organisations. A conference

room provides space for approximately 30 people at seated meetings while the

main hall can accommodate up to 360 people. The latter facility has a practice

space and dressings rooms making it very suitable for the arts activities

previously mentioned. Demand for the town hall is high and it is generally busy.

It is very unlikely that it could accommodate much additional community

provision and would certainly neither be suitable, nor have the capacity, foryouth provision.

2.3.3 Discussions with the Chamber of Commerce show concern about the lack of

community facilities in the town. The Chamber of Commerce meets in the town

hall but notes that there are few other facilities for community meetings. The

previous sports centre/parish facility in Clonallon Park was mentioned and it

was noted that since its demise there has been no replacement. The lack of

facilities for young people in particular was highlighted, noting that previous

GAA activities in the hall in Mary Street (which is now a club) would have

accommodated some youth activity but do not anymore. The facilities offeredby the GAC and football club were noted as valuable for young people but only

for those interested in sport. It was also noted that there was a shortage of

facilities for older people, although some are provided at the churches. The

Chamber believes there is a lack of facilities for general community meeting

space and believes that better health and social care facilities would improve

the town. They also believe there is a need for a sports hall. Chamber

representatives believe that the size of Warrenpoint makes it problematic, being

too large for small scale community development and yet too small to

accommodate multiple groups. Because it is also a dormitory town where many

people work elsewhere, the sense of community found in other towns is

sometimes lacking. The Chamber is currently lobbying for the Narrow Water

Bridge to Louth and has obtained a petition with 3,500 names. While it believes

that there is a strong need for additional community, youth and older peoples

facilities, it does not believe that the ground swell of interest in the community is

sufficient to drive this forward without external input.


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2.3.4 SPACE (Supporting People and Communities Everyday) was until recently

known as South Down Family Health Initiative (SDFHI). It is a registered charity

established ten years ago to address the health needs of families and

communities in the South Down area. It is funded from a range of statutory

health and social care mechanisms and grant bodies to deliver a range of

services focused on the physical, social and emotional well being of people in

the area. It operates from two premises in Newry and Kilkeel and provides a

range of services including family support, a homework club, a befriending

service for older people and other programmes as need is identified. SPACE

recently closed its premises in Warrenpoint, but continues to deliver a

homework club in rented premises at the Pastoral Centre in Warrenpoint. It

also undertakes work with older people in the Town Hall. It considers both

arrangements to be temporary and remains keen to re-establish a base in

Warrenpoint. SPACE has recently been successful in becoming lead

organisation for Family Support in the Newry and Mourne area (under theChildren and Young Peoples Strategy, administered locally by the Southern

Health and Social Care Trust.) and is currently progressing a number of major

funding bids for additional provision in the area. Consultation with the manager

of SPACE provided a useful insight to the town. Her view was that Warrenpoint

faced an identity crisis with a broadly middle class mentality which meant that

deprived people often missed out. This tended to reinforce the perspective that

activities around the churches, sports clubs and other such organisations were

buoyant and healthy while those who were not involved missed out on the

opportunities that might be available in a more homogenous area. She noted

that the town had considerable problems which were being partly addressedthrough voluntary sector activity however reliance on public sector employment

and evidence of a very substantial number of bankruptcies in the town during

the recession showed an underlying economic difficulty which was not

necessarily manifest in statistics. SPACE would wish to deliver a Surestart

programme for Warrenpoint and believes there is considerable potential for a

community hub in which they would wish to play a part. Currently they work

with around 400 people per week in their own premises and in other locations.

SPACE believes that the small facilities provided by the churches and others

are inadequate to meet the wider needs. The town hall is seen as largely an

arts venue and while this is welcome, it means substantial proportions of the

year block booked and limiting the potential for access for other activities.

SPACE would wish to re-establish a permanent presence in Warrenpoint and

the potential for better community access to a range of activities could be

delivered through a new community hub. SPACE also believes there is room

for some conference and training space within such a facility however it is


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thought that this could double up with youth facilities. SPACE would be keen to

get involved in running a cafe in such a community hub as a social enterprise

and would also be very happy to potentially take on the overall management of

the facility. They believe there are opportunities to support adults with learning

difficulties through a venture of this kind. They took the view that a community

hub should be located in the centre of the town making it more accessible to

major bus routes and to older people who would inevitably be using shops and

other services.

2.3.5 Discussions with committee members of the voluntary youth club running on the

ground floor of the Church of Ireland church hall provided an insight into current

level of youth provision. The Education and Library Board Youth Service noted

that this was the only youth provision in Warrenpoint. The premises were not

considered to be ideal but were the only ones available. They have been

operating from this facility since the demise of the parish centre in Clonallon

Park. There is no outside space and therefore activities are limited to inside

activities. Currently the youth club has 62 members on its books however it

would typically have around 40 on a Tuesday evening. This is the only night the

facility is available and therefore youth activity cannot be provided at other

times. Participants are typically 6 to 14 years of age of both genders but with

slightly more boys. There is a major demand for this activity and the club

consciously does not advertise as it could not cope with larger numbers. It

believes that 40 is the maximum it can possibly accommodate, typically with

around 30 in the main hall and a further 10 - 15 using the stage and kitchen.

They regularly turn children away from the youth club and in particular thoseover 14 years of age would often like to stay on. There is the potential to

include some as junior leaders but this is limited and as a result the 14 plus age

group have no provision. The youth club took the view that there is a great

shortage of community facilities of all kinds and felt that there was a need in

particular to provide for older teenagers in areas such as safety and

education/skills.

2.3.6 Warrenpoint Town Football Club was formed in 1987 playing initially at regional

league level. In 2009/10 it moved to Championship 2 level and has since had

one season at Championship 1 level. While the initial 2012/13 season proveddifficult the club has gradually grown and developed. Consultation with the club

shows that it is growing rapidly; in particular bringing in a wide range of young

people from under 8s to under 16s. Currently it has ten teams including adult

teams. Its first year in the Irish League has increased interest in the club. It is

one of few clubs in Northern Ireland with a 3G pitch which allows it to play

football over a wider period and currently football is being played during daytime


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and evening. The club has no intention to offer anything beyond its current

football provision and notes that there is a complete dearth of other provision for

young people within Warrenpoint, particularly at night. It expressed concerns

that many young people end up in the pub as a result. The lack of youth centre

and lack of alternative activities lead to anti social behaviour and inappropriate

activities and the club would very much welcome a community hub particularly

providing facilities for young people.

2.3.7 Warrenpoint has had an active Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 with the

first GAA club (John Martins) established in that year. In the mid 20s the club

declined but by 1931 was revived, being renamed St Peters GAA Club. The

club has gone from strength to strength since then winning three senior titles in

1943, 1948 and 1953, County Intermediate Championships in 1972 and 2001,

Under 16 Championships in 1970 and 76 and Under 14 Football League titles

in 1973, 1987 and 1997. It has also won a range of other titles over the year

including South Down Club of the Year in 1975. In 2011 it won the Irish News

Ulster Large GAA Club Award. Currently the club has a range of football teams

from Under 6s up, including an over 35s team and a ladies football team. The

club also has a number of hurling teams including Under 8s, Under 10s, Under

12s, Under 14s, Under 16s and a Senior Team. The club also has five Under

8s to Under 16 camogie teams. The club has no intention of developing social

or recreational facilities beyond its current provision. While it offers a very wide

range of opportunities for young people, these are largely around play of Gaelic

games and the club acknowledges that there are many other young people who

do not use these facilities who could do with additional provision. It notes a lackof opportunities for young people within Warrenpoint and while it sees the

church facilities being well used, believes there are many young people who

have no access to provision of any kind. The club would be supportive of the

development of a community hub, particularly if it provided education and

training opportunities for young people. The GAC does host a mums and

toddlers group which is very busy but has no capacity to meet further demands.

Club members believe that the school facilities are not well enough used and

that there are opportunities in working with the schools.

2.3.8 Consultation with Newry Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) which also covers theWarrenpoint area by outreach, notes the high level of demand for CAB services

in Warrenpoint. Demand for advice services tends to be correlated with

deprivation however CAB notes that many of those seeking advice in

Warrenpoint do not fall within this narrow definition. For instance, CAB is

currently advising 47 cancer patients in Warrenpoint on a range of issues, not

least dealing with the financial impact of the illness. While the area is perceived


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as more affluent than Newry, CAB gets a lot of calls for support from people

who have lost their jobs, particularly as a result of the collapse of the

construction industry or through the loss, or reduction in size, of small

businesses within the town. CAB believes that a community hub would be an

excellent idea and sees there being a strong need for this particularly around

health and social care issues and the needs of unemployed and older people.

CABs work shows that there are many unmet needs in the town and a more

coordinated approach between the statutory services is strongly needed and

would be facilitated by a shared community/statutory facility such as the

proposed hub.

2.3.9 Shinken Shobu Ryu, which is Warrenpoints judo club, is currently located in

premises in Warrenpoint Enterprise Centre. It occupies a space of around 200

m2, which is an industrial unit which the club has converted for its own

purposes. This includes a large permanent area for judo and separate space

for storage and administration. The premises suffered very badly during recent

flooding. The club would like to have a better facility which was bigger and

more suited to exercise activities and is very interested in the hub. It currently

keeps judo mats down all the time and would ideally want dedicated space for

this purpose. It noted that the NI Judo Federation is providing training for

school children across the district and believes it may also be keen to use such

a facility within the new community hub. Newry Karate Club may also be a

potential user.

2.3.10

Discussions with the Chairman of Warrenpoint Environment, Culture andHeritage Collective provided a wealth of experience in relation to the

Warrenpoint area and knowledge of many of the initiatives taking place within

the town. The individual concerned is also involved in Warrenpoint Community

Partnership which brings together 17 community based groups in the town.

This consultation showed a substantial need for the proposed community hub.

In particular it highlighted the need for better facilities for older people,

particularly informal social facilities and low cost food. Intergenerational work

was seen as important for both the older people and younger people within the

area. However wider community needs were also highlighted particularly in

areas such as physical activity/sport, education and social provision. It wasthought that any community hub should have a large activity hall for

sports/exercise activities plus a smaller hall or large meeting room which could

be used for exercise, classes or other such activities. Smaller meeting

rooms/classrooms could accommodate IT provision, arts classes and similar

activities. The Community Partnership already has the hardware for an IT suite

and would be keen to include this within the facility. It was noted that many


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activities take place in the smaller church halls throughout the area including

badminton, youth activities, etc., however none of these can accommodate

wider community needs and all are heavily utilised.

For the facility to be most effective it was expected that it should have long

opening hours to accommodate a wide range of provision. Ideally it shouldaccommodate a range of statutory and community provision. It should be run

by a professional team with a shared management group representing all of the

organisations involved but with professional management staff. Its ownership

should ensure ongoing community access to the relevant elements. It should

also incorporate alternative energy and high insulation standards. The

Warrenpoint Town Hall was also discussed and it was noted that it is too busy,

too expensive and focused on arts activities. It was not believed to have the

capacity or suitable provision to accommodate many of the required informal

community activities, youth activity or anything of a sports or exercise nature.

The Community Partnership would also like to see the PSNI having a small

office in the Centre.

In terms of location, the PSNI station was thought to be the ideal location as

such a facility should have a clear town centre focus and provide a focal point

and easy access for all residents. The proximity of the small play park at the

rear of the PSNI station opens up a range of possibilities for the building and the

use of the wider site. It was not thought that the Summer Hill Road location was

suitable both because of the scale of the sites involved and the substantial

difficulty with parking in this very congested area. Clonallon Park was also seenas a less desirable location because it would reduce the amount of green space

available within Warrenpoint, could impact negatively on residents around the

area and would be less accessible. However it was recognised that this site did

present some potential to address the anti social behaviour currently causing

problems within the area.

2.4 Strategic Context and Statutory Consultation

2.4.1 The Feasibility Study involved extensive consultation with key statutory sector

bodies, recognising the potential to bring together services for the Warrenpoint

area on one site. The consultation showed that many statutory bodies

recognise the limitations of current provision in the town and the potential to

cooperate to produce something which was greater than some of its parts. It

also highlighted the limitations of current statutory provision in the town which in

most cases was accommodated in properties which were no longer appropriate


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for modern needs and in some cases in poor quality buildings designed with

different types of service provision in mind. In this section we have set out the

key conclusions reached from discussions with each of the key parties.

2.4.2 The Southern Health and Social Care Trust noted that it was in the process of

substantial change. This was much wider than the Warrenpoint area and wasthe result of a major review of health and social care services in Northern

Ireland which was commissioned by the Minister for Health, Social Services and

Public Safety in June 2011. This involved a team of independent experts

chaired by the then Chief Executive of the Health and Social Care Board and

included extensive consultation with a wide range of key stakeholders. The

primary reason for the review was the significant and growing pressures on the

Health and Social Care System, particularly a growing ageing population, also

highlighted in the press in recent weeks as a result of NIs growing budgetary

crisis. There were concerns that this would lead to poorer health and a growth

in chronic conditions and ultimately instability in the Health and Social Care

System leading it to inappropriate haphazard change, poor health outcomes

and difficulty meeting future needs. The primary conclusions of the review were

the need to:

Integrate services at a local level.

Provide more community based services.

Care for people at home when safe and appropriate to do so.

The first two are clearly relevant to the Warrenpoint situation in particular.

The vision for Transforming your Care is aimed at getting better at preventing ill

health, managing increasing demand, tackling health inequalities and focusing

particularly on client centred care. The review set out ten major areas of care

and set out a wide range of proposals through 99 separate recommendations.

Perhaps most significantly, and in common with other parts of the UK, the

increased role for primary care was highlighted and is shown in the darker

green ring set out in the following diagram from the document. This has direct

and potential implications for the provision of primary care services at a local

level.


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Future primary care in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust area will

involve a much stronger focus on primary care. A Health Infrastructure Board

has been set up at departmental level chaired by the Permanent Secretary to

consider how the physical infrastructure to meet the needs of health and social

care will be provided. A number of flagship Treatment and Care Centres will be

established, one of which will be located in Newry. In other areas smaller

health and social care units (spokes) will link to these centres providing a

range of locally relevant primary care services. The elements included within

the spokes will be heavily dependent on local capacity, skills and needs.

Conceivably however these might include a range of Trust community services

both delivered by GPs and other professionals including minor surgery,

Podiatry, Physiotherapy, Community Psychiatric Nursing, District Nursing,

Speech and Language Therapy, Health Visiting and Midwifery services.

The Trusts priority in terms of Warrenpoint is at present undecided although

there is recognition that combining GP practices on a single site would have


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desirable consequences, not least the potential to link these to other community

facilities and to provide an overall better service for the area. Currently the

Trust notes that there are three GP practices in Warrenpoint:

Warrenpoint Health Centre this is a Trust owned building located on

Summer Hill in Warrenpoint. This facility dates from the 1960s or 70s and,while in reasonable order, is not particularly attractive or ideally laid out for

modern use. Currently two GPs rent space from the Trust while further

Trust staff are accommodated within the building. General Practice space

amounts to around 110m2 while the Trust staff have 178m2 of space. A

further 119m2 of shared space exists. All Health Trust activities are located

on the first floor with the ground floor (around 400m2) providing the library

for Warrenpoint.

Summer Hill Surgery this is a privately owned practice which is

described in more detail in the following sections. It has six GPs, mainlypart time, and has developed an attractive building from a former domestic

dwelling. It is located directly opposite Warrenpoint Health Centre on

Summer Hill.

Marina Surgery this is located in a former house on Seaview in

Warrenpoint. It provides a base for two full time GPs.

The Trust is open to the idea of sharing a facility with a wide range of

community activities. In broad terms, the Trust would be happy to share a

building (subject to appropriate design) with a wide range of community based

activity and some commercial organisations however it could not play a part in

any building which accommodated activity which would be considered to be

contrary to good physical and mental health, i.e. sale of alcohol, gambling,

tanning studios or similar. The Trust would also welcome the inclusion of any

facilities which would improve the quality of life for local residents being in the

same building. For instance, there are direct synergies in having leisure

facilities, gyms, educational classes or other such activity on site. Dependent

on the skills and wishes of the GPs, the provision of minor procedure rooms and

the location of certain specialisms may also be possible.

Currently the Trust rents space to the Library Service and would be keen to

continue to have a library alongside any Health and Social Care facility. The

Trust would not be opposed to the development of a building on its current site,

the site owned by the Summer Hill GP Practice or any other location in the town

which would be accessible to public transport. The three locations under

consideration were discussed with the Trust and this issue is considered later in


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the report. All were considered potentially acceptable. However it was noted

that any development would have to be subject to agreement with the GPs and

Trust Senior Management Team approval.

The schedule of accommodation for space in any GP practice must meet Red

Book guidelines which clearly set out the amount of space required for certainactivities. Health and Social Care Trust buildings must comply with DHSSPS

guidelines. The Trust indicated that any views in relation to the space

requirements of the GP practices must come from the GPs. While dedicated

space would need to be available for consulting rooms, both because of the

nature of the equipment and considerations of infection control, other rooms

could be shared. For instance, interview rooms used by some health

professionals could also be utilised for community meeting space at other times.

In summary, the Trust is keen to develop a more appropriate, modern and fit for

purpose facility in the longer term. Its current health centre has only received

essential maintenance since it was constructed and while it meets minimum

standards, is not ideal. The Trust would be happy to be located within a shared

building subject to appropriate design considerations and acceptable usage by

others. It could conceivably contribute to the capital cost of this or could rent

space. Maintenance, heat and light costs could be shared across the

organisations however the Trust would prefer to have its own cleaning staff

because of the nature of infection and disease control. All issues in relation to

land and property would be subject to Land and Property Services valuations.

2.4.3 Libraries NI was consulted about library provision in Warrenpoint. It was noted

that the library at Summer Hill (mentioned above) has recently been refurbished

by Libraries NI however it is recognised that it has limited space and falls short

of what Libraries NI would wish to provide in a town of this size. It is noted that

there is limited capital funding available for the development of new libraries

and this would be subject to Department of Education approval. Libraries NI

has a number of significant capital developments under consideration. These

include the redevelopment of Belfast Central Library and the provision of new

libraries in Newtownards and Coleraine. These commitments may make it less

likely that capital monies could be allocated to further development inWarrenpoint in the short term. In spite of this, Libraries NI would be prepared to

consider a capital development if a good site could be identified.

In principle, Libraries NI is enthusiastic about shared facilities. It recognises

that the nature of library usage has changed substantially and wishes to ensure

that usage is maximised through cooperation and synergy with other activities.


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Ideally in Warrenpoint it would want a highly visible site, recognising that

Summer Hill is a little away from main user traffic. Ideally the library would be

located in a retail or High Street type facility. Libraries NI believes that a more

visible site would increase usage by the population in Warrenpoint however any

new facility would have to be a substantial improvement on the current provision

to justify the move. Given the space, Libraries NI would wish to have 1000m2

(2.5 times the size of the current library) for library provision and other services,

recognising that Warrenpoint also serves a substantial rural hinterland. The

idea of a shared facility is appealing as it creates the potential to share services

such as toilets, meeting rooms, kitchens, etc. The library would be happy to

share with a Health and Social Care building and has found this effective

elsewhere, particularly in encouraging usage by mothers, people facing mental

health difficulties and others who are regular users of Health and Social Care

Services. Working alongside community provision is also appealing particularly

where it brings in local history, art, culture, heritage, children or other learningopportunities. All of these are highly compatible with library usage and clear

synergies arise from such shared space. Increasingly libraries are being seen

as a social space and the link with youth provision would also be considered

appropriate. Libraries are also a location where tourist information can be

provided effectively. Libraries NI notes that trends in library usage have

changed with lower levels of borrowing and much greater levels of in library

reading. Anything that brings a community into the library is likely to increase

this trend.

In summary, Libraries NI would be enthusiastic about sharing a building subjectto the component parts, layout and location. To justify a move, the library would

have to offer considerably better space in a much more prominent location and

the library would require a front window accessible and visible from main

thoroughfares. While it could be involved in capital development, rental is

preferred. A new purpose built building could be rented at levels set by the

District Valuer (Lands and Property Service) as for other public bodies.

2.4.4 Summer Hill Surgery is located directly opposite Warrenpoint Health Centre on

Summer Hill. The practice includes six GPs, some of whom are part time,

offering around 500 GP appointments per week. The practice grew from a wellestablished family practice in Rostrevor and continues to service both Summer

Hill and Rostrevor surgeries. It also has two treatment room nurses and two

practice nurses, a Practice Manager and a large reception team. In addition a

number of Community Nurses and two Health Visitors also operate from the

surgery. The surgery is open from 8.30 a.m. to 5.45 p.m. Monday to Friday,

except for Wednesday when it is closed half day. The practice has spent a


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substantial amount of money on its premises over the last few years and is now

located in a building which has grown to 500m2, incorporating the original house

and substantially extending this. The practice had an option to buy the nearby

Orange Hall and its car park along with some ground currently belonging to the

local Church of Ireland Parish. While it may have to offer access and potentially

a small replacement facility for the Orange Hall, this releases a very large site

for development. The practice is currently working on plans to develop this site

and, potentially, the Health Centre and library site on the other side of the road

to provide a much bigger facility. It would like to accommodate all GP practices

in Warrenpoint and the existing library on a single site, utilising the remaining

site for additional parking. Allowing for ten GPs on site, it estimates it would

need around 1,200m2. Its own discussions with the Primary Care Adviser in the

Southern Health and Social Care Trust suggests the Trust would require around

800m2 with a further 1000m2 allowed for other private services such as dental

provision, a pharmacy and an optician (all subject to agreement). The practiceis clearly highly dynamic and wants to ensure the best possible provision for

people in the Warrenpoint area. While it has developed plans for this site, it

would not be opposed to locating in either of the other sites discussed in more

detail in further sections subject to getting an adequate return on sale of its

existing buildings and site. The practice recognises previous difficulties faced

by GPs in loss of control of their own premises and therefore in future would like

to have ownership of health and social care elements within any development.

It would also consider ownership of a larger building, potentially as primary

owner with other users as tenants. It has discussed borrowing for the new

development with its bankers and can raise the capital for a large scaledevelopment as currently proposed. The surgery is keen to develop at an early

stage. In principle it is not opposed to the inclusion of youth provision and sees

inclusion of a library as a reasonable partner within the development (although

within its existing scheme it has considered leaving the library on the current

site. The practice notes the major developments by commercial organisations

in other parts of the UK and is particularly keen to ensure that it is of a scale

and structured appropriately to be able to continue to offer private GP practices

on the model currently delivered across Northern Ireland.

2.4.5 The PSNI was consulted in relation to the status of the current Warrenpoint

Police Station. The need for the station and the locations of police premises

throughout the area were reviewed in September 2012. This resulted in the

conclusion that the PSNI station should close and that Kilkeel would become a

base for the whole area. A public meeting held in the town indicated a strong

desire to maintain a police presence in Warrenpoint and the closure was

delayed. In practice, the existing police station in Kilkeel is not large enough to


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accommodate the police from Warrenpoint at this stage however it is currently

being renovated and the fourth phase of this will be completed within 12 - 18

months. At that stage the police station in KIlkeel will be large enough to house

all the police for the district. In it is likely that a completely new police station

will eventually be built in Kilkeel.

Following the mergers of councils resulting from the Review of Public

Administration, it is probable that the police will seek to develop boundaries

which are congruent with the new council boundaries and this may again lead to

a change in the need for premises. While no decision has been made, it is

unlikely that this will affect Warrenpoint which is likely to be surplus to

requirements over the next two to three years. The police are moving towards a

Service First process with response hubs and it is probable that Warrenpoint

will need to have somewhere where the police can meet with the public. It is

thought that no more than 100m2 would be needed and the police might be able

to share some space for meeting purposes. Any police presence within a wider

community facility would be welcomed however it would need to meet physical

security requirements and be agreed with Security Branch in PSNI. The police

consider that the inclusion of Warrenpoint Police Station site within the

Feasibility Study is reasonable at this stage as it is unlikely to be used for a

PSNI station in the longer term.

In addition to strategic consultation, the police were also consulted in relation to

the needs of the town. They noted that previous problems in the area with on

street drinking and anti social behaviour have reduced substantially and do notsee this as a significant problem at present. They are concerned however with

the number of young people drinking illegally at home, but recognise that this

outside their jurisdiction in many cases. Concerns were expressed about the

opening of a gambling arcade within the town and frequent use by young

people who are under age and should not be allowed to use it. They see this as

highlighting the lack of youth provision for older young people (13 plus) in

particular. They note that there is a small youth club in the Church of Ireland

Parish Hall although this largely accommodates under 13 year olds. The police

would welcome improved community facilities and in particular dedicated youth

provision. They see the advantage of utilising the PSNI station site as thiswould link to recreational and grassed areas to the rear of the building.

2.4.6 The Southern Education and Library Board Youth Service carries statutory

responsibility for youth provision in the area. In general its role within

Warrenpoint is to support voluntary youth services. The Youth Service Senior

Youth Worker notes that Warrenpoint has had generally poor community and


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youth provision for many years. He believes there is potential for a full time

youth centre and recognises the shortage of youth provision in the area.

Previously when the Parish Centre was located at Clonallon Park, Youth

Service encouraged the development of youth provision within this facility.

Initially it proved difficult with no full time staffing and difficulty in attracting

leaders. Subsequently under a new management committee the situation

improved considerably and youth provision went well for a while with a senior

youth club (13 plus) with 60 to 70 members and a junior youth club with around

300 participants per night. The latter involved many of the senior youth as

leaders and proved to be a very positive experience for all concerned.

Ultimately damage to the centre as a result of vandalism and fire stopped this

work for a while. In spite of this the volunteers put considerable work into

getting the centre up and running and it reopened within one week. Regrettably

around a month later the building was left unlocked leading to more vandalism,

a further fire and the building being completely destroyed.

Currently the only provision in the town is a small youth club on the ground floor

of the Church of Ireland Parish Hall. Youth Service believes that this small club

provides very important facilities for young people in Warrenpoint, however

what it can offer in this premises is limited as it works alongside other activities

and noise impacts negatively on the other in both cases. Youth Service

highlighted the recently formed Youth Forum as a positive voice for young

people in Warrenpoint. Youth Service notes that while there is some provision

for older people provided through the churches, apart from the youth club

already mentioned, youth provision is in generally poor supply. Attempts weremade to facilitate youth activity through the local Gaelic club however after

refurbishment this was discontinued. The Senior Youth Worker is enthusiastic

about a shared facility where young people and older people can interact in the

same building. However clever design is needed to ensure that both are

housed effectively. Any future youth provision would need to accommodate

older and younger participants with drop in type facilities for the older during the

week and weekend provision for the younger children. Ideally youth provision

would have a separate entrance but could share some space.

Youth Service has considered provision within the Town Hall however it is notdeemed to be suitable for youth activities due to its layout and current activities.

It is also usually block booked for arts and cultural activities and therefore would

be difficult to run anything on a consistent basis. Youth Service considers there

to be substantial need across Warrenpoint but particularly in a number of social

housing areas where alternative opportunities do not exist. A youth facility

would need to include a large sports hall, ideally flexible enough to allow for a


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range of activities including indoor sports, arts and recreational activities.

Ideally this would be flexible space with seating to allow for small performance

activities. The facility should also include a social area providing drinks and

food. Youth Service notes that the coffee shop lifestyle is becoming very

popular with young people and a non alcoholic bar in the previous facility at

Clonallon Park had proved to be very popular. A number of smaller rooms

(typically squash court size) to accommodate 20 to 30 people in activities would

be needed. Office accommodation would also be needed.

The Senior Youth Worker considered each of the three sites which are

potentially suitable for a community hub. He believes that previous provision in

Clonallon Park might make this popular with some adult youth leaders.

However, he acknowledges that the police station site could work well and

would create the potential for a commercial cafe on site. He expressed some

doubts about the Summer Hill site as it is not ideally located, would have limited

potential for external space and would have limited parking.

Youth Service sees its role as primarily supporting the provision of voluntary

initiatives. Where capital funding for youth provision has been supplied this has

come in the form of grants from the Department of Education.

2.4.7 Consultation with the Southern Health and Social Care Trust Early Years Team

Manager highlighted the existence of an Article 20 report which is carried out

on a regular basis to look at all provision in an area. Currently the report for the

Warrenpoint area is somewhat out of date, going back to 2011, however the

Trust is currently preparing a new report and this will be available in due course.

The Trust noted that there is a day nursery within Warrenpoint and there are

some crche facilities however the Trust is not able at this stage to comment

specifically on capacity, need or demand. This would be worth considering in

future however it is noted that the addition of early years facilities within this

building may make the building too large for a number of the sites under

consideration and may not add significantly to the other elements.

2.4.8 During consultation it was noted that there may be considerable advantage in

having a pharmacy on site. There are guidelines that relate to the registration

of pharmacies and their location and it is not simply a matter of opening a new

pharmacy. It is recognised that this could add considerable value to the

building, particularly health and social care provision, and space has been

allowed within the Health and Social Care Trust element to allow for this should

it be possible. It is noted however that this would involve discussions with

registration bodies and with existing pharmacies within the town.


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3 Options for Development

3.1 Sites

3.1.1 Summer Hill Site

Potentially this site has two different elements on each side of the road as the

current GP surgery and H&SCT Health Centre could be treated as one single

development. In addition, the Summer Hill Surgery has agreed to buy a much

larger piece of land from the local Orange Hall and Church of Ireland parish and

could therefore conceivably use this whole site. The two elements are:

The existing Summer Hill Surgery site, extended to include the Orange

Hall and part of the Church of Ireland ground - 0.268 hectares (0.66 acres)

with an average size of 67m by 40m.

The existing Health Centre and library site offering 0.17 hectares (0.4

acres) averaging 50m by 34m.

The two sites are directly opposite each other on Summer Hill beside the

junction with Clonallon Road and Great Georges Street North. The site is

approximately 150m from the main shopping street in Warrenpoint (Queen

Street) and is located in the middle of a largely residential area. Summer Hill is

a very narrow street with traffic often reduced to single file as a result of parking,

although the street permits two way traffic. The location offers a number of

positives:

The combined sites offer a potentially large (0.44 hectares which should

collectively be able to accommodate a sizeable building footprint and

significant parking however the building may need to be split across both

sides of the road to adequately offer all the required elements. The site

offers a number of positives:

o The site/s is/are currently available.

o It is already used by many people in the area as a location for both

a library and health facilities.

o It would involve little disruption for 8 GPs and library/health staff.

The existing doctors surgery on the Summer Hill site could be retained

and extended thereby potentially reducing the overall cost (although the

need to build around this may increase the cost of additional buildings).


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There are also a number of negative aspects:

It is highly likely that the building would have to be on both sides of the

road to provide adequate space. This potentially creates a safety risk as

older people and young people will have to cross the Summer Hill Road

between the two buildings.

In spite of the amount of space available, both sites are relatively confined

by other buildings around them and offer little potential for further

development in future.

Retaining the existing Summer Hill building and potentially the library may

reduce cost but would produce a building which was less suitable for

purpose.

The location is a little off town centre and would not be immediately

accessible for those who simply want to drop into the library, get a cup ofcoffee or socialise.

Parking would have to be off street as there is little potential for on street

parking in Summer Hill and is questionable whether the sites offer

sufficient capacity for parking. This factor may influence planning

approval.

3.1.2 Clonallon Park

Clonallon Park is a large public green space owned by Council and nearly 600m

in length. It is a long narrow park, at its widest approximately 120m wide. It isheavily used by walkers, dog walkers and for other recreational activities

including sports and childrens play. To the upper end of the park is a grass

pitch of approximately 100m by 60m. A small hard surface pitch of

approximately 15m by 30m is located alongside this. One side of the central

area of the park incorporates a bowling green while a childrens play area, paths

and grassed areas are located towards the lower end of the park, closer

towards the sea. The park can be accessed from the Springfield Road which is

just off the seafront, Clonallon Road and Well Road which run each side of the

park. The central part of the park could easily accommodate a large

multipurpose building and indeed a rectangular site of around 0.8 hectares

could be accommodated in the park along with restructured and extensive car

parking. The positives of this site are:

It is already in Council ownership and therefore would not have to be

acquired.


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It has plenty of space to develop a large building and adequate off street

parking.

Its proximity to the park increases the opportunities for leisure, recreation

and youth provision and this location previously worked for youth work.

The negative aspects are:

The location is well away from the town centre being approximately 700 to

800m from Queen Street on foot and rather further by car. The location is

also wholly residential and may face challenges over planning for a large

development that would attract substantially more users to this location.

The location is a considerable distance from public transport routes and

would therefore be difficult to access for older people, those with

disabilities and those without personal transport.

The development would result in the loss of a grass pitch and probable

loss of a small all weather facility, but will not affect the existing bowling

green and club house.

3.1.3 PSNI Station Site

The PSNI Station site is just off the main street in Warrenpoint located at the

end of Charlotte Street in a mixed residential/commercial area. It is a virtually

square site measuring 46m front to back and 50m side to side providing a total

of 0.23 hectares. This is just slightly smaller than the extended Summer Hill

Surgery site. However, it backs on to a large triangular piece of public land

offering approximately 1 hectare of green space and pitch facilities, which

currently accommodates a small grass pitch and a synthetic surfaced MUGA.

However, it would be relatively easy to extend the PSNI Station site by at least

a further 0.25 hectares without disturbing either of these thereby offering a large

site for community use directly beside pitch facilities. Currently the PSNI

Station site is occupied by one large mortar proof reinforced concrete building

with a small garage extension. The rest of the site is hard surface parking. The

building dominates the site and is unlikely to be of use for any other purpose.

Its construction is designed for high security rather than for good looks orusefulness for other purposes and as a result it lacks windows or any

feasibility study completed 4 february 2015

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