When it comes to car parking the popular coastal resort of Newcastle is a victim of its own success.
And with staycations the ‘go to’ holiday of choice in the current circumstances, parking is more problematic than ever.
There is a serious lack of parking and this often means long tail-backs for visitors as they repeatedly lap the town centre hoping to hit it lucky.
But now Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is hoping to put this right.
A plan has been drawn up for a massive new ‘overflow’ car park to the existing facilities at Donard Park.
And such provision does not come cheap, with the cost of the new park – to provide just shy of 200 spaces – expected to be in the region of £470,o00.
It is hoped to create parking on lands located to the west of Donard car park.
The new asphalt car park would provide 188 car parking spaces.
And, in addition to that, there would be a further 11 designated disabled parking bays.
The plans also include the proposed construction of a a six-metre high ball stop and 1.8m paladin fence.
New footpaths – as well as lighting, landscaping and drainage – are incorporated in the proposals.
The application is now under consideration and will be publicly advertised this week.
