Floodgates Park, Newtownards
UPDATE November 2024: Pre Application Community Consultation | 4th December 2024
Folllowing initial public consultation in March 2023, members of the public are invited to #HaveYourSay on proposed works at Floodgates Park at the following Pre-Application Community Consultation public drop-in event:
- Londonderry Park (Function Room 2, first floor/ upstairs), Portaferry Road, Newtownards, BT23 8SG
- Wednesday 4th December 2024
- 2:00pm - 8:00pm
Members of the project team will be in attendance throughout the drop-in event to answer your questions and hear your comments.
The proposals will remain on public exhibition at Londonderry Park from Thursday 5th December 2024 until Wednesday 22nd January 2025 (during the opening hours of the Leisure Centre).
An online survey will be open from 4 December 2024 until 22 January 2025: link to follow.
About Floodgates Park
Our vision for Floodgates Park, Portaferry Road, Newtownards is to create a new public park for Newtownards focusing on the environment and health and wellbeing.
The Council has appointed AECOM as a multi-disciplinary design team to prepare a concept plan for environmental improvements at this location.
Current Situation
Floodgates Park is owned by Council. At present, the land is unmanaged and consists of two watercourses and scrub vegetation including gorse and self-seeded willow trees. There is a World War II pillbox abutting the floodwall that would benefit from some remedial works to make a feature of this monument.
Proposals for a new football stadium and car park are being progressed by Ards Football Club as a separate project and application.
There are also interdependencies with the proposed greenways network. The proposed car park will also be available for use by all users of the greenway, overflow from Londonderry Park and the proposed Floodgates Park.
Given the proximity to Strangford Lough and the fact that the site has rewilded itself over the years, the concept proposals include only minimal interventions and formalising the existing desire line paths within the site. Most of the existing vegetation will be retained and additional planting proposed. A full list of the potential projects is detailed below.
Engagement Event
The Council held a public drop-in event at Londonderry Park, Newtownards on Tuesday 7 March 2023. The project team was in attendance to present the concept proposals and take questions. An online survey ran for 2 weeks to collect further feedback.
- Street Furniture: benches along floodwall, and bins to be replaced
- World War II pillbox railing: existing fence to be removed and proposed fence to be installed on the boundary of the green space around the pillbox
- Proposed entrances: Portaferry Road/entrance to Floodgates trail/access to Cloud 9 cafe/access to carpark
- Picnic benches: proposed new picnic benches throughout the park
- Interpretative signage: detailing history at pillbox and views at lookout point
- Timber boardwalk: allowing users to cross the watercourse
- Proposed pathways: quarry dust pathways following existing desire lines
- Natural play amenity spaces: amenity spaces in existing gorse-cleared areas, with natural play dens/timber steps etc.
- Natural fitness amenity spaces: amenity spaces in existing gorse-cleared areas, with natural fitness beams
- Event space: a larger area for events/gatherings on existing levelled space
- Tiered seating: seating space on sloped embankment
- Football stadium: being progressed by Ards Football Club as a separate application
- Linkway to car park: proposed pedestrian link from football stadium to car park
- Car park: being progressed by Ards Football Club as a separate application
- Lookout point and steps to greenway: existing raised mound used as a lookout to the surrounding landscape. Proposed steps to greenway
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