Portaferry Public Realm

CONSTRUCTION COMPLETE AT £2M PORTAFERRY PUBLIC REALM SCHEME 

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir, together with representatives from the Department for Communities, Department for Infrastructure, Portaferry Steering Group, AECOM and Northstone, visited Portaferry on Wednesday 30 October where Ards and North Down Borough Council announced the successful completion of the final construction phase of the £2m Portaferry Public Realm Scheme.

Read the full story here >>> Construction Complete at £2m Portaferry Public Realm Scheme - Ards and North Down Borough Council

MARKET SQUARE CAR PARK CLOSURE

 Please note that the Market Square car park will be closing early February 2024 as Northstone Ltd begin works in this section of the scheme. Diversions will be put in place and alternative parking is available at Meetinghouse Street and the Ropewalk.

 MARKET SQUARE BUS SERVICE 

Due to the Public Realm works starting in Market Square, the bus service is changing until further notice as follows;

Service 9b / 9 / 10b / 10a / 10 / 10d 

Service 9 will depart from Portaferry Depot main gate and turn right onto normal service

Service 10 will depart from Portaferry Depot main gate, High Street, Ann Street and Coach Road onto normal service

 Further information can be found on the Translink website https://www.translink.co.uk/service-updates

A £2M environmental improvement scheme is currently in progress in Portaferry to provide a safe, accessible, and attractive shared space for residents and visitors.  

Northstone Ltd is delivering the programme of works, which includes: 

Market Square | Castle Street | Ferry Street | High Street | Meeting House Street 

and will deliver improved street lighting, widening and resurfacing of footpaths with sustainable materials, better pedestrian connectivity, incorporation of street furniture and planting.  

The Market Square car park will be redesigned to create a usable civic space.  

It is expected that the works will be completed in Summer 2024. 

Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more information on the Scheme.

If you would like to be kept informed of progress and receive the Portaferry Public Realm Scheme Newsletter, please email 'SUBSCRIBE' to portaferrypublicrealm@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk  Copies of past newsletters are available for download below.  

The scheme is funded under the Covid Recovery Small Settlements Regeneration Programme (SSRP) with a contribution from the Council. The SSRP is a collaborative approach, with contributions from the Department for Communities, Department for Infrastructure, and Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.  

Contact Details     

Northstone's Public Liaison Officer will be contactable on 07385 029472 for any day-to-day queries about the works or particular requirements for access.

For out of hours contact, there is a 24hr contractor's contact number for Northstone: 02890394419

Alternatively, there is a dedicated contractor's email address portaferrypr@northstone-ni.com where Northstone will endeavour to answer any queries or address any issues.

For general queries on the scheme you can contact Council Officers on 03000133333 (Ask for the Regen Team) or email portaferrypublicrealm@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Newsletters

Portaferry PR Newsletter Edition 1 (PDF, 1 MB) (opens new window)

Portaferry PR Newsletter Edition 2 (PDF, 1 MB) (opens new window)

Portaferry PR Newsletter Edition 3 (PDF, 1 MB) (opens new window)

Portaferry PR Newsletter Edition 4 (PDF, 1 MB) (opens new window)

Portaferry PR Newsletter Edition 5 (PDF, 1 MB) (opens new window)

Portaferry PR Newsletter Edition 6 (PDF, 1 MB) (opens new window)

Portaferry PR Newsletter Edition 7 (PDF, 1 MB) (opens new window)

Portaferry PR Newsletter Edition 8 (PDF, 1 MB) (opens new window)

Portaferry PR Newsletter Edition 9 (PDF, 1 MB) (opens new window)

Portaferry PR Newsletter Edition 10 (PDF, 1 MB) (opens new window)

Portaferry PR Newsletter Edition 11 (PDF, 1 MB) (opens new window)

Portaferry PR Newsletter Edition 12 (PDF, 1 MB) (opens new window)

Portaferry PR Newsletter Edition 13 (PDF, 973 KB) (opens new window)

Portaferry PR Newsletter Edition 14 (PDF, 1 MB) (opens new window)

Frequently Asked Questions 

How long will works run for? 

Work on site started in October 2023 and is expected to be completed by Summer 2024.  

What consultation was done about the scheme?

A public consultation event was held in Portaferry in September 2019 to take into consideration the publics views.

Feedback from the public during this consultation period could be provided in person at the public meeting, via email or post.

A flyer providing an overview of the scheme and details of the consultation were distributed throughout the village

As a result, updated drawings for Portaferry Public Realm works were then put on display in Portaferry Market House from Monday 16 December 2019 to Monday 06 January 2020.

Planning Application was submitted 13 December 2019 and granted 5th March 2021 reference: LA06/2019/1267/F

Neighbourhood Notifications issued 09 January 2020 with a response required no later than 23 January 2020 for the original plan submitted. No Letters of Objection were received.

Further Neighbourhood Notifications issued 10 February 2021 with a response required no later than 24 February 2020 regarding an amended plan. No Letters of Objection were received.

Will the work impact Portaferry Gala?

No works will take place during and one-week prior to the Portaferry Gala Festival. 

Will there be a reduction in car parking space? 

The scheme will remove the car park from the middle of the Market Square to accommodate the creation of a usable civic space. The road carriageway and footpaths around the Market Square will be realigned to create additional parking spaces with the result being a net loss of eight car parking spaces, five as a result of this scheme and three as a result of the works recently completed at the Eurospar.

This has been more than offset with the new car park at the Eurospar naturally reducing demand for parking in the square.

Will the existing trees be retained, and will there be any additional planting/trees? 

Four trees in the Market Square will be removed to facilitate the road carriageway alignment. There will be an additional seven movable planters installed at the front of Market Square, and one additional tree planted at the back of Market Square. 

What materials have been selected for the scheme?

Natural stone paving has been selected for the scheme, with street furniture and lighting that will be in keeping with the local heritage and appropriate to the requirements of the village's status as a conservation area.  

Will the works affect my business?

Every effort will be made to minimise disruption. Access to properties will be maintained at all times. We will keep you informed of work schedules and a dedicated Site Liaison Officer is available to answer any questions. 

Will I be entitled to a rates rebate? 

We are aware of the disruption this may cause to some businesses but unfortunately a rebate on your rates is not applicable.