Proposed Greenway: Newtownards to Green Road Bangor

Project Overview

We are proposing to create a greenway route between the towns of Newtownards and Bangor. This would be progressed in two stages.

1) Newtownards to the Somme Museum. The route will begin at Belvedere Road, Newtownards and follow the former railway track, in the most part, to the Somme Museum.

2) Somme Museum to Green Road Bangor. This route will pass part the Ark Open Farm and then turn off-road in a north-easterly direction following the former railway line and field boundaries, in the most part, to Green Road, Bangor.

The combined route is 5.4km.

Project Value

The development of this combined route represents an investment of c£3.85M in green infrastructure in the Borough.

Key Benefits

Health and wellbeing benefits for residents. The southern part of the route runs between a significant number of residential properties that will enjoy easy access to the greenway.
Increased leisure use including access to Whitespots Country Park.
Increased commuter use by those attending South Eastern Regional College for work or study.
Potential to contribute to domestic and out of state tourism by offering connections to the Ark Farm, Somme Museum and Whitespots Country Park.
Green active travel connection between the towns of Bangor and Newtownards.

For other general benefits of greenways please visit Benefits of Greenways

Current Status

Full planning permission has been achieved for this phase of the Greenway.

Design consultants were appointed in December 2023 following a tender exercise.

We are now tendering for a contractor for work on site.

Background

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) Strategic Plan for Greenways' Exercise Explore Enjoy: A Strategic Plan for Greenways | Department for Infrastructure (infrastructure-ni.gov.uk), published in 2016, aims to encourage a substantial increase in the number of people walking and cycling as a regular part of everyday life through the building of a connected and accessible regional Greenway Network.

The plan provided a framework to assist local councils to develop their own greenway schemes and provided funding for feasibility studies, one of which was for a proposed Orlock Point to Donaghadee, Newtownards and Helen's Bay Greenway.

This feasibility study was submitted to DfI and AECOM was appointed to further the design of the Greenway. As a result of feedback during public consultation and meetings with both residents and landowners, the route was altered and split between two greenways, with this one linking Newtownards to Green Road. From here the greenway can be linked into Bangor and extended to Donaghadee.

The greenway between Newtownards and Green Road, Bangor is being developed in two stages. The first is between Belvedere Road (connecting to South Eastern Regional College) Newtownards and the Somme Museum, Bangor Road, Newtownards and the second between the Somme Museum and Green Road, Bangor.

Full planning permission has been achieved for this phase of the Greenway.