Floodgates Park, Newtownards

Consultation now closed

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.  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.

1. Street Furniture: benches along floodwall, and bins to be replaced
2. 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
3. Proposed entrances: Portaferry Road/entrance to Floodgates trail/access to Cloud 9 cafe/access to carpark 
4. Picnic benches: proposed new picnic benches throughout the park
5. Interpretative signage: detailing history at pillbox and views at lookout point
6. Timber boardwalk: allowing users to cross the watercourse
7. Proposed pathways: quarry dust pathways following existing desire lines
8. Natural play amenity spaces: amenity spaces in existing gorse-cleared areas, with natural play dens/timber steps etc. 
9. Natural fitness amenity spaces: amenity spaces in existing gorse-cleared areas, with natural fitness beams
10. Event space: a larger area for events/gatherings on existing levelled space
11. Tiered seating: seating space on sloped embankment
12.  Football stadium: being progressed by Ards Football Club as a separate application 
13. Linkway to car park: proposed pedestrian link from football stadium to car park
14. Car park: being progressed by Ards Football Club as a separate application 
15. Lookout point and steps to greenway: existing raised mound used as a lookout to the surrounding landscape. Proposed steps to greenway