Planning Permission Secured for new Warrenpoint Health and Wellbeing Hub

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has secured planning approval for a new £7.4 million health and wellbeing hub in Warrenpoint.

The multi-million pound investment will provide a modern and welcoming environment for residents, staff and visitors.

The new hub will feature family and child friendly facilities, including a sensory room, creche and children’s activity room with direct access to an outdoor terrace.

In addition, the exciting new development will deliver a range of social and community benefits, including spaces for residents and local groups to meet and a range of programmes aimed at bringing young people and older generations together.

The new two-storey hub at Clonallon Park will provide fitness programmes, a meeting place for youth and support groups, a dance studio and health and wellbeing garden area. The investment also focuses on the needs of the local arts community with dedicated arts, culture and heritage creative workshop areas.

The hub will open the door to new environmental and sustainability initiatives, including a community garden, landscaped green spaces and welcoming outdoor planted social amenity areas. It also paves the way for new textured and illuminated piazza areas, illuminated pathways around the building which connect to the existing path network, and landscape work improving a steep section of the existing pathway, making it more accessible for less abled users.

At a meeting of the Council’s Planning Committee on 25 February councillors decided to approve the application, with the committee determining that the benefits of the multi-million pound scheme outweighed concerns around the small loss of amenity space.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Philip Campbell said securing planning approval paves the way for work to start on a landmark building which will cater for all generations.

“The new Warrenpoint Health and Wellbeing Hub will make a major difference across the community and is eagerly awaited,” he said.

“This significant investment represents a boost for health and wellbeing in the Warrenpoint area, bringing people together under one roof in a dedicated facility to access a range of services and new opportunities. The new hub will be at the heart of the Warrenpoint community and is a game-changer for the town. It reflects Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s continued commitment to deliver modern facilities across communities.

“Securing planning approval for this development is fantastic news for the community and takes the Council a step closer to delivering a much-needed new facility. The investment will help create jobs in the construction industry and in the new hub itself, providing an additional boost to the local economy.”