Launch of Downpatrick Masterplan – 11 December 2009

Thank you Mr Chairman, Councillors, ladies and Gentlemen.

I am delighted to be here in Downpatrick to launch the draft Masterplan.  

Paul Hogarth Company were appointed by the Department in February 2009 to prepare a comprehensive Masterplan for Downpatrick Town Centre, which will inform the future development of our town.  Since then an Advisory Panel made up of representatives from your Council, the Downpatrick Business Forum and DSD have worked closely with the consultancy team to develop this masterplan.

There have been many meetings, with a wide range of stakeholders and I would like to pay tribute to everyone for their hard work and commitment to the process.

This draft masterplan seeks to build upon Downpatrick’s unique setting and historic environment, and in particular its early Christian heritage and its special association with St Patrick.  

I believe that this Masterplan will enhance Downpatrick’s reputation as an attractive visitor destination.  By enhancing the setting of the historic streets and buildings and maximising the town’s tourism and development potential, we will create a vibrant town centre that people want to live in, work in, shop in and visit.

We all know how difficult it can be to get through the town at peak times, and I know this better than most, as from my constituency office the traffic seems to go nowhere at times.  The traffic proposals on display as part of the Masterplan are therefore the minimum needed in order to resolve congestion within the town centre.

The proposals on display here today are exciting and forward thinking and show how the future regeneration and development of the town’s natural settings, including making more of the Quoile, can be taken forward.  Implementing these proposals will help to create a town that is best placed to develop long into the future.

It is important that people from Downpatrick and the surrounding areas take the opportunity to view our proposals and to share their views with us. This will ensure that the final document represent the views of the people who will be most directly affected.

I am is committed to continuing to working closely with Council and other key stakeholders to take forward these proposals and help to make the vision for Downpatrick a reality.

Once again I would like to take this opportunity to thank the consultants, the Council, the Advisory Group and other stakeholders who helped to develop this masterplan. We can make Downpatrick a special place for all.

Thank you