Banbridge / Newry and Mourne Area Plan 2015
District Proposals: Rathfriland Town Centre (Page 1 of 2)

Rathfriland provides a local shopping function for the surrounding area. The town centre includes both civic and commercial buildings and uses. The library, clinic and the police station are all encompassed within the town centre. Banks and professional services such as estate agents and solicitors are located predominantly around Church Square. Other commercial activities such as butchers, grocers, newsagents, confectioners, fast food outlets and public houses are all located along the four main streets in the town centre. Also contained within the town centre are larger businesses with associated warehousing such as furniture stores, car showrooms, car repair garages as well as dwellings. Many of the commercial premises have occupied flats on upper levels.

The town centre has experienced some recent commercial and residential redevelopment. It also contains land and buildings in varying degrees of disuse that could be assembled and developed to provide a greater variety of shops, services and mixed use developments.

Access to the town centre is generally good but periodic congestion does occur on the main streets in the town centre. Traffic flow may be eased by a one-way traffic system. Rathfriland has two main car parks, providing free parking located on the Castlewellan Road and Castle Street. The two car parks, however, are isolated from the main shopping streets. Direct pedestrian access to and from the town centre car parks should be provided. Congestion on the main streets may be reduced by the introduction of parking restrictions and parking meters.

There are a number of sites, including those to the rear of existing frontages, which may present opportunities for development. These sites may be developed on an individual basis, or as part of larger schemes designed to revitalise the town centre.

A detailed Health Check was carried out as part of the development plan process to provide a benchmark against which to measure the effects of future change in economic activity in the town centre. Details of the town centre health check are contained in the Retailing Technical Supplement.

Rathfriland was designated as a Local Town in the Newry Area Plan 1984 -1999. That Plan did not define a town centre for Rathfriland. The defined town centre includes Church Square, a section of Main Street and Downpatrick Street, Caddells Lane and sections of Dromore Street, Castle Street and John Street. It includes a wide range of commercial and non-commercial premises and accommodates development opportunity sites.

Development proposals within the town centre will be processed in accordance with prevailing regional policy.