AQW 26111/22-27

Mr Andrew McMurray
Alliance Party
South Down

Tabled Date: 11/04/2025
Answered On Date: 24/04/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail any plans her Department has for a relief road or bypass to address congestion in Downpatrick town centre.

Answer:

I am aware of longstanding issues with traffic congestion in Downpatrick, particularly at the convergence of Irish Street, Church Street and Market Street in the historic town centre. A feasibility study was published by my Department in 2018 which examined the case for constructing an Eastern Distributor Road in Downpatrick. The alignment of the route was taken from the Ards Area Plan and considered a new connection between the Strangford Road towards the Saul Road and the Ardglass Road.

This detailed feasibility study (Downpatrick Eastern Distributor Road Feasibility Report | Department for Infrastructure) concluded that the proposed road and its alignment offered limited relief for Downpatrick Town Centre and its main benefits would be accessing developer land zonings DK-07, DK-08, DK-12, and DK-13.

Plans to build around 1,100 new homes on a portion of these zoned lands were unveiled by a private developer in July 2024, which included a developer-led 1.5km link road between the Saul Road and Ballyhornan Road to facilitate access and accommodate additional road users. This route broadly follows a section of the proposed alignment considered as part of the Eastern Distributor Road feasibility study.

The final decision for granting permissions on such a scheme remains a matter for Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s Planning Committee, and therefore my Department has no current plans to build a relief road or bypass.