Albert Basin

Northern Ireland

The 21st Century has heralded a new era of prosperity and confidence for the city of Newry, overseeing its transformation into a vibrant, busy city attracting people from all corners of the island of Ireland and beyond. We who live and work in the area are proud not only of what has been achieved but of what is yet to be achieved.

As well as its spectacular setting at the head of Carlingford Lough, Newry can boast advantages that other cities could only dream of. We occupy a strategic location on the Eastern Seaboard Corridor between Dublin and Belfast and are less than one hour from Dublin International Airport, Belfast International Airport and Belfast City Airport.

Warrenpoint Port, one of the five commercial ports serving Northern Warrenpoint Port, one of the five commercial ports serving Northern Ireland, provides an important outlet for freight traffic, cross-channel and beyond, from the area.

Few cities are as fortunate as Newry to possess a development opportunity on the scale or of the quality of the Albert Basin. The opening up of theBasin area will showcase Newry as a destination city and will create a tourism valley stretching from the South Armagh and South Down borders of the Clanrye River through to Carlingford Lough in the shadows of the Mourne and Cooley Mountains. We are currently in discussions with the Goodman family in relation to the lands adjacent to the east of the Albert Basin, which if successfully included will allow for comprehensive master planning and integration with other areas of the City Centre. Through such an agreement, the full potential of the Albert Basin and the realisation of the ambition of Newry to become a gateway destination can be achieved.

Newry is on the cusp of becoming a city of international significance, which is why we have appointed Daniel Libeskind, the renowned architect who has developed the concept for the replacement to the Twin Towers at New York’s World Trade Centre, to design and plan for a world class signature project which will not only complement the development, but will also reflect Newry’s status as a international hub and gateway city on the island of Ireland.

Our vision for the Albert Basin is to create a new iconic water-based centre for our great city now and for our children and grandchildren.

The Albert Basin has a history of mercantile industrialism which once made it the commercial focal point of Newry. We firmly believe that our plans can help recast the Albert Basin as the logical extension of the city centre and enable Newry to become a modern metropolitan hub – a centre that excels in business services, technological development and research and development, but one which is also a welcoming urban community for Newry’s citizens and visitors alike.

Our vision is nothing less than to help partner, the Council, Government and people of Newry in building a new Newry – rooted in our rich past and former industrial glories, but with our face fixed firmly on the future.

With that it is with both pleasure and genuine anticipation that we bring these proposals to the Council today.