More realm works on way

It’s understood the streets involved will include Union Street, Carnegie Street, Castle Lane and Church Walk.

North Street is also likely to come into the mix as a separate scheme.

The council plan is to use around £300,000 left over from the public realm which will be matched by the Department of Social Development to give the third phase a budget of roughly £600,000.

A major advantage of the scheme is that the streets had already been given planning approval when the public realm works were first proposed.

There was also scope to deliver part of the work within the contract of the existing team who had significant on-site intelligence built up over the last two years, enabling work to continue without any delay resulting from an additional procurement process.

Council also held surplus stone materials which could be utilised.

During a recent meeting of the development committee DUP Councillor and development chair Carla Lockhart had pushed for work to be carried out in Queen Street but the development manager said he would have concerns regarding DSD’s scope to fund Queen Street and the surrounding area, but undertook to investigate other possibilities.

It was pointed out to councillors Castle Lane and Church Walk were included in Phase Three due to a number of factors including access to the pay car park, the fact that Brownlow House and Lurgan Park were at the end of Castle Lane, that the area plan had identified opportunity sites, and the fact that there were specific regeneration opportunities in some areas of Lurgan.

Sinn Fein Councillor Mark O’Dowd raised concerns over the £150,000 spend on Carnegie Street when, he said, it was such a small street.

The development manager said it would help the link to Tesco, but undertook to ascertain further information on this.

The director confirmed the library and YMCA building were on Carnegie Street and it had a significant pedestrian throughput.

The proposal to part fund Phase Three awaits approval.