John McQuillan Contracts Ltd has successfully completed major upgrades along Warrenpoint's front shore in County Down.

Following completion of the promenade, beach and Marine Parade sections in mid-2023, the next phase of Public Realm works for the area was targeted on the front shore car parks at Havelock Place and Osbourne Terrace, and their central green space.

Northern Ireland's Department for Communities provided £1.7m of funding for the Warrenpoint Front Shore Car-Parks Public Realm Scheme with a contribution of £500,000 from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. The scheme focused on providing a long overdue renewal and upgrade of this space, which was originally developed in the early 1990s.

The works involved the installation of new kerbing and pathways, car park resurfacing/relining, new decorative street lighting, new street furniture and signage as well as tree and vegetation planting throughout. Within the car park area, the central green space has been transformed into a more useable surfaced public space with games such as snakes and ladders, hopscotch, chess/drafts and noughts/crosses engraved into the new granite surface.

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John McQuillan Contracts Ltd, as the appointed contractor, worked in partnership with scheme consultants AECOM, to deliver the project. During the works, regular liaison was held with local elected councillors, statutory agencies and trader representatives from the Warrenpoint Burren and Rostrevor Chamber of Commerce. The contractor was available throughout the duration of the scheme to keep traders and residents informed on progress and address any key issues that arose in relation to the construction. 

Welcoming completion of the scheme, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said: "I am pleased that work to improve the car parks at Havelock Place and Osborne Terrace has now been completed along with the Front Shore Revitalisation Scheme. This major investment greatly complements the previously completed scheme along the Promenade.

"The completion of this scheme will help unlock wider physical and social regeneration within Warrenpoint town centre encouraging more visitors and tourists to the area as well as providing a welcome boost for the local economy."

The Front Shore revitalisation works followed on from the public realm works and involved shop front improvements, addressing dereliction along with the installation of interpretative signage and purchase of new Christmas lights. Other elements included new safety signage and lifebuoy, installation of bespoke benches, solar compacting bins and mural boards produced in conjunction with the local Warrenpoint Youth Group.