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Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
Council Partner
Newry, Mourne & Down District Council
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council covers the south-east of Northern Ireland (NI), including southern County Armagh and large parts of County Down, and is strategically located on the important eastern A1/M1 economic corridor.
Outstanding natural beauty and business investment
Strategically located on the eastern A1/M1 economic corridor, Newry Mourne and Down has an estimated population of 182,634, a coastline of approximately 150 km, and encompasses an area of 1,634 sq km, including three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty; Mourne, Ring of Gullion, and Strangford and Lecale.
9,375 VAT registered businesses, and a location along the Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor, make this an attractive region for investment and co-operation.
With international access to Irish, UK, EU, and international markets, the Council area’s businesses offer a gateway to achieve long term economic growth and stability.
Home to 12% of NI businesses
NMDDC has the third highest level of entrepreneurship in NI, and the fourth largest share of VAT registered businesses within NI. These SMEs are key drivers for local productivity growth and creating local employment opportunities, which is vital to the overall achievement of growth within the NI economy.
The district’s top three performing sectors are agriculture, construction, and retail and services. Key growth sectors include utilities, ICT, and transport, and NMDDC’s tourism offering is strong, too. It boasts three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and serveral Blue Flag beaches.
NMDDC is readily accessible, with proximity to three major airports, the second largest port in NI (Warrenpoint), a motorway hub, and fast train links offering transport throughout Ireland.
It offers lands available at Down Business Park, Downpatrick; Killough Road, Downpatrick; and Carnbane, Newry.
An Outstanding quality of life and growing workforce
22% of NMDDC’s population are under 16, offering a strong pipeline to the future labour market. 71% of school leavers continue into higher and further education. The region offers 25 post primary schools, two regional colleges, and the SRC, SERC, locally. Additionally, six other universities (UU, QUB, DCU, Trinity College, UCD, Technological University Dublin) are all within an hour drive.
NMDDC is home to three of NI’s 8 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Mourne, Ring of Gullion, and Strangford and Lecale) and several Blue Flag beaches. There are two national trail centres for mountain biking in Castlewellan and Rostrevor, and Newry City holds the Purple Flag accreditation for nighttime economy.
Newry, Mourne & Down has the fourth highest housing stock (8.9%) in NI and the second highest proportion of detached houses of any Council area in NI.
