Factory, Ballinacraig Way, Greenbank Industrial Estate, Newry, Co Down

Factory

This is a symmetrical brick factory building located on Greenbank Industrial Estate. The complex comprises a two-storey office and canteen block at its centre, flanked on each side by a one-storey factory entrance block. Beyond each entrance block is a slightly higher one-storey loading bay block. Behind these façade buildings stands the main one-storey factory, with a brick chimney positioned at its rear right. An octagonal security kiosk, perimeter railings, walls and gates form an integral part of the overall composition.

The façade buildings have flat reinforced-concrete roofs with concrete-coped parapets. The walls are of framed construction with brick and precast concrete facings.

The principal elevation of the central block faces the main road and projects forward from the general line of the façade. A pair of glazed timber doors sits in a central recessed bay, with a small leaded segmental canopy overhead. Above is a shallow canted oriel window. These doors are flanked on both sides by four metal-framed windows, one set to each floor—those on the first floor taller than at ground level. Between the ground and first floor windows are concrete panels with square pattern relief. At each end of the middle block are stairwells, each with a tall window set in projecting concrete dressings and a ribbed concrete motif to the head. A continuous projecting concrete beam runs across the entire front of this block, supported by streamlined concrete piers rising between each window bay and at the ends.

The left and right cheeks of the central block are abutted at ground floor by entrance blocks into the factory. Towards the rear of each cheek, at first floor level, is a large metal-framed window. In the centre of the back wall of this block is a pair of metal-framed French windows giving access to a narrow yard separating this block from the factory proper, with metal-framed windows above in concrete trim.

Each flanking block contains, at its middle, two pairs of recessed timber doors set in a glass brick surround, with a flat concrete canopy to the front supported by two metal columns on concrete plinths, concrete steps and planters to the front. On either side of the doors is a projecting horizontal concrete-trimmed opening containing four large metal-framed windows.

Each end block contains two loading doors and three windows. The brick walls rest on a concrete base course, and each has a concrete beam projecting across the front, supported in the same manner as the middle block. One of the door openings in the right-hand block has been infilled. A flat-roofed link projects from the right side of the right-hand block to what is believed to be an electricity sub-station—a simple brick building with a door and two large metal-framed windows.

The factory proper sits behind the façade buildings and has a glazed roof of north-light profile. At its rear right, within the factory block, is a squat red brick square-plan chimney with decorative brick pilasters to its façade and rear, trimmed with a concrete band near the top and capped with concrete.

The security kiosk, of octagonal plan, sits to the right of the right loading bay. Its flat roof extends to form a canopy, supported by a single tubular steel column, over the pedestrian entrance. It has metal-framed windows and doors.

Lawns lie to the front of the office and factory entrance blocks. The complex is bounded by a low brick wall with concrete coping and brick piers, on which is mounted a metal fence of square grid pattern with Art Deco framing and posts. Metal gates feature similar detailing.