14 factories lying dormant in city

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster stated: “Invest NI is aware of 14 available factories within the City Londonderry council area. Further details on these and other available commercial properties can be found on the Northern Ireland Business Information website at www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk.

“It is, however, important to be aware that the information within the database does not comprise a definitive list of all available properties. Invest NI is wholly reliant upon the accuracy of the information provided to it by commercial property agents and developers.”

She also explained that within Londonderry Invest NI is aware of available office space across 30 properties.

Mrs Foster stated that Invest NI holds a total of 75 acres of land at its Skeoge Industrial Estate and that 32 acres of this is still available.

Earlier this year the Sentinel reported how Invest NI held 105 acres of land - four times the area of the Walled City - for businesses with an immediate ‘demonstrable property need; in Londonderry but there had been no takers since summer 2011.

The landbank then was the largest held by the local industrial development agency in any council area bar Craigavon, where it held 177.70 acres.

Foyle MLA Colum Eastwood - who obtained the latest figures from thje Minister - previously claimed that the vacancy of over 1 million square feet of industrial space in Londonderry was ‘a damning indictment.’