Faughan Valley Heritage Trail gets green light

MEMBERS of the Environmental Services Committee at the City Council have given the green light to a proposal to apply for almost £2million to develop the Faughan Valley Heritage Trail.

At a meeting of the committee last week not only were the members told that 1.2million has been ringfenced in Heritage Lottery money to create the trail, but a study would be carried out by the Rural Area Partnership in Derry, otherwise known as RAPID, to develop the long-distance, multi-use route that would link the City with the rural landscape heritage as well as with other regional and national trails.

Rapid is working in conjunction with the Council, Woodland Trust and Heritage Lottery Fund to bring the project to fruition, and the remainder of the 1.8million for the trail is to come from a variety of other funders. Members welcomed the fact that the application will now be submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund by November and would be assessed by May next year. If successful, work will begin on the project in June, with a completion date of May in 2015.

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In a presentation to the Committee by Philip O'Kane, project development manager of RAPID, and Dr Willie Burke, access officer with the City Engineers Dept, committee members were told that the trail will stretch from the North Sperrins trail to Londonderry, and Inishowen, taking in areas of special scientific interest and conservation areas which include historic sites from Neolithic and Bronze Age, early ecclesiastical sites and those relating to the Plantation, as well as industrial archaeology associated with the River Faughan.

Extensive consultations are being carried out with community and statutory organisations and it is hoped that the development of the trail will lead to significantly enhanced tourism opportunities as well as encouraging residents along the route to get our and about and enjoy their natural environment. The entire project will include provision for wheelchair users, cyclists, walkers and equestrian activities.

In a statement Mr O'Kane said: "The Faughan Valley is an area of unique landscape that changes in character as the river flows through it. This project will help to improve the quality of life in the area by supporting a wide range of activities. This will include improved access at historic sites, woodland extension schemes, improved countryside access, built heritage preservation and training and education programmes for the local community. This initiative is a joint effort between the three partners, RAPID, Derry City Council and the Woodland Trust and we now look forward to developing this exciting project."

A total of 13 sites where shortlisted to correspond with the selection criteria: Ballygroll Prehistoric Complex; Tireighter Wedge Tomb; Ervey Portal Tomb; Straidarran Church; Cumber Old Church; Brackfield Bawn; Learmount Caste; Eglinton Village Plantation Site; Claudy Country Park; Learmount Forest; Enagh Lough; Ness/Ervey Woods and Fincarn Glen Motte and Bailey.