Fort George progress ‘disappointing:’ science chief

Mr Hewitt, who is also a member of the ILEX board, told the Stormont Enterprise Committee that the slow appraisal of the 14million application, by the body responsible for doling out EU peace money in the North West, was frustrating.

ILEX is currently trying to progress the project using the expertise of the NISP and the Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LIT).

Touted as “a transformational science park project” and the “flagship envisaged for Fort George” it’s been suggested the park could yield up to 280 jobs for Londonderry when completed.

But now Mr Hewitt has shed light on the ponderous process of securing funding for the scheme from the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

Mr Hewitt spoke of his frustration during a Stormont briefing on how to develop the economy through innovation, research and development.

“One of our strategic ambitions is to develop other science parks at remote locations,” Mr Hewitt said, speaking in his capacity as NISP chair.

“That ambition includes the development of a science park on the Fort George site in Derry/Londonderry. In order to take that project forward, we have submitted an application through the SEUPB to the EU for approximately £14 million in funding.”

But Mr Hewitt expressed concern over the pace of the SEUPB’s appraisal of grant applications.

“We recognise the fact that all Departments, whether national, regional or Europe-wide, have a responsibility to appraise projects carefully. However, it is probably true to say that the speed at which the appraisal of that project has proceeded has been disappointing,” he told MLAs.

“We are not a large organisation, but we have access to considerable expertise. We have had to draw on that expertise to pursue the application, and small organisations that do not have that access would find it difficult and daunting to make such applications,” he added.

The R&D chief said he would welcome any moves to help make applying for EU money “a simpler and more user-friendly process.”

He said the flagship Fort George project was time dependent and that bodies needed to realise that deadlines had to be met or opportunities would be lost.

“Where our ambition for Derry is concerned, our proposal is predicated on being able to get up and get into business within a certain timescale.

“We have not always been convinced that the SEUPB and other bodies are totally aware of the timescale within which we have to operate.

“That is not a criticism in any way. It is an observation of the process that I think they have to go through. Anything that can streamline the process would be beneficial not only to us - that would be a very selfish observation - but to other organisations in Northern Ireland that are seeking funding.

“The funding bodies have to realise that business opportunities present themselves in certain timescales and that if people cannot respond to those timescales, the opportunity will very often slip away,” said Mr Hewitt.

In December Junior OFMDFM Minister Martina Anderson claimed “the development of a satellite science park in the North West will help achieve the ambitious job creation targets set out in the recently published regeneration plan for the city.”

She said: “The development of a North West Regional Science Park will help to firmly establish the region as a smart economy and a digital centre of excellence, and have a positive impact on the economic development and job creation opportunities of the region.”