Funding blow for Clondermot regeneration site

The shared future development at the old Clondermot school site at the Irish Street/Top of the Hill interface was billed an opportunity to make an enormous contribution to the regeneration of the Waterside area when the Department of Social Development purchased the land for 3.2m in early 2009.

But it has now emerged elements of an ambitious conceptual master-plan for the site that proposed health, education, community business and local council services have been scrapped because NWRC and WHSCT don't have enough money.

A new training centre for young people and a local Health Trust facility have both had to be scrapped due to pressure on the public finances.

The blow to the ambitious development was outlined by Social Development Minister Alex Attwood in response to the Foyle Sinn Fin MLA Martina Anderson.

The Minister advised: "Unfortunately neither the Western Health and Social Care Trust nor the North West Regional College can proceed with their proposals due to a lack of finance."

On a more positive note he added: "The Waterside Development Trust has however now purchased the portion of the site required for its purposes from my Department and will begin construction of an office block in January 2011."

Plans were lodged in May of this year for a three storey office building for community organisations at the site.

A further application was also lodged for the provision of new road access via Irish Street including car parking and landscaping.

Mr Attwood advised the new Waterside Develoment Trust building will be completed in just over a year from now.

"When completed in January 2012, this new building will create a high quality site frontage onto the Irish Street entrance and provide purpose built office accommodation for Derry City Council Community Services together with training facilities and Shared Future conference accommodation," he stated.

"Given the withdrawal of the health and education proposals my Department is currently engaging with Derry City Council to jointly develop an interim solution that will upgrade the existing pitches and provide new changing facilities on site for public use," he explained.

Mr Attwood put it up to his Executive colleagues and Finance Minister Sammy Wilson saying the future of the regeneration plans for the area was in their hands.

"I remain committed in the longer term to the development of this site for the benefit of local communities.

"Of course, if DFP and Executive colleagues do not recognise the job for job, pound for pound benefit of urban renewal and regeneration as agreed in the June 2010 monitoring, my ambitions for the site may be prejudiced.

"I also hope members may make full representations to other Government departments to help resolve the issue," he stated.