Support petition call

In a statement this week Mr Hay said he very much welcomed the support shown for the petition so far, and he called on landowners to also get behind the push to improve the visual amenity of the village.

“I very, very much welcome the support form the community in Newbuildings regarding this initiative to have old dwellings removed.

“This is something that we have been campaigning for in the DUP for some time. We have had two Ministers looking at that issue and we have had various meetings with Ministers and representatives from various Government agencies,” Mr Hay said.

“The buildings referred to are in private ownership and we really need the co-operation of the owners to work with the community and the politicians representing the area in an ongoing capacity, to have these buildings removed and I would appeal to them to come on board and support the initiative,” he said.

Mr Hay said he believed the petition would receive several hundred signatures and once signatures were collected the next stage would be to hold a series of meetings.

“The community would like to meet with the owners to get them on side and supporting the campaign on getting the A5 through and having the old buildings removed. Without their support it will be a very difficult job. The next step is a meeting with the owners of the sites and a meeting with the appropriate Ministers,” he said.

“This is an important year for the city of Londonderry and it would be fantastic if derelict sights on the souther approach to the city could be improved,” he said.