St Columb’s Park House revamp plans

The local planning office has received a request for permission to “restore and renovate” the Listed Buildings’s interior and exterior.

Director of the peace and reconciliation centre Brian Dougherty said regular meetings were now being held with the design team and that structural surveys were under way at the 18th century manor house.

He said he expected construction to begin in the autumn with an anticipated completion date of July 2012.

“We have people on site carrying out the structural survey,” he explained. “All the funding is in place although we are still negotiating with Derry City council in terms of the lease.”

The revamp cost has been estimated at £759,815 - majority funded by the International Fund for Ireland (£650,000) with the remainder from the Department of Social Development (£109,815). Mr Dougherty says staff support and expertise will also be provided by Derry City Council although this will not be in the form of direct capital funding.

Last year it was estimated the renovation would be completed by autumn 2011 although this has now been put back to July 2012.

Mr Dougherty said St Columb’s Park House was exploring the possibility of relocating to Ilex’s Ebrington site for the nine month construction period between October 2011 and July 2012.

He said the matter was raised with the regeneration firm and argued it would enliven the new civic space given the heavy usage of St Columb’s Park House as an activity and reconciliation centre each year.

“We’ve been speaking to Ilex in terms of moving there if suitable accommodation can be found,” he explained. “We have 15,000 in total each year at the site and it would make sense to have people coming over the Peace Bridge and seeing activity.”

The proposal includes an extension of the building for additional accommodation and the provision of two new external staircases and a new internal lift. The application progresses plans to completely re-develop St Columb’s Park House and transform it into a state-of-the-art conference centre in the heart of a new Waterside city centre linked to the cityside by the Peace Bridge. The proposed development will increase conference capacity from 90 to 120, bed space from 40 to 52, whilst a new dining space and cafe will bring seating up from 90 to 120.

Offices for staff and volunteers will rise from 9 to 10 allowing staff currently based in a portable cabin move to the manor itself.