Derry Sports Centre Given Green Light

A multi-million pound plan to upgrade the leisure facilities in Londonderry's Waterside has been approved after a meeting with Derry City Council's Development Committee.

The plans will see a new sports campus constructed at St Columb's Park in a bid to move various sporting interests to one site.

Council officers now have a clear mandate from all parties to invite tenders for the construction of a new North West Regional Sports Campus.

The construction of this new state-of-the-art building will give ratepayers the benefits of a modern facility.

Meanwhile it is argued that there are also significant savings to be made by closing the older, and current sports facility, the Lisnagelvin Centre and moving the various sporting interests to a single site.

Lisnagelvin will not close until the new site at St Columb's Park is fully functioning

Committee Chair Cllr Martin Reilly said: "This decision represents a significant investment in the leisure infrastructure in the Waterside which will benefit not just those in the immediate area but the wider North West.

"The Council has agreed a strategic framework for the development and delivery of their sports and leisure portfolio over the coming years and I have asked for updates on the progress on these improvements to be brought to the Development Committee every month.

"Derry is a city with a passionate interest in sports. I therefore look forward to seeing progress on all of these projects during my time as Chair of the Development Committee."

Welcomed

The SDLP Foyle MLA Pat Ramsey has also welcomed the new campus at St. Columb's Park in the Waterside, and has expressed his wish that proposals for the Brandywell Stadium are also brought forward as soon as possible.

Mr Ramsey met with stakeholders and the former Minister for Social Development, Alex Attwood during his term and the current Minister Nelson McCausland in July to push the project to its final stages which was decided at a Council meeting on Monday.

"I am very pleased that this project has been brought to the point where tenders will now be sought for the design of the project.

"This upgrade for a much-used leisure asset in the Waterside area is to be welcomed," he said.

"As part of the Council's Strategic Review of the Leisure Estate, this project has been a key feature identified for investment alongside the Brandywell Stadium, something I have been working on for some time, and an Options Paper is due to be discussed by Council in the short term which will bring us closer to plans for a redevelopment.

"I am calling for the Council to urgently bring forward plans with a financial commitment to progress this proposal. Investment in our facilities locally is crucial to equip our sports community with the facilities it needs going forward, and will assist in the overall regeneration of the City.

"I will continue to push for the Brandywell Stadium to be brought to the forefront of plans for the Council with colleagues to complement the overall sports estate we will have in the future."

(LB/BMcC)