Two Major City Deals Given Green Light

The City Growth Deals in the Causeway Coast and Glens and Mid South West regions will go ahead, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced.

There are four Northern Ireland City Deals but two of these, Causeway Coast and Glens and Mid South West, were put on hold earlier this month as the Government reviewed its spending.

The remaining deals, for Belfast City region, Derry City and Strabane, were unaffected.

"To support growth, including in our rural areas, we will proceed with City and Growth Deals in Northern Ireland - in Causeway Coast and Glens and the Mid South West," said Chancellor Reeves today while speaking in the Commons following the announcement of the UK Budget.

The four deals are regeneration funding packages worth over £1.5 billion. Projects of focus in the Causeway Coast and Glens include: Centre for food and drug discovery at Ulster University Coleraine; Innovation hub at North West Regional College, Limavady; Dungiven and Bushmills regeneration; Cushendall innovation centre; Coleraine leisure and well-being centre; and Portrush to Bushmills greenway.

Meanwhile, Mid South West will focus on skills, innovation, infrastructure and the tourist economy.

Key projects include the Industrial Decarbonisation Programme and Agri-food Robotics Automation Packaging Innovation Centre in the region.

A joint statement from Mid South West Region and Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council said: "We welcome the news that the UK Government will stand by its funding commitments to the Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens Growth Deals. "This is a very positive outcome which means that we can move forward on the development of our key innovation, green energy and decarbonisation projects designed to boost the economy in these regions.

"Work on projects including the £22m Centre for Food and Drug Discovery (CFDD) in the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area as well as the Industrial Decarbonisation Programme and Agri-food Robotics Automation Packaging Innovation Centre in the Mid South West Region can now go ahead, with the potential to create millions of pounds in return investment as well as thousands of jobs in these areas.

"These Growth Deals are crucial to delivering on the UK Government's clear priority for sustainable economic growth and the NI Executive Economic plan to boost regional economic performance by delivering good jobs, increased productivity and reduced carbon emissions.

"We look forward to engaging with the Northern Ireland Office in the coming weeks to progress these Deals to their respective next stages."

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin's Cathal Mallaghan MP said: "These growth deals will help to unlock our economic potential and create game-changing outcomes for regeneration in villages, towns and cities throughout the north.

"I would also commend the effort, and commitment of local organisations and councils to delivering these growth deals and the work of the Minister of Finance Caoimhe Archibald in securing today’s announcement."

DUP's Gregory Campbell MP added: "The DUP secured City and Growth Deals in 2017 as part of our Confidence and Supply Agreement with the previous Government.

"We wanted this investment because it will deliver substantial economic and regeneration benefits to the targeted areas.

"In Causeway Coast and Glens, tens of millions of Government funding, alongside NI Executive support, will help transform and grow the local economy across the region, helping to level up our regional economy."