Potential investors look at Derry for business

Several potential investors have signed up to look at development opportunities in Londonderry following a recent British Council of Shopping Centres annual conference,

Declan O'Hare, Director of the Department for Social Development's North West Development Office, said the Derry stand at the conference had been a great success in highlighting the many development opportunities which exist in the city.

Three public sector organisations, the Department for Social Development, Ilex Urban Regeneration Company and Derry City Council together with the City Centre Initiative combined their resources to showcase the regeneration opportunities now available within Derry including the Ebrington and Fort George sites.

Mr O'Hare disclosed that within hours of the conference opening eight potential investors had expressed an intention to look at opportunities in Derry and interest in the city has continued to grow.

He said: "Government intends to use Derry's portfolio of development sites as a key tool in the regeneration of the city. This conference was an important opportunity to market those sites directly to leading investment decision-makers from the retail, leisure and property sectors.

"The response has been very positive and a number of potential investors are now committed to visiting the city. I have no doubt that they will be impressed by what Derry has to offer."

Among the high profile figures who visited the stand to lend their support to the promotion of the city were the Secretary of State Peter Hain, the Social Development Minister David Hanson and Senator George Mitchell.

Mr Hain and Mr Hanson had earlier used keynote speeches to highlight both the importance of Derry as a regional centre and its development potential. Mr Hanson said:

"Derry's excellent development opportunities and its competitive location for investment create an exciting agenda for the next phase of regeneration in the city.

"Fort George and Ebrington, two former military bases comprising some 40 acres and located on the river front within the central area of the city, are now available for redevelopment. The prominence and development possibilities of these sites offer once-in-a-generation opportunities to quite literally reshape the face and balance of Derry's central area."

(MB/GB)