Derry's City Deal: Could take two years before all projects are signed off

Major projects included in Derry’s City Region Deal could take another two years before they are signed off, the Derry News has learned.

The £210m City Deal and Inclusive Future Fund economic package will be invested in a number of ‘transformative’ projects.

Chief among those in Derry is £84m worth of funding for Ulster University (UU) to invest in a new-build Medical School and Centre for Industrial Digitisation, Robotics and Automation (CIDRA), Cognitive Analytics Research Lab (CARL) and a Health Research Institute (HRI).

Other projects include the regeneration of Strabane Town Centre, central riverfront regeneration in Derry - including Queen’s Quay reconstruction - and a Derry North Atlantic (DNA) Museum.

In addition, there will be a programme of digital and smart cities interventions which will provide a future proof digital infrastructure by delivering next-generation connectivity.

This will dovetail with ‘Smart City’ investment to support pre-market testing and validation of new smart technologies.

A Derry City & Strabane District Council spokesperson said: “The projects are at various stages of development.

“Business cases for a number of projects eg medical school and the DNA museum have already been completed and, subject to Government sign-off, Council is hopeful that these can progress in the coming months.

“In relation to the medical school the first student intake of 70 students will be in September 2021 on the existing campus.

“In relation to the remaining projects, business case work is now rapidly progressing following Heads of Terms sign-off and Council is hopeful that all business cases can be finalised and signed off by Government within a 2 year period.”

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill previously said she hopes the DNA museum will open in 2024.

Construction timelines and opening dates remain unclear in respect of other projects.

'ASSURANCES'

Meanwhile, the local council has insisted that City Deal funding won’t be released until ‘assurances’ are given that projects will not be moved.

Campaigners for an independent university in Derry have raised concerns that Ulster University (UU) could move projects or courses to other campuses down the line.

Over the years courses have been transferred from the Magee campus to Belfast and Coleraine.

UU will be the one of the main benefactors of City Deal and Inclusive Future Fund monies for the aforementioned projects.

In response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request lodged by the Derry News, the council was asked if anything has been written into contracts with UU to ensure that projects receiving investment will not be relocated.

And if commitments around future growth at the campus formed part of that agreement.

In response a council spokesperson said: “No contracts will be in place and no funding will be released to projects until business cases are completed and agreed.

“This will include required assurances that the projects will not be moved.” 

The council also explained that UU outlined its expansion plans through Vice Chancellor Paul Bartholomew in February 2021.

Currently, there are 4,498 students at Magee – 3,640 full-time.

There will be an additional 70 medical students and 40 Paramedic Practice students for the next academic year with 850 Health Sciences students coming to the Magee campus for the 2022/23 academic year.

The Vice-Chancellor stated that growth to 6,000 students at Magee is ‘broadly achievable’ by 2022/23 but going beyond that will require a ‘different operating environment’ as it has different ‘governmental and political parameters to it’.

In 2014/15, Magee campus had 1,000 more students than it does today with an overall figure of 5,098 – of those 3,883 were full-time.