£2 million modernisation for Bishop Street Courthouse

Derry’s historic Bishop Street Courthouse is to undergo a £2 million modernisation, which is expected to take up to eight years to complete.

The Department of Justice has invited tenders for the project, described as “the refurbishment, reconfiguration and potential extension” of the Grade A listed building located within the city’s Conservation Area. Designed by Dublin architect John Bowden, Bishop Street Courthouse was completed in 1817.

The Department said  the £1.9 million related to the estimated cost of “an integrated consultant team to develop the brief and design solutions required for the refurbishment and reconfiguration of Bishop Street Courthouse" not the overall cost of the project " the scope of which remains unchanged, and is subject to business case approval and funding availability".

The Courthouse tender process opened on Wednesday (February 19) and will close on Monday, March 24, 2025, at 3.00pm; the tenders which, it is specified, must remain valid for 12 months, will be opened at 3.30pm the same day. 

Paddy MacDermott, a local solicitor who practices regularly in Derry Court, welcomed news of the facility’s refurbishment. 

He added: “Bishop Street Courthouse is a very old building and obviously does need major upkeep from time to time. 

“As long as the court does not have to close and the court and court staff remain in Derry, we would be happy enough.

“Anything which improves facilities for court users and staff is very welcome,” said Mr MacDermott.

As recently as January 13, Foyle MLA Ciara Ferguson (Sinn Féin) described Bishop Street Courthouse as “pretty dire” for staff, lawyers and local people seeking access to justice.

Speaking in the Assembly, Ms Ferguson asked Justice Minister Naomi Long (Alliance) whether there had been any progress on plans to refurbish the building.

She added: “I recently visited Derry Courthouse and did a tour. It is a beautiful building, but the conditions for staff, the legal profession and local people arriving at the centre are pretty dire, to be honest. 

“Is there any further update on the upgrade to Derry Courthouse?”

In her reply, the Justice Minister said: “I know that there is ongoing work at the Courthouse on Bishop Street.”

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She added: “There was, at one stage, a plan for an entirely new facility for the North West. However, we have been able to obtain, potentially, additional land, which will allow us to instead look at refurbishing the existing Courthouse, therefore maintaining the fabric of the building that the Member refers to, while improving access for people who come to the Courthouse to use the range of facilities that are provided in it,” said Minister Long. 

In March last year, Glynn Capper, the director of the NI Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS), told a briefing of the Stormont Justice Department the modernisation of Derry’s Bishop Street Courthouse was one of three major capital projects being progressed by NICTS. The others were the modernisation of the Royal Courts of Justice and the refurbishment of the Old Town Hall in Belfast. 

At that time Mr Capper estimated the cost of refurbishing Bishop Street Courthouse would be “tens of millions of pounds” and it would be “subject to business case approval and funding”.