Derry's Pump Street update given to councillors

Derry City and Strabane District councillors have been updated on the former Convent of Mercy building in Pump Street. 

The unoccupied Grade B1 listed building partially collapsed in the early hours of Sunday, October 5. The collapse resulted in pump Street being cordoned off to prevent vehicular access. The closure has caused ongoing disruption to residents and businesses in the immediate vicinity.

Speaking at Wednesday’s full Council meeting, chief executive John Kelpie said since the issue was last discussed “Council officers right across Council departments have continued to liaise with the building owner, to seek structural engineering advice, independent advice, to work with HED (Historic Environment Division) and cross departmentally within Council”.

He added: “Council has also taken the lead in liaising with the locally impacted businesses in the street and Council has made it clear to the building owners, on various occasions, that it recognises their dual obligations to both health and safety and the responsibilities it has in relation to work on listed buildings. 

“Council has worked to propose and broadly agree an approach to dealing with the situation with the building owners. The building owners have now submitted a planning application, listed building consent, and the owner has moved on to site shipping containers in order to prop up the building in advance of carrying out the work. 

“However, the application is currently being assessed by planning officers and HED. We don't consider that to be an impediment to progress on  site, but that that is a matter for the building owner to consider,” said Mr Kelpie.

Council’s director of environment and regeneration added that the process of listed building consent involved “advertising and allowing members of the public to comment on the application”.

She added: “That is ongoing and officers will conclude the consideration of the application as soon as they possibly can. 

“At this stage, it potentially could be a decision that could be delegated to officers but we will consider closer to the time whether or not we feel it's appropriate that it needs to come before the Planning Committee.”