UUP challenges minister to tackle derelict building blight across East Derry

Mr Robert Carmichael, the East Derry Ulster Unionist Party Association Chairman, has challenged the Stormont Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs “to implement a realistic planning strategy which will eliminate the scourge of derelict building blight across the constituency”.

Mr Carmichael, speaking on behalf of the UUP Association, publicly threw down the planning gauntlet to the Alliance Minister responsible for the environment stating that “radical action was needed on derelict buildings if visitors were to be attracted to East Londonderry, to boost the local economy in areas such as golf tourism and farm tourism”. 

The East Derry UUP man posed the challenge to the Minister: “Given that there is a perception of an increasing number of derelict buildings in towns, villages and hamlets and especially in rural areas due to deterioration, do you agree Minister that the planning criteria for townscape character need to be reviewed to allow for a more practical opportunity for demolition and rebuild? 

“As a UUP association, we are stressing to the Minister that such a policy would go some way towards the re-enhancement of our towns and villages through the constituency, especially with the summer tourist season almost upon us.

“The Minister also needs to make clear how many planning applications have been granted where work has not progressed. Therefore, his department needs to make clear exactly where there is planning permission for sites that have been abandoned, are in decay, are half-finished or are derelict.

READ NEXT: County Derry man returned for trial on bank card theft and burglary

“The immediate problem concerning this is that the Minister needs to clearly state what is to be done to improve the appearance of those sites.

“The Minister needs to know in no uncertain terms that about how the decay, the dereliction and the negative impact have had effects on local trading conditions, on one hand. 

“The Minister also needs to address the problem of using planning powers to enforce against developers and others who have money and planning permission and have the opportunity to improve the appearance of sites, but singularly fail to do so. 

“That is the immediate crisis that his department faces, and the Minister should be allocated cash from the latest Westminster financial boost.

“As a UUP association, we are also raising fundamental issues that also need to be addressed, including whether the Minister and his department will be more flexible in allowing those with planning permission to extend it, given that economic circumstances have meant they have not been able to develop sites.

“If we are to attract substantial inward investment for East Derry’s tourism industry, we need to ensure that the environment for visitors is not blighted by derelict buildings. Our constituency has tremendous tourism and economic potential, but it must be given the necessary funding to look the part,” said Mr Carmichael on behalf of the UUP Association.