Plans lodged for new 152 bedroom hotel and restaurant at Ebrington site in Derry

THE redevelopment of Ebrington Square took another major step forward this week after plans were lodged with the local council for a massive new hotel and restaurant at the site. The 152 bedroom hotel and restaurant, pictured above, will involve the ‘refurbishment, re-use and rebuild’ of a number of listed buildings at the former army barracks. This will include buildings 67, 68 and 69, known as the Clock Tower building, which was originally built in 1841 as accommodation blocks, and building 63, which lies adjacent to the Clock Tower building and was constructed in the same year as Officers’ Quarters. It is understood the Clock Tower building will remain in place. In addition to the hotel and restaurant, the proposal also includes provision for associated leisure, function, meeting room and bar facilities along with additional car parking. Plans for the new £12m hotel, which will be called ‘The Ebrington’, have now been lodged by the applicant, Ebrington Leisure Holdings Ltd, with the local planning authority, Derry City and Strabane District Council. The plans for the hotel first came to light in May 2016, and it is hoped to be open for business by June of next year. The local council is set to take over ownership of the Ebrington site in April 2018, a year later than had originally been planned. The site is currently managed by the Executive Office, which was formerly the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM). Earlier this year, the local council granted planning permission convert four buildings at the same site, including the barrack jail and guardhouse, into a distillery. Niche Drinks were given approval to open the Quiet Man Craft Distillery which represents a £12 million investment and will lead to the creation of 35 jobs.