Work begins on a major apartment complex in the heart of Derry's city centre

Work has begun on a new apartment complex in Derry's city centre.

Nineteen apartments for people over the age of 55 are being built at the bottom of Waterloo Street.

The apartments will be built over businesses currently occupying numbers 50 to 54 Waterloo Street at the lower end of the street.

The complex, which is being built be built by Clanmill Housing Association, will be made up of 14 one-bedroom apartments and five two-bedroom apartments.

Planning permission for the apartments was granted in April 2017.

However, the construction work was held up because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The work has now started on the apartments.

This will be seen as a major boost in bringing more life into the city centre. It was also recently revealed that there are plans for another eight new apartments a short distance away.

The proposals would see the transformation of a building at Waterloo Place.

The ground floor of the building is home to a Centra convenience store.

The owners of the building, a company called Chester Properties, want to convert the top two floors of into six apartments.

They have also applied for planning permission to build a two-storey extension to the rear of the building which would house a further eight apartments.

In its planning application to Derry City and Strabane District Council, the company says that the proposed development would provide 'contemporary inner city' residential accommodation.

They say the apartments will enjoy views over the city and the River Foyle, and that the materials used would compliment the surrounding historic buildings.