Former military base to be transformed into shared education campus

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie and Education Minister Caitríona Ruane today marked the transfer of land for use as a new shared education campus.

The land, at the former military base in Clooney previously owned by the Department for Social Development, will be transformed into a high quality educational campus. It will house new, purpose built facilities for Foyle and Londonderry College and Ebrington Primary School. This will deliver a key element of the Department’s regeneration masterplan for the lands in Derry.

Margaret Ritchie said: "This is fantastic news for the people of Derry City. Transferring this land from my department will deliver significant regeneration, educational and environmental benefits to the people of this city. It will become an integral part of the surrounding neighbourhoods with local people benefiting not just from excellent schools but also from state of the art sporting and recreational facilities.

"By working in partnership across Departments with colleagues in local government, with the schools sector, with the university and of course with local people, we have met the challenge we set ourselves in 2006. That challenge was to maximise the potential of this asset and deliver social, economic and environmental benefits to local people."

Speaking about the transfer of the lands today, Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane said: "It is well known that Derry has one of the highest levels of social deprivation. It is therefore vital that we continue to support and invest in the North West. Once completed, the new school facilities will represent a £35.27million investment by the Department of Education. Education is central to addressing social inequalities.

"This investment ensures that the children and young people of this area will have the opportunities to reach their full potential. It is through the success and achievements of our young people that we secure the continued growth and success of this area for us all."

In disposing of its land to Foyle and Londonderry College, the Department for Social Development also secured the signing of an option agreement between the College and the University of Ulster. This now provides the university with the firm commitment it had sought on the land required for the future expansion of its Magee campus.

The Department has also reached agreement, in principle, that Derry City Council will construct the new greenway link and upgrade the existing playing fields at Clooney. Progress will be subject to statutory approvals and the outcome of public consultation.

Notes to editors:

1. The Department for Social Development acquired the 32 acre Clooney former military base and associated playing fields (16 acres) from the Ministry of Defence in 2004 in order to maximise regeneration benefits to the Waterside and the wider city.
2. The Clooney Masterplan was published in October 2006 and contained proposals to co-locate Ebrington Primary School and Foyle and Londonderry College at Clooney.
3. The masterplan also proposed that the vacated Foyle and Londonderry College land bank at Northland Road be used to facilitate the expansion of the University of Ulster’s Magee Campus. An option agreement was brokered and is now in place giving the University first option to purchase the Foyle and Londonderry College lands and thereby facilitate the Magee campus expansion.
4. The central element of the masterplan has now been successfully delivered with the transfer on 10 December 2009 of the Department’s land to Foyle and Londonderry College.
5. The capital projects for Ebrington Primary School and Foyle and Londonderry College will not be in a position to develop on site until 2011/12 at the earliest.
6. The remaining element of the Masterplan is the delivery of the Clooney Greenway, a 1.75 mile landscaped pedestrian and cycle route to the rear of the schools’ site. This path will link Kilfennan Valley Park to the city centre through St Columb’s Park and/or the Ebrington site via the Peace Bridge.
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