Funding decision for Derry greenway projects expected by year-end

Derry City and Strabane District Council Officers say a funding decision by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) for the lighting of three greenways across the district is expected by the end of the year.

Earlier this year members of council’s Governance and Strategic Planning Committee approved a capital investment programme, which included the delivery of three new greenway lighting projects at Foyle Valley, Drumahoe and Bay Road.

At December’s Environment and Regeneration Committee meeting, SDLP councillor Rory Farrell noted that planning permission was in place for the three areas, and council has also allocated funding and were “waiting for a match funding contribution” from DfI.

Councillor Farrell added: “This needs to happen, these are great assets that we have but at night they're in complete darkness.

“We've got the planning permission in place, we've got council funding, we're waiting on money from Stormont to make this a reality, so have we had any feedback from the Department in terms of timescales for a decision or the likelihood of funding in the short term?”

Director of Environment and Regeneration, Karen Phillips, said officers had been liaising with DfI and a funding decision will be made by the end of this year or the start of next year.

Conor McGinty gearing up for ‘Echoes of Ireland’ in Millennium

‘It will be as if the audience has been transported to their granny’s front living room and is listening to family stories’

Derry Féile donates £1,000 to Gaza health appeal

The money will be donated to the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS) as part of the Bloody Sunday Trust’s Christmas Appeal

Ms Phillips concluded: “Hopefully we will know in the next couple of months whether or not those applications are successful.

“We have been trying to stay in contact with the Department to advise them that we were ready to go as soon as they are, and we will bring a report back to members as soon as we know anything further.”