Derry interface area turned down for funding due to concerns it could lead to an increase in crime

An interface area in Derry has been turned down for funding aimed at removing physical barriers from communities due to concerns that taking down a security fence will increase crime.

The move emerged at a meeting of Derry City and Strabane Council’s Health and Community Committee, where councillors were asked to approve a funding application to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for Interface funding.

However, the Department ruled that one Derry interface area should not be included in the funding application as the removal of a ‘small fence’ separating the Irish Street and Top of the Hill areas could lead to an upsurge in anti-social behaviour and crime.

The meeting was told that the criteria for this funding is the delivery of the ‘Together Building a United Community’ (TBUC) commitment on the removal of interface structures in the north by 2023.

The programme aims to establish a ten year programme to reduce and eventually remove all interface barriers working together with the local community.

Thursday’s meeting was told that the Department of Justice has requested a funding application be submitted by the council, which had to be lodged by February 14 this year.

A council officer said that application was successfully submitted following consultation with the Bogside and Fountain areas and the Tullyally and Currynierin areas.

The finding submission includes the implementation of plans for high quality play provision in Currynierin and the installation of palisade security fencing of the football pitch in Tullyally, as well as survey and design options for the Tullyally pitch as a longer-term development and in preparation for further potential funding from Department of Justice in 2018/19.

However, it emerged at the meeting that the Department of Justice stated that the Irish Street and Top of the Hill Interface area should not be included in the application for the 2017/18 period.

A report presented to the meeting stated that the reason for this was ‘the only structure in place is a small security fence at the rear of the Good Shepard Primary School and to remove it would increase opportunity for crime/anti-social behaviour.’

It added that the Department of Justice’s decision ‘has been communicated to the groups in the Waterside area who were involved in the 2016/17 DOJ programme’.

The report added that the funding application also included a ‘survey, scoping study and economic appraisal of all options for the future development of the Bishop Street and Fountain interface’.

That also includes provision for programming costs for both areas to develop a ‘council wide strategic approach to interface work’ in anticipation of further funding from the Department of Justice over the next number of years.

Speaking at the meeting, the UUP’s Derek Hussey said that he was ‘disappointed’ by the Department of Justice’s decision and its criteria for funding, adding that an ‘interface was not necessarily defined by a structure’.

The Waterside Sinn Fein councillor Christopher Jackson said that he would ‘echo’ Alderman Hussey’s comments, adding that the there was ‘no denying the issues being experienced by the people living in these areas’.

Cllr Jackson went on to congratulate the council officers for submitting the funding application in a ‘short timeframe’, and he hoped if successful, it would help in ‘addressing issues faced by these communities’.

Councillors then agreed to approve the submission to DOJ for interface funding.