Remediation works to commence at Fort George site

The Department for Communities (DfC) has appointed Deane Public Works Ltd to remediate the Fort George site in Derry~Londonderry to ensure it is ready for future development.

The 15 acre site owned by DfC, has received outline planning permission for its regeneration and acceptable uses for the site include residential, office and education schemes, as well as retail, cafes, bars, restaurants and parking.

The remediation works, which are due to get underway later this month, will prepare the site for inward investment.

Announcing the appointment, Damian Mulholland, Director of the Department’s North West Development Office said:  “This is a major step towards the redevelopment of a strategic site and toward making the regeneration of Fort George a reality.  There is significant potential for this site to create real social and economic benefits for the City.  The remediation of the site will help position this prime river front location as a development and investment opportunity at the northern end of the City.” 

The remediation of the site will take around eight months.  A risk assessment has been agreed with the relevant statutory authorities and the appropriate precautions in line with good civil engineering practices will be in place to prevent noise and dust disturbances to the local area.  

An Information Event will be held by the contractor, Deane Public Works Ltd, at the Catalyst Inc Innovation Centre, Bay Road, Derry~Londonderry on Tuesday 22 May 2018 from 2.30pm to 6.00pm.  Anyone seeking further information on the content of the remediation works is welcome to attend.

The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Maolíosa McHugh added: “On behalf of Council I am very pleased that work on the remediation of this significantly important site is being progressed.  Fort George is a hugely important strategic site for the city with huge potential in terms of investment and regeneration for the city moving forward.”

Notes to editors: 

1. Fort George is a strategic regeneration site on the west bank of the city and is a level 6.2 hectare site. It is strategically positioned off the Strand Road, which is one of the main arterial routes in to the city centre, a key gateway to the City. It is also a river front site. The planning application (Ref: A/2012/0335/0) was submitted in July 2012 with Outline Planning Permission granted on 2 December 2015 to bring forward a development framework for regenerating the site following an extensive Environmental Impact Assessment. The proposal sets out a development framework for the 6.2 hectare site and provides for 82,274 square metres of gross floor space to include residential, office, employment & education uses, retail, cafes, bars and restaurants and associated multi-storey and surface car parking. The proposal also allows for the completion of decontamination works on the site in line with planning conditions to address low level asbestos and other contaminants such as heavy carbons previously identified.
2. The Department has appointed Deane Public Works Ltd to commence the remediation works at the Fort George site. The works designed by WYG Environmental are anticipated to take eight months to complete. The works will cost circa £1.2million.
3. The Department may take photographs and videos at announcements and events to publicise its work. Photographs, interviews, videos or other recordings may be issued to media organisations for publicity purposes or used in promotional material, including in publications, newspapers, magazines, other print media, on television, radio and electronic media (including social media and the internet). Photographs and videos will also be stored on the department’s internal records management system. The department will keep the photographs and recordings for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which they have been obtained. The department’s Privacy Policy is available on our website.
4. Media enquiries to DfC Press Office on 028 9082 3505 or email press.office@communities-ni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 076 2397 4383 and your call will be returned.

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