aahh thanks for posting that, had forgotten what the company was called behind the Derry/Londonderry plans.

http://www.ilex-urc.com/

Some rather interesting maps and images on the site

 

Thanks I wonder when Atlantic Business Park will start.

 

Anyone know if construction has started yet? It was meant to start in Sept 09 to finish next year ...

 

Wasn't started when I passed there this afternoon!

 

Bridge looks fab.... maybe I'll have to stop calling this place London-Diarrhoea!

 

(deleted)

 

You don't actually say that in real life do you? lol

Of course I do... L'D is a shit-heap. It's not the worst though. I reserve that judgement for Lurgan (shudders visibly) then there is Strabane (or Stabran as I call it), Dumbdalk, Arghmah, Droghedrab... like any of those? (off topic of course)

Actually L'D should be a really nice city. It's got a fantastic setting, it just needs a replacement population!

 

Derry is ignored, I agree. (I say derry because it's quicker......nothing political about it. Before anyone starts FFS)

It's ignored for several reasons though, I feel the city has yet to properly move on. I agree with Snailtrain, needs a replacement population. They have utterly destroyed the reputation of the city (not all....but a good many)

 

Londonderry is a bit of a dump however there is some good architecture round the wall with cobbled streets and everything. The University is also class. I think the old building beats Lanyon building at Queens.

 

Love the Derry accent in women.

 

i agree lovely woman there...sligo not bad either..

 

Part of L'Ds problem is that one of its "main" citizens bombed the shit out of it throughout the 70s and 80s. Then there was the huge population movement to create a virtual mono-culture. So again, nice place, shame about who lives there. (was much nicer before provos wrecked it, then DOE and "planners" got busy) Didn't they have a unique mill building that some arse was allowed to demolish?

 

Bridge work restarts after row


The footbridge will link Ebrington to Guildhall Square in Derry
Work on a £13.3m footbridge across the River Foyle has restarted after it was halted by protestors.
Construction had been due to start at Browning Drive on Monday, but residents blocked the road with their cars.
Urban regeneration company Ilex, which is responsible for the project, has said a compromise has been reached.
Ilex's chief executive, Aideen McGinley, said they had agreed to use an alternative route to access the construction site.
"I hope that we have established good communication with the community on a regular basis.
"We have offered a liaison meeting every month, so that we make sure that issues in terms of understanding of where we are with the project won't arise again," said Mrs McGinley.
But resident Dennis Jackson said he wants a written guarantee that an alternative access route will be found during the construction period.
"We will be maintaining the blockage of the street with our cars until such times as Ilex gives us in writing an undertaking not to use Browning Drive to access the site.
"They have ample space on the Ebrington Barracks site, which is 26 acres wide.
"It is very unfortunate we were forced to take this action," he said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/8327388.stm

Tuesday 27 October 2009

 

Foyleside Extension

Biggest Shopping Centre in NI....

£100m plan 'could bring 800 jobs'

Plans for a £100m extension to a Londonderry shopping centre could create 500 construction jobs and 300 full-time jobs, it has been claimed.

The proposals for Foyleside Shopping Centre include new retail space, an office block and a nine-screen cinema.

The manager of Foyleside, Des Farrell, said it would make it the biggest shopping centre in Northern Ireland.

"We certainly feel this is a major shot in the arm for the economy of our city and the greater north west," he said.

"You're really talking about what would be the biggest retail scheme in Northern Ireland and Foyleside has been one of the most successful schemes in Ireland since it opened in 1995.

"We want to build on that success and I think in the current climate it's extremely significant."

The plans would see the centre expanded by 235,000 square feet and would take an estimated two years to complete.

Foyle SDLP MP, Mark Durkan, said the £100m investment would be a major boost to the city.

"We've all worried as we've seen a lot of retail developments setting up out of town, so the fact that they are making the expansion in the city has to be welcomed.

"This is great news but we do have to recognise it's not something that is going to happen overnight," Mr Durkan said.

Sinn Féin Foyle MLA Martina Anderson said it was "a massive vote of confidence" for the retail sector in the city.

"These plans could be a major part of the jigsaw in the regeneration of Derry city centre.

"It comes at a time of other major construction work such as the new Peace Bridge across the Foyle ,the Ilex plans and a £1bn investment in the north west's road and rail infrastructure."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8387765.stm

 

Beat-me-to-it-Plank-

 

Are they planning to knock down a huge swathe of city centre to build that? (a la Castlecourt) or is there plenty of wasteland around it already I wonder?

 

 

What is that interesting looking building complex just behind the development site?

As regards (London) Derrys site by the river, I agree, from the few photos I have seen of it, it should be amongst Ireland heritage cities. I´ve never felt attracted to just visit the city which is probably a pity.
Someone out there should post a series of attractive photos of the town on this thread for us who have never visited the city. Isn´t there an almost intact city wall. Not many cities can boast of that.
Sometimes you can be thankful that developers havn´t destroyed the city, like in the case of many of the cities which are being restored in the former East Germany.

 

I believe Derry is going to be eventually eclipsed by Newry as NI's second 'city'. Newry is arguably one of the best locations on the Island, with its residents more or less equidistant between Belfast and Dublin and so able to avail of the economic and employment opportunities afforded by both.

 

^^

There is merit is that arguement and it's mainly derived from a longer term vision of a greater connected and cohesive eastern corridor. It is very possible in the future that Newry will indeed become the second city of Northern Ireland, but that is a long was off just yet.

 

..

Magee expansion gets go-ahead with school land deal

The University of Ulster has signed an agreement with Foyle and Londonderry College which will enable them to expand into the school's lands.

The sites on the Northland Road will become vacant when the school moves across the river Foyle in 2012.

The 30 acres will give the Magee campus space to add new faculties and bid for an expansion to student numbers.

The university's Vice-Chancellor, Richard Barnett, said it was an "important milestone".

"The university has always made it clear that a pre-condition for the expansion at Magee was the acquisition of additional land, and we have submitted a bid to expand our student numbers.

"With the news that we have secured an option on these sites - and once the government gives us permission - we can commence our build-up of student numbers.

"The University of Ulster is a primary force in delivering the skills base, driving social and economic regeneration and contributing to the cultural vitality of Northern Ireland.

"Today's agreement opens the door to a new era in the life of Magee," he said.

The headmaster of Foyle and Londonderry College, Jack Magill, said the school had long supported the university's expansion.

"We all know it is the key to the future economic wellbeing of the city, and the Foyle Governors have always seen the university as the preferred inheritor of our land as it keeps it in the education sector.

"This tacit understanding between us has now been given a shape and a timescale.

"I look forward to seeing the area revitalised by the university creating a broader campus with new departments and new architecture," he said.

The design of the new school at the former army base at Clooney is already underway, and preliminary investigative work has been completed.

The acquisition of the Foyle and Londonderry lands will almost double the university's physical presence in the city.

A group campaigning for an alternative university model has questioned the land deal.

Padraig Canavan, the chairperson of University For Derry, said the site was best suited to sports facilities.

"The university should focus its attention on moving towards the city and becoming a more integral part of the city fabric, and in that was establish Derry as a university city," he said.

The Magee campus has over 3,500 students, the majority of which are full time.

In 2008 the university unveiled a development plan, which anticipated 2,000 extra students on the campus.

These places cannot be created unless a government cap on student numbers is relaxed.

Sir Reg Empey has said he is prepared to re-examine the effect of the limit on student numbers on Magee over the next few months.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/8405553.stm

 

Here are some pics for Derry as requested earlier in the thread:

Few flickr collections:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petew/sets/72157606700502520/

Do not know Derry well, but it has so much potential to be alot better than it currently is. It has the physical structure, we just need to work around that and develop from there.

 

I was in Derry very recently, I've always really liked the place despite it's many problems, the overall feel of the place, the walls and the general character are a delight. Even the Foyleside shopping centre is one of the best of it's type with all the various levels and entry points making it quite an exciting place to be.

However I was absolutely shocked at the way that the life has been sucked out of the Diamond and Shipquay Street area and particularly at how derelict and empty Waterloo Place has become. Even five years ago when I was last there the place was buzzing with shops and cafes. Now theres nothing. I'd suggest that a further expansion of the Foyleside is bound to exacerbate this problem.

It's a real shame, it's a place that should have so much going for it. However it seems to be dying on it's feet.

I was also in the new Gaelaras which is an absolutely fantastic addition to the James St. area. It's somewhat odd looking externally although beautifully proportioned on the streetscape. Inside though it's a truly spectacular space, flooded with light and very exciting with mysterious staircases going off in all directions. Unfortunately the place is a bit cluttered, the shop and reception area just have too much stuff on display and the cafe has invaded the central atrium with a truly inappropriately placed fridge unit and somewhat tacky lime green chairs. Despite this the brilliance of the architecture shines through and it's definitely worth a visit.

http://www.odonnell-tuomey.ie/webpage/angael/angael_01.htm

 

I just heard that L'D is "in" for British Capital of Culture. Was this an April fool? I can't imagine this pit of sectarianism, homophobic attacks and binge drinking being the capital of anything. This is an even bigger farce than Belfast's bid. What will they call themselves if they win? Derry; Londonderry; Stroke City; The Maiden City; Derry/Londonderry; L'Derry? My own suggestion is Londondiarrhea (from the ancient Irish, meaning a city who's bowels run with brown water)

 

Can't wait to see this bridge finished. It's fantastic. Also, is their any news on that 70m residential tower that was part of a large regeneration plan (I think it was planned to be on top of an old army barracks or something)

 

An Gaelaras:

Same architects are designing the new Lyric. I have a few more pics from an NI architecture mag that I'll try to scan sometime.

 

^^

That's absolutely stunning, the interior space is just beautiful.

 

^^

Why listen or even take notice of what snailface said?

 

His/her prerogative surely?

Just like it is your prerogative to make such an unenlightened contribution to this thread...

 

It was a question, not a statement. At no point in that question was an attempt made to request that he not listen to snailface. Unless you failed to notice the question mark after the sentence.

There's a difference.

As for the unenlightened nature of the question, that is a subjective opinion.

 

No I didn't fail to notice the question mark. In fact I was offering the simple response to your question that it is surely up to Charlemont who he/she listens to or pays attention to.

And you are of course right - it was a subjective opinion, mine, and I was simply expressing it. Where would society be if one couldn't do that?