Garvan O’Doherty sells Derry city centre property to Ulster University to facilitate Magee College expansion

The Derry businessman confirmed the Garvan O’Doherty Group (GODG) was disposing of several holdings at Queen’s Quay and Strand Road to enable the university’s plans to get to 10,000 students by 2032.

“We have agreed the sale of lands at Queen's Quay to UU to allow for the expansion of the Magee College campus.

"We have had other, higher offers but decided to sell at a lower price in the civic interest. We wanted to put the city first. We all want to see Magee expand to 10,000 students and this will facilitate that,” said Mr. O’Doherty.

The properties are concentrated around the Council’s Strand Road Car Park. They are 56 Strand Road, 60-64 Strand Road, 20 Queen's Quay and 24 Queen’s Quay, including the former Pepe’s nightclub site.

Mr. O'Doherty told the ‘Journal’ he has been struck with the UU leadership team’s commitment to expansion.

"They are very keen to do business and I was very impressed with their commitment.

"We have seen many plans but little follow-up but in this I have been very impressed from the Vice-Chancellor down,” he declared.

The Derry businessman told the ‘Journal’ ‘significant reorganisation’ had been undertaken at GODG’s Chill off-licence business with expansion to be announced in the new year.

Mr. O’Doherty also indicated 2025 would see further sales and acquisitions and progress on his Watt’s Whiskey Emporium and distillery project.

The GODG confirmed the five strategically important sites along Derry’s riverfront were acquired over several years with the view to bringing economic life back to the once bustling Derry quayside.

A spokesperson for the group said: “The expansion of Magee is the universally agreed as being the most important economic investment in the city.

"Educating young people in greater numbers, bringing economic life back to the city centre, creating new jobs in new industries are the catalysts we need to realise Derry’s untapped potential.

"The Magee Taskforce has presented its Action Plan and as a Group we are playing our part to help realise those plans and the huge benefits which flow from an expanded university.

“There has been considerable interest in these sites, and we have had other, higher offers, but decided to sell at a lower price in the civic interest.

"We wanted to put the city first. We all want to see Magee expand to 10,000 students and this will facilitate that.

"We have been determined that any sale would only be for the greater good and future prosperity of the city and its people.

"The sale to Ulster University to enabling their expansion is therefore much more than a financial deal.”

The formal handover of the sites is expected in the New Year.