Derry City and Strabane District Council has deferred a request to endorse a community ownership project at Rosemount Factory, due to concerns around plans for accommodation for 100 students on the top floors.

March's Governance and Strategic Planning Committee received a deputation from Foyleside Developments representatives around the Stitch in Time Development Proposal, one of three PEACEPLUS projects planned for Foyleside, which is being led by Glen Development Initiative (GDI). Members were asked to approves council’s engagement and support towards the development of the project, at which point GDI will seek to secure a project sponsor, set up a project steering group to include elected members, and employ a project manager. GDI Manager, Adrian Kelly, told members that GDI recently completed a public consultation to determine the needs within Foyleside and to assess the viability of purchasing the factory, which he says is the last remaining shirt factory in Derry not to have “fully realised its potential development opportunities”. The estimated capital cost of the project is £5 million; £1.5 million to purchase the factory and £3.5 million for further development and renovation of outlying buildings. The consultation identified a number of public priorities for the factory including arts and culture, social support education and health services, and accommodation. An accompanying Business Case includes plans for the factory’s top two floors to be converted to 100 Ulster University-managed student dorm rooms. “We have currently been in talks with Pride in Place, and they place this project in their ten-year plan as a top priority from Outer West/Foyleside DEА,” a representative noted. “The initiative would see a five-fold increase in the physical community infrastructure within that area, and in terms of supporting the Magee expansion the project would also provide modern and comfortable student accommodation. “That would obviously address the issue with HMOs in the area, where it would be appropriate accommodation that is appropriately managed.” Sinn Féin councillor Christopher Jackson proposed that council endorse the project and said that, while it was very ambitious, it was only achievable due to the expansion at Magee. He added: “The University is expanding on the doorstep of this historic building, it is going to be a catalyst for economic activity, and Rosemont and the community surrounding it should benefit.” People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin welcomed plans for regeneration and said the public consultation led to “lots of good ideas”, but said he and many residents were concerned about the accommodation plans. “I believe the corporate position of the council and [Magee] Taskforce is not to support large-scale student accommodation slap-bang in the middle of residential areas,” he added. “That scale of student accommodation in the middle of Rosemount will have a big impact, because it will mean that it will become known as a student area. “There's just no way around that and that will have an impact then on the rest of the housing stock, which will then displace people. “So I wouldn’t be able to endorse a proposal today that would greenlight the factory becoming a large-scale student occupation site. “Councillor Jackson, are Sinn Féin supporting the proposal for student accommodation? Because you were very enthusiastic about making that proposal today.” SDLP councillor Brain Tierney asked that the proposal be deferred to the March council meeting, in order to allow his party to engage with residents. Councillor Tierney said: “Part of the presentation talked about all of the groups being in one voice on behalf of Foyleside but I'm aware of at least one residents’ group who doesn't support this proposal around student accommodation, is there a role for them within this project group? “I support most of the ideas around the factory but it's in terms of the residents’ engagement where I have major concerns, and as I say I know of one group who are not supportive of a hundred student accommodation units being on the top floor[s] of the factory.” Councillor Jackson clarified that his proposal was not an attempt to greenlight the project, but to allow for council representation at the potential steering group. However, he agreed to withdraw his proposal and allow other members “space to have conversations” before further discussion at the March meeting. “I don’t want this project to be divisive,” he said. “So I have no issue withdrawing the proposal and revisiting it at Full Council. “But I can categorically say we endorse what’s being presented to Committee, and that will be our position when we come to Full Council.” In conclusion, councillor Harkin responded: “I don’t think this is about opposition to Magee expansion, but expansion has to be beneficial to communities. “If we were talking about building a building in the middle of Rosemount for a hundred student units, I don't think there would be any support for it. “That doesn't mean that the factory shouldn't or won't be regenerated, there were proposals well before university expansion became a reality, so I don't think that this is tied to that or the need to put students in there.”

On a separate matter relating to the Rosemount Factory building, Derry City and Strabane District Council approved a potential £30,000 in funding to repair Derry’s ‘A Stitch In time’ artwork back in July.

The public artwork, located on top of the Rosemount Factory building, is the work of artist Tim Etchells and was commissioned and produced by Artichoke for Lumiere as part of the City of Culture programme in 2013.