Rural areas get £1.8m funding to boost regeneration in local villages

Derry & Strabane Rural Partnership is investing £1.8m in 13 village projects to deliver environmental improvements and transform neglected spaces into recreational community facilities.
By The Newsroom
Published 1st Dec 2020, 10:44 BST
Councillor Brian Tierney, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council pictured with Mary Hunter, Chair of Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership (LAG) at the announcement that the regeneration of local villages has received a £1.8m regeneration boost. Included from left are, Linda White, DCSDC Rural Development Project Officer, Deirdre Harte, Programme Manager and Emma Quinn, Project Officer. Picture Martin McKeown.Councillor Brian Tierney, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council pictured with Mary Hunter, Chair of Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership (LAG) at the announcement that the regeneration of local villages has received a £1.8m regeneration boost. Included from left are, Linda White, DCSDC Rural Development Project Officer, Deirdre Harte, Programme Manager and Emma Quinn, Project Officer. Picture Martin McKeown.
Councillor Brian Tierney, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council pictured with Mary Hunter, Chair of Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership (LAG) at the announcement that the regeneration of local villages has received a £1.8m regeneration boost. Included from left are, Linda White, DCSDC Rural Development Project Officer, Deirdre Harte, Programme Manager and Emma Quinn, Project Officer. Picture Martin McKeown.

The Village Renewal Scheme is helping local communities to create new or refurbish existing play park facilities and develop new shared use walking and cycling pathways.

It will also deliver a range of environmental improvements that will contribute to the regeneration of civic facilities including new public spaces, landscaping, interpretation panels and welcome signage into the villages.

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Speaking about the investment, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Brian Tierney, said; “Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership’s Village Renewal Scheme has allocated over £1.2m to help 13 local villages transform their recreational and leisure infrastructure to significantly boost physical activity and play in our rural areas – with Council providing match funding of over £500,000, bringing total investment up to nearly £1.8 million.

“The new play park provisions and green spaces will provide recreation and leisure facilities for children to play, walking and cycling routes for residents and visitors, and places for families and friends to come together, helping to improve the health and wellbeing of our local communities.

The funded projects include the £350,000 regeneration of semi-derelict land in Newtownstewart that has transformed the space into a 3,000m2 play provision for the local community that caters for sensory and physical activities.

Newbuildings received £256,600 to enhance walking and exercise infrastructure for the community, as well as open space for hosting public events.

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A £309,793 investment to develop a 1.1km of new walking and cycling pathways in Castlederg will open up 11 acres of greenspace for community use, while Sion Mills has secured £261,170 for the installation of a brand-new all-ability play area.

Four small regeneration projects in Clady, Claudy, Killeter and Park and four small green space projects in Ardstraw, Artigarvan, Donemana and Drumahoe were also awarded funding to make the villages more attractive.

A further project in Plumbridge is already complete, revitalising a vacant site for the local playgroup following devastation caused by flooding in 2017.

The scheme is being delivered under Priority 6 (LEADER) of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme 2014-2020,

Related topics:DerryBrian TierneyMayorCouncilStrabane District CouncilDerry CityNewtownstewart