Letter to the Editor: Open letter to Derry & Strabane Council from UU Magee neighbours
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
You report, in your on-line edition dated January 14, 2025, that Councillor Jackson (Sinn Féin) expressed alarm at the approval of a high number of HMOs for ‘one particular geographic area’, including Glenview Street, Argyle Terrace, Hawthorn Terrace, Strand Road, with two each approved for Nassau Street and Rosemount Avenue.
The ‘one particular geographic area’ is the neighbourhood of UU Magee.
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Hide AdThe councillor’s alarm echoes the lived experience of UU Magee’s neighbours. The people signed below, and many others, are concerned and alarmed at the unwanted consequences for our streets, driving them further in the direction of a sacrifice zone. Some streets are not here, because they already have only transient occupiers.


We openly address the Council.
Council will be carefully considering all current planning applications following the Local Development Plan (LDP) Strategy adoption. We propose that councillors and officials act immediately:
- apply an immediate cap of 10% HMOs on streets neighbouring UU Magee, then fasten it in place longterm in May. This to apply to all current and future HMO applications. It will mean that many streets in the area can have no more HMOs, as they are already above the 10% mark.
- institute a specific Planning and Building Regulations inspection action on all multiple occupancy re-fits in the area, whether they be Airbnbs, guest houses, bail houses or HMOs to find and shut down the ones that are flaunting the regulations
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Hide AdThe alarm of the Councillor can be faced by these actions. The unwanted consequences of the UU Magee expansion for the neighbours of the campus can be somewhat addressed.
Act now!
Dave Duggan, Northland Avenue
Kathleen Feeney, Nicholson Terrace
Lynne Page, Argyle Terrace
Helen McLaughlin, Nicholson Square
Evangelia Kasmetli, Grafton Street
Úna Ó Somacháin, De Burgh Terrace.
Julieann Campbell, Stewarts Terrace
Diane Traynor, Northland Avenue
Pat Hannaway, Edenmore Street
Dave Beasley, de Burgh Terrace
Roisin Beasley, de Burgh Terrace
Eimear McDaid, Grafton Street
Dan Doherty, de Burgh Terrace
Lilian Deery, Nicholson Square
Natasha Watson, de Burgh Terrace
Colm Davis, Grafton Street
Dorothy Campbell, Academy Road
Jo Noble, De Burgh Terrace
John Campbell, Academy Road
Paul O’Connor, De Burgh Terrace
Stella O’Donnell, Grafton Street
Donna Corcoran, Mount Street
Angela Agnew, de Burgh Terrace
Jim Doherty, Nicholson Square
Ciaran Ó Somacháin, de Burgh Terrace
Paul Wade, Northland Crescent
Laura Jamison, de Burgh Terrace
Gráinne Ketelaar, De Moleyn Park
Megan McKeever, de Burgh Terrace
Tom Agnew, de Burgh Terrace
Eugene Lyttle, de Burgh Terrace
Diane Traynor, Northland Avenue
Brighdin Lyttle, de Burgh Terrace
Sharon Kelly, Nicholson Terrace
Cathyann Keaveney, Nicholson Square
Rosemary Harkin, Lower Nassau Street
Gary Cunningham, Nicholson Square
Marie Dunne, de Burgh Terrace
Shannon Corcoran, Mount street
John Corcoran, Mount Street
Martin McDevitt, Grafton Street
Lauren McDevitt Grafton Street
Lauren McFadden, Park Avenue
Aaron Miller, Park Avenue
Coilean Black, Grafton Street
Ciaran Kelly, Nicholson Terrace
Laura Davis, Grafton Street
Caolán Davis, Grafton Street
Olive Love, Rosemount Gardens
Stephen McDaid, Grafton Street
Aileen Lynch, Claremont Street
Cyril Maguire, de Burgh Terrace
Mary Maguire, de Burgh Terrace
Michael Cunningham, de Burgh Terrace
Anne Cunningham, de Burgh Terrace
Laura Pozo Rodriquez, de Burgh Terrace
Annie O’ Hagan, Stewart’s Terrace
Jimmy O’ Hagan, Stewart’s Terrace
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