Over £3m. secured for new Ebrington office complex

A planning application has now been lodged by Heron Brothers for the 50,000 sq ft office complex, which will be located on top of the underground car park on the site.

The building is to be constructed on an existing enabling platform, which was built in 2013 and 14 to accompany the 214-space publicly-funded car park beneath it.

It was envisioned at the time that a state-of-the-art office complex would go on this site, which is accessed off the King Street roundabout.

It is thought that once built, the new offices will be able to accommodate a workforce of several hundred people and could attract major investment and jobs to the city.

Tender documents associated with the proposal state that the enabling platform has the capacity to carry buildings up to five storeys, while also alluding to a second building of similar size and scale to be developed at Ebrington in the future.

A spokesperson for the Executive Office confirmed to the ‘Journal’ yesterday: “The Executive Office is committed to delivering the regeneration of Ebrington.

“It has committed to award £3.45m of funding when the proposed 50,000 sqft building is complete and ready for tenant occupation. The new build will be located on top of the existing underground car park.

“The Executive Office welcomes this planning application from Heron Brothers and look forward to the completion of this 50,000 sqft landmark building in 2021.”

Ebrington had been off limits to the Derry public for generations due to its use as a military base, but was vacated by the British Army in 2002 before being handed over for the benefit of local people.

A new car park to the rear of the site, off Limavady Road, was approved last week by Derry City & Strabane District’s Planning Committee.