Derry Journal Editorial: Whatever happened to Fort George?

That blueprint published in December 2007 featured images of a business, technology and innovation district with multi-storey office blocks towering over the city’s skyline, but this was never realised. In fact, with the exception of the very successful Catalyst hub, today most of the site lies vacant and fenced off, and is only occasionally used as an overspill car park during festivals.

It seems symptomatic of a far larger problem concerning Derry and the wider north west. There is no shortage of ambition and vision in the west, but it has never been fully or fairly matched by commitment and adequate funding from the east, specifically the centres of power in Belfast and London.

And when progress does come, it seems to take a generation to materialise and usually involves years of lobbying. It’s not good enough and if we do have a new Executive in the months to come that needs to be made clear.

To end on a positive note however, news that a parcel of of the site is to become a health hub is good news, coming on the back of the Ulster University medical school, the transfer of health science courses from Jordanstown, the nursing school and paramedic courses and C-TRIC. It is badly needed.

With further investment in and linkages between the Trust, Departments, NWRC, UU and ATU we could yet become a world leading region for health research and training. And Fort George may be vital in realising that.