Sean Mooney welcomes DfI approval for maritime museum at Ebrington
Derry City and Strabane District Council members have welcomed the Department for Infrastructure’s (DfI) approval for a maritime museum at Derry’s Ebrington Square.
At this month's Planning Committee meeting, members were informed that Derry City & Strabane District Council had received a notice of opinion from DfI on December 5, which approved a Reserved Matters Application (RMA) for the change of use of former military buildings at the Square.
The current application is a renewal of a previous RMA, which was put forward and approved back in 2016, for extensions to the site at buildings 45, 46 and 49 at the former parade ground and military barracks.
The development - which includes a reception, café, gift shop, and tourist information point on the ground floor, gallery space, a multi-purpose learning space and archive storage on the first floor, and office accommodation and staff facilities on the second floor - is anticipated to begin early this year with a tentative opening date of Autumn 2026.
Members were also asked to endorse the sending of a draft response to DfI, confirming council does not request an opportunity to appear before the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC).
SDLP councillor for the Waterside District Electoral Area (DEA) Sean Mooney welcomed the news, as the museum was a 'key strategic asset in the council's plans going forward'.
“I'm glad to see the decision from the Department,” he concluded. “Obviously there's an appendant letter, and I have no problem with it going and I’m happy to propose it.”