Progress on old Thornhill site village

With a planning application for a retirement village on the old Thornhill College site to be heard by Derry City & Strabane District Council's planning committee in July, Foyle MP Elisha McCallion has said she's pleased to see progress inching forward.

The Sinn Féin MP was speaking after meeting George Long of GLA Surveyors (both pictured right)to discuss the project.

She said: “I have been working with the developers involved with the Thornhill site since my time as Mayor and it is promising to see that this project is very close to becoming a reality.

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“I have also been given assurances by the developers that as much as possible the work on the site will be carried out by local contractors and that they will be including an apprenticeship scheme throughout the development of the site. This will ensure that the local economy will benefit greatly from this project.

“The developers have informed me that over the course of their consultation process locally that they have not received one objection to this proposal.”

She said the proposed 65 bed care home and 68 semi-independent bungalows, which will be discussed by the committee on July 21, was a positive development for Culmore.

“We know that there is a need to develop gateway sites to the city, particularly vacant sites such as Thornhill and I will continue to engage with stakeholders and do what I can to attract investors to this region.

“The proposed ‘West Shore at Thornhill’ retirement village is an excellent proposal and I would be hopeful that it will receive the planning recommendations needed for the project.”