Mid Ulster District Council’s environment committee has decided to pause a redevelopment project in a Co Derry estate until an agreement has been reached with local bonfire builders about future celebrations in the area.
At a meeting of the local authority’s environment committee on Monday, July 3, members were asked to grant Council’s Chief Executive, Adrian McCreesh, delegated authority to award capital contracts in August for a number of small settlement projects including one that will take place in the Riverside estate in Castledawson.
However, while Councillor Brian McGuigan told the chamber he had no problem in granting delegated authority in relation to the other projects, he expressed concerns about the “substantial project” at Riverside, given its current use as a bonfire site.
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“In my view this is council land so I would propose that is put on hold until there is a firm agreement no bonfire will be built on site,” he said.
“I was at an earlier bonfire working group and know there has been some discussion with the bonfire builders and the community team in terms of going down the road of a beacon, which is the right direction of travel, as it is in line with council policy.
“To spend that amount of money on a particular project and then to see a bonfire built there again next year would not be good. So, until we have some firm agreement on that, my view is that we should not go ahead with it and I am proposing that tonight.
“There are still a few days left to show that they can go down the beacon route. I know the drawings have changed to allow that to happen, so until we get that guarantee I am proposing this project is put on hold.”
If the Riverside project is delivered it will see the creation of a trim trail around the perimeter of the existing pitch, low level lighting, a ‘pocket park’ area, designated natural area with the work to integrate with the current play park leaving a grass space area for locals to enjoy and remedial works to the car park.
It is also possible that an extension may be provided to the current allotment provision to include a meeting place/shed.
Council’s deputy chief executive, Anne Marie Campbell, told the committee the project is yet to go out to procurement and said officers are hopeful the community will agree to go do the beacon route in the future.
“As Cllr McGuigan says we have been working very closely with the local community in that area and are hopeful they will go down a beacon route, possibly next year but it is work in progress,” she said.
“In terms of this project there have been proposals, in terms of modification, that would facilitate a beacon approach as opposed to a bonfire approach on site and that is where the project is at the moment.”
Sinn Fein group leader, Councillor Cathal Mallaghan said the Castledawson project should at least be held until full council for further consideration and seconded Cllr McGuigan’s proposal.
“I want to encourage council officers to continue working with the group as I know they are making some progress,” he said.
“However, it would be irresponsible, I think, of us on behalf of the ratepayers, to go ahead publicly funding a project like this if in 12 months time, we are going to see a huge bonfire on site.”
The committee’s chair, Councillor Clement Cuthbertson asked if the proposal would just see the Castledawson project postponed and Cllr McGuigan confirmed that was what he seeking before Councillor Mark Robinson suggested that if there was an issue, all of the projects could be held until it was sorted out.
Ms Campbell strongly advised against this approach noting that the funding for several of the applications is time bound.
“We have deadlines to meet,” she said.
“In Pomeroy for example we have to have the arts trail delivered on site by December, so I would caution against stopping that project
“It would put the whole funding package we have for Pomeroy in danger and the other small settlement schemes have a funding deadline of March 2024.”
Cllr McGuigan told the meeting he did not see why the other projects should be delayed because of the issue in Castledawson before Cllr Robinson queried if the bonfire working group was meeting at present.
A discussion around the operation of working groups began before the committee’s chair Cllr Cuthbertson told the meeting “we will not get bogged down in this discussion” and advised that Cllr McGuigan’s proposal, seconded by Cllr Mallaghan was still on the floor.
The committee then voiced its approval with the proposal to grant delegated authority to Council’s chief executive to award contracts in relation to Connecting Pomeroy and other small settlement schemes during August.
Other villages due to benefit from the small settlement scheme include Castlecaulfield, Moneymore and Moy.
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