A MAJOR new office building situated close to Derry’s border with Donegal will bring ‘employment opportunities’ for the northwest region, it’s been claimed.
The Derry-based Belmont Investment Properties Limited will construct the two-storey light industrial building at Elagh Business Park on the Buncrana Road, which will be made up of office accommodation, smoking shelter, cycle shelter, car parking, landscaping and associated works.
Approval for the new development was issued by Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Planning Committee at its May meeting, which was told that Donegal County Council was also consulted on the plans due to its close proximity to the border.
Commenting, SDLP’s John Boyle said the new building will bring ‘employment opportunities’.
Meanwhile, Sinn Fein’s Caoimhe McKnight said that the proposal was a ‘very welcome development’, given the other applications recently approved for the H2 site on the Buncrana Road.
However, the SDLP councillor Tina Gardiner said she hoped that planners had ensured that the applicant will be responsible for the upkeep of the site where the new building will be located.
“We need to make sure it is attractive,” she added.
Responding, Andree McNee, Principal Planning Officer with council, said that part of the conditions of the approval was that the new building will not open until a ‘full landscaping scheme including details of all proposed tree and shrub planting’ was submitted to the council.
She added that this would ‘ensure the provision, establishment and maintenance of a high standard of landscape’.
Approval was then issued for the application.
ABOVE - an image of how the new office will look.
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