Appeal for young people to stay away from Adria site

WITH work having recently commenced for the multi-million pound redevelopment of the former Adria site, young people are being urged to stay out of the grounds.

Led by Habinteg Housing Association, the transformation of the old factory into a mixed social housing development gained full planning permission in June last year.

Costing upwards of £20million, the development will consist of 158 residential units in a mix of dwellings and apartments of mixed tenure, two retail units, a play area, multi-functional community space and ancillary accommodation with public and private amenity space, parking, landscaping with access arrangements from Beechmount Avenue.

Now, following the commencement of works – which was previously estimated will create up to 160 construction jobs – an appeal has been made urging young people to leave the site in peace.

The derelict Adria site had long become a magnet for anti-social activity.

“The work is started and more than ever we need to keep young ones out of the site,” Strabane independent councillor, Paul Gallagher explained.

“We’re in September now and going back to previous years, there has been lots of anti-social behaviour, bonfires and even riots – the community up here has been hammered.”

He continued, “The work beginning is such welcome news. This development will have a massive impact on Strabane’s housing stress. If you have 158 families who are taken out of housing stress, it will make such a significant difference.

“Beechmount Avenue will see a whole redevelopment but the most important thing now is that we let the contractors get on with it. For now we need to keep young ones out of the site. Apart from not hindering the work there is the whole health and safety aspect.

“In fairness young people haven’t been in and around it recently. This is great but we have to keep it up.”