Council explores new uses for St Lucia

FERMANAGH and Omagh District Council has been challenged to bring together several Stormont Departments to explore future uses for the historic former St Lucia Barracks in Omagh.

A council delegation met with Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd and senior officials on Wednesday to discuss the future of the site, which has been part of the Omagh landscape for 150 years.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that the Ministry of Defence intended to sell the former barracks on the open market to the highest bidder. The Department for Infrastructure had previously decided against taking responsibility for the key core of the site.

The delegation included council officials and local councillors for Omagh town: Errol Thompson (DUP), Barry McElduff (Sinn Féin), Stephen Donnelly (Alliance), and Allan Rainey (Ulster Unionist Party).

Chief Executive, Alison McCullagh, said that the main focus of the meeting was to clarify the status of the St Lucia site from the perspective of the Department for Infrastructure.

The Department expects to conclude its disposal process by 2025.

However, the council hopes to work towards redeveloping the site in conjunction with the Department for Infrastructure, the Department for Communities, and the Stormont Executive Office.

Omagh town Sinn Féin councillor Barry McElduff stressed St Lucia’s importance in the town’s future development.

“At the meeting, we highlighted the strategic importance of St Lucia and its links to the A5, its role as a gateway to the Sperrins, and its potential economic benefits for the regeneration of Omagh town centre, particularly in conjunction with the new Strule Shared Education Campus.”

Cllr McElduff plans to propose establishing a special council committee to lead the engagement process regarding the site’s future.