Finance Minister to sign off on Strabane investment

THE Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald confirmed that she is to sign off on the Executive’s financial contribution to the ‘City Deal’ in September which includes an investment of £103m for Strabane Town Centre projects .   

The proposals which represents the biggest ever capital investment in the town will see Strabane transformed over the next number of years with the building of a new state-of-the-art health care centre, a new pedestrian bridge, a new home for the North West Regional College Strabane Campus and a brand new leisure centre.

Welcoming the news local Sinn Féin MLA Maolíosa McHugh said, “This welcome news from the Minister on her visit to the town on Thursday means that all the pieces of the financial jigsaw are now in place to progress the City Deal which includes a capital investment of £103m projects for Strabane town centre.  This will represent the biggest ever capital investment in the town.

“The Canal Basin area will be completely transformed with a new Leisure Centre, a new build for the NWRC and a new civic space. The current ‘tech’ building will become a new Health Hub.

“We will also have a footbridge linking the bus station to lower Main Street. DFI confirmed in June that a shortfall in excess of £4m of the projected £10.4m cost of the new footbridge is to be covered by the Department’s Active Travel Budget.”

The West Tyrone MLA added, “Separate, but complementary to the local City Deal Projects, is the Strabane Public Realm Scheme with an announced joint investment of £7m being made by DFC and Council which will substantially improve the town centre streetscape and visual amenity for residents and visitors alike and hopefully help attract more footfall an business into the town centre

Combined, all these projects will be totally transformative for the town.”

In her statement about the visit Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald said, “Regenerating Strabane is an excellent example of addressing regional imbalance. There has been tremendous progress made by the Derry City and Strabane District Council and its Delivery Partners on the City Deal. It has been a truly collaborative effort and an example of partnership between local and central Government.

“I look forward to signing the Deal in September and getting another step closer to realising the benefits of the many transformational projects for the north west.”