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PLANS by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to sell the former St Lucia army barracks in Omagh to the highest bidder have been described as a ‘signficant threat’ to the historic site.
The move is being made ‘in the public interest’ and comes after the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) decided against accepting responsibility for the key core of the site, which has been part of the landscape of the town for 150 years.
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council only found out about the decision to sell in a letter from the DfI’s Chief Planner in recent days. If the sale goes ahead, it could jeopardise ambitious plans for the re-development of St Lucia, which has been earmarked for an event space, luxury residential accommodation and an interpretative centre.
CONCERNS
Local councillors have expressed serious concerns about the development. They are to write to the Infrastructure Minister, John O’Dowd, on the issue after discussing the shock proposal at their meeting on Tuesday night.
You can read more about this story in the Ulster Herald.
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