1 June 2000

£5MILLION COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT SCHEME FOR LURGAN

John Hunter, Permanent Secretary of the Department for Social Development, today announced details of a £5million development scheme to revitalise Lurgan Town Centre.

Giving details of the Lurgan Town Centre Comprehensive Development Scheme, at a ceremony in Lurgan Town Hall, Mr Hunter said: "This scheme will facilitate the regeneration of the Town Centre through the redevelopment of derelict, vacant and underused land. A new central distributor road will be built between Edward Street and Malcolm Rd. The acquisition of additional land as part of the Development Scheme will provide a site for a major shopping centre development, as well as the opportunity for much needed redevelopment in other parts of the town."

Underlining the Department's commitment to support urban regeneration initiatives across Northern Ireland, Mr Hunter continued: "The Department for Social Development will be investing £5million in this scheme and I am confident that this will attract a further £15million from the private sector. Today's announcement is a further demonstration of how the public and private sectors can act in partnership to stimulate the economic and physical regeneration of our town centres."

He also paid tribute to the vision and commitment of the Craigavon Borough Council and the Lurgan Forward Company.

Welcoming the announcement The Mayor of Craigavon, Councillor Dolores Kelly said: "This scheme is a great boost for Lurgan and its people."

The Chairman of Lurgan Forward, David Riley also endorsed the development proposals. "The news about the road is what Lurgan has been waiting for years for and what Lurgan Forward has long set its heart on achieving. The members have no doubt that its construction will serve to invigorate and enliven every aspect of economic life of the town. They are extremely gratified that the officials at the Department have given the project such a high priority in recent days," said Mr Riley.

 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The Lurgan Town Centre Development Scheme affects an area lying to the rear of the main shopping streets of Church Place, Market Street and High Street in Lurgan Town Centre and extends from Edward Street to Malcolm Road. The area comprised in the scheme consists for the most part of derelict and underused backlands.
2. The main objective of the scheme is to facilitate the regeneration of the Town Centre through the redevelopment of the derelict, vacant and underused land.
3. The vesting procedure should be completed by the middle of July. The next step is to relocate tenants affected by the scheme and to begin consultations with the relevant parties about the accommodation work. This will commence in the autumn. Work on the new road should start in the late summer of 2001.