29 April 2003
DES BROWNE OPENS £700,000 SWATRAGH BUSINESS PARK
A £700,000 business park in the south Londonderry village of Swatragh was officially opened today by Des Browne MP, the Minister with responsibility for Social Development.
The project, consisting of eight work units housed in two buildings, is the latest in the CRISP programme that aims to stimulate economic growth in towns and villages throughout Northern Ireland. The park has been trading for just over a year and already 75pc of its accommodation has been taken up by local enterprises.
The Minister was joined at today’s ceremony by William T McCarter, Chairman of the International Fund for Ireland, which also provided a major part of the funding, along with the Department for Social Development. Additional finance was also provided by the Magherafelt Area Partnership.
The Minister said: "This achievement is a permanent tribute to the spirit of self-help in the village of Swatragh. The already high occupancy level shows that we are meeting our objective of encouraging local enterprise in disadvantaged areas.
"We have now worked with the IFI on an impressive total of 77 such projects which have injected new life into towns and villages throughout the province, all of which are contributing to the wider economy. It is significant that no less than nine of these are in the Magherafelt District Council area."
William T McCarter, Chairman of the International Fund for Ireland, said: "We are very pleased with this new development. It is a credit to the Association and to Magherafelt District Council who have made tremendous efforts to promote economic development in the area. The project will provide much needed workshop and retail accommodation in the village, it will provide the Association with rental income and will, hopefully, act as a catalyst for further property development in the village."
The Swatragh business park is to be complemented later this year by a £200,000 environmental improvement scheme to spruce up the appearance of the village in general.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- The Community Regeneration and Improvement Special Programme (CRISP) is jointly funded by the Department for Social Development and the IFI under the Disadvantaged Areas Initiative providing funding for community economic development projects in disadvantaged areas.
- The total cost of the CRISP scheme in Swatragh is £889,000, of which the Department for Social Development contributed £322,250 and the International Fund for Ireland contributed £412,250. Other contributions were provided by Magherafelt District Council (£50,000) and the local community.
- The business park occupies a 1.5 acres site located Garvagh Road, a prominent location adjoining Desmond's factory shop on the main Coleraine to Armagh road.
- The project consists of two buildings, one providing four units for retai purposes and the other providing four units for light industrial use.
- The project includes environmental improvements to the centre of Swatragh that are planned to be completed before the end of 2003.
- CRISP funding has been committed to nine projects in Magherafelt Council area. Seven have been completed – Draperstown, Maghera, Bellaghy, Tobermore, Upperlands, Desertmartin and now Swatragh – work is in progress on a scheme in Castledawson and work is to start on an project in Clady.
Click here to print this press release.
