Little-Pengelly says ensuring Ebrington is ‘welcoming to all parts of the community’ at centre of talks about transfer to Derry council - video Dailymotion

Little-Pengelly says ensuring Ebrington is ‘welcoming to all parts of the community’ at centre of talks about transfer to Derry council

Transcript

00:00Thank you. Ebrington Plaza is leased to Heron Property Limited. In recent months,

00:04both Alchemy Technology Services Limited and Ernst & Young have opened new offices in Ebrington

00:10Plaza, bringing a combined total of around 250 jobs to the area. Indeed, the First Minister and

00:15I were delighted to attend the official opening of both offices. It really was a good news day

00:22for the North West. Although the TEO has no role in securing underlettings for Ebrington Plaza,

00:27we have invested £37 million over those years in the transformation and regeneration of the

00:34entire Ebrington site and are delighted that it is now almost fully occupied and thriving. The

00:39Department continues to work with tenants and stakeholders to showcase Ebrington and to ensure

00:43it plays its part by creating opportunities and attracting investment to help create a dynamic

00:48business hub. Mrs Ferguson. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can I thank the Deputy First Minister for your

00:56answers thus far? Minister, can you set out the current position in relation to the transfer of

01:00the Ebrington site to Derry City and Sturman District Council? Thank you. I thank the Member for

01:06a question. You will be aware that the site was due to transfer some number of years ago and it never

01:11happened. That was for a range of understandable reasons and some was about just the general delay.

01:17Those talks are underway with the Local Council. The Local Council will, of course, want to have some

01:22support and guarantees in terms of that site to make sure it can continue to be, as it is now,

01:28thriving and a place that attracts everyone. In that transfer as well, I think it is really important

01:34that we make clear that this is a site of reconciliation. It is a site of bringing people

01:39together. It is a site that needs to be welcoming to all parts across the community and that's very much

01:45at the centre of the discussions we are having with the Local Council, which are currently at an advanced

01:48stage.