The outgoing Minister for Social Development Alex Attwood, recently unveiled the new city cente public realm scheme in Londonderry’s Guildhall Square.

The Derry City Centre Public Realm scheme involved significant public realm improvement works adjacent to Derry’s historic walled city centre, in particular Waterloo Place and Shipquay Place.

The finished scheme has created a high-quality, vibrant and modern urban environment throughout the city centre.

The major regeneration project, designed by BDP, is the most significant ever made in public space within the city and has created a high quality, modern, urban landscape in the heart of Londonderry.

In addition to public realm work, underground untilities including water and gas mains, electricty and telecoms have all been upgraded and replaced.

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FP McCann was the contractor on this scheme. The construction works includes upgrading buried utility services and drainage infrastructure, removing the old concrete block paving and replacing it with new granite paving, renewing the street lighting with new feature columns, new tree planting, street furniture, pop-up powers supplies for street traders and events, pedestrian crossings, and a new digital 80 nozzle water feature with integrated lighting, outside the Guildhall.

The official unveiling provided the opportunity for the presentation of the CEEQUAL Whole Project Award to Mr Attwood.

CEEQUAL is the assessment and awards scheme for improving sustainability in civil engineering and public realm projects. It aims to deliver improved project specification, design and construction and to demonstrate the commitment of the civil engineering industry to environmental quality and social performance.

The DSD scheme achieved a CEEQUAL Interim Client & Design Award “Excellent” rating in 2009, and a CEEQUAL Whole Project Award “Excellent” in 2010 – both the highest possible CEEQUAL ratings. The Scheme’s Whole Project score of 92.1 per cent make it CEEQUAL’s highest scoring public realm project to date.

During his visit, the Minister said he was confident the refurbishment work would succeed in attracting further private investment while increasing tourist figures to the historic city: “This scheme has created an attractive, welcoming city centre space for people to enjoy and has generated tangible economic benefits,” he added, “A scheme of this quality highlights the value of urban regeneration.”

(GK/KMcA)