Foyle Sinn Féin MLA Raymond McCartney has welcomed the news that a former military site in Ballykelly, Co L'Derry, is to be transformed for use for the TV and Film production industry.

In a statement, Mr McCartney said the move would boost the North West of the region and become a "massive economic driver".

Visiting the Shackleton Barracks site with Culture Minister Carál Ní Chuilin as well as representatives of NI Screen, McCartney said: "This is a huge site with the potential to become a massive economic driver for the entire north west region.

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"Agriculture Minister Michelle O'Neill is already in the process of decentralising her entire department to the site and now another portion is being developed for TV and film production.

"The Minister heard how Shackleton Studios Limited have secured a license to begin work on bringing four vacant buildings on the site back into use for film production.

"The success of the Paint Hall studio at Harland and Wolff has shown how much economic benefit can be generated by TV and film production and there's no reason why this success can't be replicated in the north west."

The former military barracks at Shackleton was gifted to the Northern Ireland Executive on 7 October 2011, under the Hillsborough Agreement 2010. Its total site area is approximately 716 acres, and includes a number of buildings including offices, accommodation blocks, workshop/storage buildings, and hangars. The largest building, a former aircraft hangar, extends to approximately 117,920 sq ft of single span accommodation and is Grade B+ listed.

(JP)