Former Austins building acquired by Inner City Trust
5 March 2025
The Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr, has welcomed the announcement from the Department for Communities today of £1.2m investment which has resulted in the Inner City Trust (ICT) securing ownership of the former Austins Department Store building in Derry. The acquisition is part of a conservation led regeneration plan that has been developed by the Department for Communities, with the acquisition valued at approximately £1.2m.
The project will see the Inner City Trust taking ownership of this significantly iconic historic Grade A listed building and will set in motion the pathway to secure further funding to fully restore and regenerate the building.
The vision is to create an open and accessible space for everyone to utilise and enjoy, and to protect and preserve the beautifully designed architecture that has for so long been the central feature of Derry’s Diamond area.
While the plans are still at the early stages, there is a real sense of positivity and ambition for this iconic city landmark located within the heart of Derry’s historic Walled City. Any proposals will be subject to wider engagement and a due diligence process, but the focus will be on recreating a city centre focal point which will attract footfall and vibrancy to the Diamond and wider Walled City area and appeal to a wide range of audiences.
Robert Millar, chair of Inner City Trust said they were hugely honoured to have acquired this iconic building and are excited to be entrusted with the responsibility of refurbishing such an historic and iconic property in the heart of Derry City, and bring it back into public use. He said: “The Austins building is greatly loved and admired by the people of Derry. It holds many happy memories for so many people. We are so proud to have acquired ownership of this beautiful property and to begin exploring how it can be restored and revitalised, and open its doors to the public once again.
“We are excited to work in partnership with the Department for Communities on this significant project. Our priority in the regeneration of the building will be restoring it to the local community where it can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and securing its long-term future at the heart of the city centre.”
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Lilian Seenoi Barr, said Council welcomes the announcement today by the Department for Communities to secure the acquisition. “Council has a strategic interest in seeing this iconic building restored for the benefit of the historic Walled City. We have been very proactive in working with stakeholders to identify ways to regenerate the property and in 2023 we set up the Austins Task Force and secured funding to commission a conservation-led condition assessment of the building to help enable this acquisition.
“We will continue to work with the Inner City Trust and partners to ensure any future plans align with the strategic vision for the regeneration and revitalisation of the city centre and will complement our ambitious and exciting plans through the City Deal projects, in particular the Walled City project that will see the creation of reimagined spaces across the Walled City, and the re-imagining of the Diamond area.
“Austins has been vacant for a period of time, and we are delighted with this strong commitment from the Department for Communities to invest in this building and then look forward to Inner City Trust restoring it for a sustainable and long-term use. I would like to extend my congratulations to the Department for Communities and Inner City Trust and all the partners for getting to this stage. Inner City Trust have an excellent track record when it comes to heritage-led restoration and regeneration and I look forward to seeing the Austins building back in public usage and regenerated to once again become a focal point in the city centre.”
Robert Millar from Inner City Trust added now the acquisition is finalised, immediate essential maintenance will take place in advance of a more extensive proposed refurbishment programme of works to commence in the coming months.
They added that they will also continue to work in partnership with the Department for Communities and Council and other key strategic partners to help secure the required funding package to fully restore and regenerate the building.