Heritage Plan - A Vision for our Future 2022-2027

Derry City & Strabane District Council, in partnership with the Department for Communities-Historic Environment Division and its heritage stakeholders have prepared and launched a Heritage Plan for the District that aims to ensure our historic environment is understood, protected and used to its full potential. For more information and to download the plan click HERE:

Council delivers heritage animation- O City, City on the Foyle

Derry City and Strabane District Council and its partners produced a short animation which explores the history of the famous Walled City showing how it has grown and changed over the centuries from its early settlers all the way through to the modern city we have today. It is a  beautiful and captivating piece of work which weaves together the passage of time with the physical fabric of the city we know and interact with today.

The animation includes the spoken word and delivers a poetic story about the history of the City. It can be viewed on Council website www.derrystrabane.com/heritagedevelopmentprojects and social media.
This project has been funded by the Heritage Council Ireland through the Irish Walled Towns Heritage Event/Interpretation Grant 2020, Department for Communities Historic Environment Division and Derry City and Strabane District Council.
www.heritagecouncil.ie

​​​Derry Walls cannon conservation study and animation project

( (left) Greg Rowland Master Wheelwright (Right) Brian Scott conservation specialist  carrying out their inspection of Roaring Meg.)

The 17^th century walls of the City of Derry~Londonderry are the largest monument in State Care in Northern Ireland, is the most intact surviving walled town in Ireland, and among the most complete in the British Isles. The well preserved physical structure of the walls, bastions and gates provides a visually impressive artifact of great complexity and significance. The walls are an expression of the strategic importance of Derry in the north-west of Ireland and illustrate the development of warfare and defense through the 17^th-18^th centuries. The 22 cannon on the Walls date from the 16^th -17^th centuries and are an integral part of the defensive design and role the Walls played.

The cannon and replica carriages on which they sit were last conserved by the former Derry City Council in 2006, as part of a comprehensive conservation programme.

Derry City and Strabane District Council and its partners have secured conservation and restoration specialists Matalcast NI to undertake a condition survey of our 22 cannon. This conservation-led survey will take place during the summer months, as well as a temporary exhibition about the cannon going on display raising the awareness of these treasures and will complement the Walled City 400 programme of animation and events.

This project has been supported by the Heritage Council Ireland through the Irish Walled Towns Heritage Event/Interpretation Grant 2019, Department for Communities Historic Environment Division and Derry City and Strabane District Council.

Further Information on the Heritage Council can be found at www.heritagecouncil.ie.

CONFERENCE - UNLOCKING PROSPERITY THROUGH HERITAGE LED REGENERATION

This two day international conference was held on the 11-12^th October 2018, delivered by the Inner City Buildings Preservation Trust in partnership with Derry City and Strabane District Council, Historic Environment Division (Department for Communities), the Heritage Council Ireland and Ulster University. The conference was an integral part of the Walled City 400 programme marking the 400th anniversary of the completion of the historic walls. It focused on maximising the potential of the Walled City in terms of heritage, retail, tourism and urban regeneration.

The national and international speakers inspired local thinking by examining how best to use our built heritage to bring prosperity to the city and raise the ambitions of the city in line with the Inclusive Strategic Growth Plan.

The conference report and recommendations has now been published.  To request a copy of the report please contact the Regeneration Section.

Tel: 028 7123 5235

Email: [email protected]

HERITAGE ANGEL AWARDS 2018

The Foyle Civic Trust where announced overall UK Heritage Angel Award winners 2018 for their participation in the delivery of Walled City Townscape Heritage Initiative. 

The Heritage Angel Awards NI  were hosted in the Guildhall on the 6^th November 2018. The awards funded by the Andrew Lloyd Webber foundation with further support from Derry and Strabane District Council and the Department for Communities celebrated individuals and groups who have rescued historic buildings or sites, worked as craftsmen or apprentices, or recorded and interpreted historic places.    

The Foyle Civic Trust won their category - Best Major Regeneration of a Historic Building or Place for projects in excess of £2M for their part in the delivery of the Walled City Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI).

Winners of all the regional awards, from England, Scotland, Wales and N Ireland, traveled to London in late November 2018 to see who would be announced the overall UK Heritage Angel Award Winner 2018 at which The Foyle Civic Trust where announced overall UK Heritage Angel Award winners 2018.

Administered by the Walled City Partnership and supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, from 2002 the Townscape Heritage Initiative has delivered £10 million capital investment in the Built heritage within the historic city centre.  Its purpose was to preserve and enhance the architectural and historical character of Derry both within and around the historic city walls and to promote sustainable and viable uses of buildings which make up the special architectural character of historic urban areas. Through the THI thirty three historic buildings have been successfully conserved and restored and are now positively contributing to the streetscape and the local economy.

Derry City & Strabane District Council have supported the delivery of the Walled City Townscape Heritage Imitative since its inception in 2002 providing a project office and meeting the core costs of the organisation.

March 2019 marks the 400^th anniversary of the completion of the historic city walls. Derry City and Strabane District Council and its partners have created a full and vibrant programme of events running from March 2018 to September 2020 which focuses on a heritage led celebration of the Walled City. The programme of events and activities can be viewed on the dedicated website www.walledcity400.com and by using #walls400.

HERITAGE FRAMEWORK & RURAL HERITAGE

Over the course of this pilot programme the Heritage Development Officer will develop a Heritage Framework for the Council area.  This will include mapping the heritage needs across the Council area and in particular the rural heritage actions.  Further details will follow.

The Heritage Development Officer is also involved in a number of Council led master-planning exercises at Boom Hall and Sion Mills.

SION MILLS

MUSEUM & HERITAGE SERVICE

The Council’s Museum & Heritage Service also plays a role in our historic environment. It includes the Guildhall, Tower Museum, Museum Store and Foyle Valley Railway Museum.

• The Service also manages the City Archive, a Learning and Outreach Service, Genealogy advice and a range of exhibitions and events 

http://www.derrystrabane.com/Subsites/Museums-and-Heritage/Museums-and-Visitor-Service

• One collection that relates to our historic environment is the stunning selection of architectural drawings.  These were submitted for by-law approval to the old Londonderry Corporation and the Londonderry Development Commission

www.nwbuiltheritage.com

PLANNING FUNCTION

The Council’s Planning Team play an important role in the stewardship of our archaeological and built heritage (our historic environment).  The overarching aim of Planning policy is to manage change in a positive way so as to safeguard our historic environment whilst facilitating development that contributes to the preservation and enhancement of these assets.

In line with the Strategic Growth Plan, the Local Development Plan (LDP) will seek to protect and enhance the built heritage.  The LDP will identify the range of built and archaeological features within the Council area and bring forward policies or proposals for their protection, conservation and enhancement including:

• Archaeological Assets and Monuments (State Care, scheduled and other)
• Areas of Archaeological Potential – areas within settlements where archaeological remains are likely to be encountered during development
• Conservation Areas (CAs) – Areas of special architectural or historic interest
• Areas of Townscape or Village Character –areas of unique identity within settlements (designated through the plan process)
• Listed Buildings – buildings designated as being of ‘special architectural or historic’ interest (HED responsibility)