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.

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)