Case Study. Ilex Urban Regeneration Company MAIN CONTRACTOR:

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Harry Quinn
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PROJECT: CLIENT: MAIN CONTRACTOR: Peace Bridge Ilex Urban Regeneration Company GRAHAM Ilex Ilex Urban Regeneration Company Limited (Ilex) was set up in 2003 by the Office of the First Minister and

1 PROJECT: CLIENT: MAIN CONTRACTOR: Peace Bridge Ilex Urban Regeneration Company GRAHAM Ilex Ilex Urban Regeneration Company Limited (Ilex) was set up in 2003 by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) and the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland (DSD) to create and promote a co-ordinated regeneration of the Derry City Council area and to secure the economic social and physical regeneration of the former military sites at Ebrington and Fort George. Urban Regeneration Companies (URCs) are independent companies, whose principal aim is to engage the private sector in a sustainable regeneration strategy, working within the context of a wider strategic regeneration framework, which takes full account of the problems and opportunities for an entire area. Ilex has pursued a number of studies covering subjects such as the integrated transport strategy, retail development in Derry, tourism and educational attainment and has been the project manager for a wide range of integrated development fund projects. Ilex s most high profile projects are the development of the new regeneration plan, the construction of the Peace Bridge and the development of the two former military sites, Ebrington (26 acres) and Fort George (14 acres). Following the publication of their first regeneration plan in 2005, Ilex produced proposals for Ebrington in 2006 and Fort George in Background to the Peace Bridge Project In October 2006 DSD, Derry City Council and Ilex launched joint Masterplans for what is potentially the city s largest collective regeneration site covering some 150 acres. The DSD plan is for the former Ministry of Defence (MoD) lands at Clooney, now in the Department's ownership, while the Ilex plan centres on the Ebrington site owned by OFMDFM, and Derry City Council's plan is for lands in its ownership at St. Columb's Park. The Masterplans aim to physically connect the three sites and socially connect communities within the city and the wider region. Mixed-use development is envisaged for both of the military sites and revitalisation of the riverfront is a key objective. 1

The Ilex Ebrington Masterplan proposed that a new footbridge should be positioned from the east bank of the Foyle to the rear of the Guildhall on the Cityside.

2 The Ilex Ebrington Masterplan proposed that a new footbridge should be positioned from the east bank of the Foyle to the rear of the Guildhall on the Cityside. The aim was to bring the Waterside into the city centre by providing a continual pedestrian route from the city up into the Star Fort. This would open up the Ebrington site and bring it back into public use, link into the Clooney and St Columb s Park lands, and provide access from the Limavady Road across to the Foyle Embankment at Whittaker Street. Funding Ilex obtained official confirmation that funding was available for the bridge in October The project was awarded 13,343,476 from the European Union s PEACE III Programme managed by the Special EU Programme s Body (SEUPB). The programme carries forward key aspects of the previous PEACE Programmes (PEACE I and PEACE II) and has a continued and renewed emphasis on reconciliation. The purpose of the Creating Shared Public Space theme of the PEACE III programme is to tackle problems of separation of communities by creating genuine new shared space or transforming contested space. The focus is on large scale infrastructural developments that expand opportunities for common use, interaction and engagement, and economic development. It is hoped that improving the opportunity to interact will affect change in behavioural patterns in relation to shopping, working and socialising. The revitalisation of Ebrington and construction of a new footbridge was seen as an ideal project for this funding. The EU Peace III programme and SEUPB, chose the name Peace Bridge to reflect the belief that the structure will tackle problems of separated communities by creating genuine new shared space. 2

3 The Project The bridge is the biggest single regeneration project in Derry City since the Foyle Bridge was constructed over thirty years ago. The project was tendered as a design and build competition involving contractor-led teams developing conceptual proposals for the bridge. The contract for the design and construction of the bridge was awarded to John Graham (Dromore) Ltd, one of the largest contractors in Northern Ireland. The company brought together a high quality design and construction team comprising of Wilkinson Eyre, architects, AECOM, structural engineers, and Rowecord, steelwork fabrication. Belfast based McAdam Design is acting as the client project manager with global construction consultancy Davis Langdon having been appointed as the client cost manager for the project in association with Derry-based Sammon Surveyors. Graham has built some of the most iconic bridges in Ireland, including Foyle Bridge, Belfast Cross Harbour Road Bridge, Taney Bridge and Macken St Bridge in Dublin. Architects, Wilkinson Eyre, are best known for the design of the Gateshead Millennium Bridge. The Planning Process Peace Bridge View to CIty Graham, in conjunction with their design team, developed the winning design and obtained planning permission for the bridge before commencing construction. The planning application for the bridge, with its accompanying Environmental Statement, was submitted to Planning Service on 25 August 2009 and the decision issued on 18 November The speed of the planning decision highlighted the value of the Pre-Application Discussion (PAD) process which was undertaken during April to August 2009 with Planning Service. This process provided a forum for Ilex representatives and key consultees to engage in very productive discussions with Planning Service and a range of Statutory Agencies prior to the application being submitted. This helped to identify key issues at an early stage and resulted in the submission of a good quality planning application which allowed Planning Service to process the application in less than three months. 3

The Design The client s aspiration was for an iconic structure that would act as a central focus to unify the two historically divided parts of the city creating a Living Landmark and Lasting Legacy.

4 The Design The client s aspiration was for an iconic structure that would act as a central focus to unify the two historically divided parts of the city creating a Living Landmark and Lasting Legacy. It was a requirement that the proposed bridge would not dominate the other historic features of the city, such as the city walls and the Guild Hall and give equal importance in its design to both banks of the river. The launch of the project took place on Wednesday 8 April 2009 when Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MP, MLA, and the then Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA, unveiled the winning design. Peace Bridge Side View to Ebrington Designed for both pedestrians and cyclists, the bridge will physically and symbolically unite both sides of the river. The structure is a long S-curved, self-anchored suspension bridge measuring 235m bank to bank. It consists of three continuous spans of 67m, 101m and 67m over the river with two further approach spans linking the bridge to the central area of the Ebrington development bringing the total length to 315m. The bridge deck averages 4m wide and is supported from 30m high inclined masts located within the channel of the river. At high tide the bridge will be 4.3 metres above the water. The side rails are 1.4m high, which meets the statutory requirements for a cycle bridge and is 250mm higher than that required for a pedestrian bridge. The sides are inclined at an angle of 15.5 degrees to minimise the potential for climbing and enhance safety. 4

The Construction Work commenced on site in early January 2010 and seven months into the 12 month programme, the footbridge is beginning to take shape.

The steel bridge sections are being fabricated off site and are being delivered to Lisahally during August for welding prior to erection on site from September 2010.

The crane has a 250 tonne capacity and a 500m 2 cargo deck that can be used for the shipment of the pre-fabricated bridge sections.

5 The Construction Work commenced on site in early January 2010 and seven months into the 12 month programme, the footbridge is beginning to take shape. The steel piles have been installed and the concrete supports are practically complete. The steel bridge sections are being fabricated off site and are being delivered to Lisahally during August for welding prior to erection on site from September Bridge Support The bridge will be lifted into position by one of the UK's largest sea-going cranes - the Mersey Mammoth from Liverpool. The crane has a 250 tonne capacity and a 500m 2 cargo deck that can be used for the shipment of the pre-fabricated bridge sections. Prefabricated Section Time lapse cameras have been put in place at Ebrington and on top of the City Hotel to record every stage in the construction of the Peace Bridge. The footage can be viewed from the Ilex website at and when construction is completed, Ilex will run the footage together to create a film showing the entire process. 5

Future Use of the Ebrington Site The aim of the wider Ebrington project is to create a safe, inclusive and shared space for all communities through an integrated partnership approach to regeneration.

6 Future Use of the Ebrington Site The aim of the wider Ebrington project is to create a safe, inclusive and shared space for all communities through an integrated partnership approach to regeneration. Ilex aims to create a mixed-use community at Ebrington where commercial, residential and retail space will blend with leisure, arts, culture and tourism facilities. Potential exists for office space, a boutique hotel, restaurants, incubation units and housing, to include social and affordable units. There will be an arts and cultural cluster making use of the 14 listed buildings on the site. Ilex hopes to bring an art gallery of national and regional significance to the site; supporters for this scheme include the Tate in London. The strong military and maritime heritage of the site will also be commemorated and it is hoped that the Honourable the Irish Society s 400 years of records could be held at the proposed Maritime Museum and city archive at Ebrington. The parade ground itself is larger than Trafalgar Square and could host events for up to 15,000 people making it one of the largest outdoor performance venues in Northern Ireland. Impact on the Community Ilex has included the Social Clause of Targeting Recruitment and Training in the Peace Bridge contract, which means that for every 1m of the project value a job will be created for a long term unemployed person, and for every 2m an apprenticeship will be created. Derry Local Strategy Partnership who delivers the Kickstart to Work Employment Programme led the recruitment process. This meant that the Kickstart Programme, in partnership with Ilex and GRAHAM Construction has been able to recruit 12 staff for the Job and Apprenticeship opportunities on the Peace Bridge project. The programme will be applied to all Ilex construction contracts. This type of initiative is the first pilot for Northern Ireland and it is hoped that it will pave the way for future construction contracts. Overall, the regeneration initiative at Ebrington has the potential to create up to 2,100 jobs. The voluntary and community sector has also been involved, as seen clearly in the Caw/Nelson Drive area in the Waterside where local people repainted a paramilitary mural with a view of the Peace Bridge as part of a community project. 6

7 The new bridge and development of Ebrington has the potential to create an additional one million square feet of residential and commercial development space within the city centre. New public access points into Ebrington and St Columb's Park, along with a connecting cycleway to the Clooney site, will also create an accessible environment that can be enjoyed by all. A planning application for a new Greenway along the east bank of the River Foyle was submitted in February 2009 by Derry City Council. The path for pedestrians and cyclists will extend from the Waterside end of the Foyle Bridge to the Peace Bridge at Ebrington. The Connecting People 2 Place project has already secured 1.2 million in funding from the Big Lottery through Sustrans' Connect2 scheme. The funding is part of a bid by Sustrans, in partnership with Ilex and the council, to deliver a network of greenway routes in the Waterside. The cycle route will run along the Peace Bridge and link into Gransha Lakes, St Columb's Park, Kilfennan Valley Park and Woodburn Urban Park. Stretching from Ebrington barracks to Gransha Hospital it will skirt St Columb's Park and several private housing developments in the Limavady Road area. Access paths for residents of these areas have been proposed under the plans. The Ebrington embankment has long provided shelter for wildfowl and wading birds and is regularly visited by Lough Foyle's resident seal population. The Peace Bridge and Greenway will connect the city directly to this natural environment. The Peace Bridge will provide easy access from the Waterside to the bus station and it has been suggested that improved access to the railway station could be created by relocating the existing Duke Street train station closer to the bridge, thus improving the integration of bus and rail services in Derry. Overall, the Peace Bridge project will bring Ebrington into shared, public use for the first time in almost 170 years enabling the local community to reclaim this prime riverside location for their own enjoyment and providing a link to the city from Ebrington and the wider Waterside area. 7

Summer North West Greenway Network - Information Booklet

Summer North West Greenway Network - Information Booklet NORTH WEST GREENWAY NETWORK Summer 2018 1 Overview This leaflet provides an overview of the North West Greenway Network, a project led by Derry City and Strabane District Council working in partnership