COMMITTEE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT  

OFFICIAL REPORT
(Hansard)

Inquiry into Town Centre Regeneration

29 May 2008

Members present for all or part of the proceedings:
Mr Gregory Campbell (Chairperson)
Mr Mickey Brady
Mr Thomas Burns
Mr Jonathan Craig
Ms Anna Lo
Mr Alban Maginness
Mr Fra McCann
Miss Michelle McIlveen
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín

Witnesses:
Mr Jarlath McNulty ) Strabane 2000
Ms Heather Torrens )

Mr Joe Barber ) Strabane Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Mr Philip Faithful ) Strabane District Council

The Chairperson (Mr Campbell):
We turn to the Committee’s inquiry into town centre regeneration. First we shall hear from four representatives of Strabane 2000, Strabane District Council and the Strabane Chamber of Commerce and Industry. You are all welcome.

Mr Philip Faithful (Strabane District Council):
I am chief executive of Strabane District Council. Also present is Ms Heather Torrens, who is the manager of Strabane 2000; Mr Jarlath McNulty, chairperson of Strabane 2000; and Joe Barber, who is vice-president of the Strabane Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

I thank the Committee for allowing us to make this presentation. We will do it in three quick slots, so I hope that we will not bore members. At the outset, I wish to also thank the Department for Social Development’s north-west development office for the good working relationship that we have with it. I appreciate that that office is always available for support and advice.

The brief from Strabane 2000 — of which I am also a member — is to work for the development of the town centre. That group consists of representatives from Strabane District Council; the Strabane Chamber of Commerce and Industry; the community; and statutory agencies, including the Department for Social Development, the Roads Service, the Planning Service, the Housing Executive, the Rivers Agency, and others, as required.

The primary point that I wish to make in the short time that we have is that there is a need for a major development plan for Strabane. For some time, we have talked about trying to establish a 10-point development plan with the north-west development office. Now is the time to put that in place.

Strabane is emerging from a period of conflict. At one point, it had the unenviable reputation of being the most bombed town in Northern Ireland and, unfortunately, we are still paying the price for that. A 10-point plan will, therefore, provide at least some direction, because development in Strabane has been carried out on an ad hoc basis, and we have tried to move forward as money became available or as projects came on line.

There are priority areas for development: Lower Main Street, Abercorn Square, Railway Road and the canal basin are prime development targets for the district council and the development office. There are derelict sites, in particular Dock Street and Lower Main Street, which need major work, which is why I am calling for a development plan.

There is also the issue of the town centre versus retail parks on the outskirts. I am sure that MLAs have experience of that issue from their own constituencies. Traders say that the town is suffering from dereliction. The edge of town seems to be flourishing, considering the closeness of the border, and a large Asda store — which is, I hasten to add, very welcome. However, the store is taking people from the town centre to the periphery. Traders such as Joe Barber, who is manager of Linton and Robinson, a large hardware shop, see that progressive flow of trade to the outskirts of town.

The town centre needs to be revitalised, and we ask DSD to put more effort into that area. As a result of that perceived movement of trade to the edge of town, shops in the centre are empty and without tenants. Investors would see a town with boarded-up shops or with shutters down as almost a no-go area.

Strabane has, however, many unique shops, most of which are family-run businesses. The district council has a good working relationship with DSD, but the urban-development grant is used on a limited basis in the town, and, as far as I am aware, there has been only one successful application for a grant.

Strabane needs investment. As chairperson of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers, I was invited to the US-NI investment conference. Before inviting American or other foreign investors to Strabane, the town centre definitely needs a facelift. We are also asking for help to establish new opportunity sites. I realise that it is not the role of this Committee to work directly with Invest NI or DSD, but there needs to be joined-up government in that respect.

Interest in Strabane is growing, but to date it has been drip-fed funding from DSD. Private developers are interested in sites on Smith’s Mill, Lifford Road and in the town centre. As an example of joined-up government, perhaps Invest NI, DSD and the Bain panel could work together on the reallocation of public-sector jobs.

They say, “build it, and they will come”. Having lost the textile industry, Northbrook Technology is now the area’s biggest employer. Advance factories helped greatly in attracting that company.

Strabane 2000 is running a major bridge-building project in the town, and there is a £650,000 shortfall in funding for one of the bridges. Perhaps DSD would consider funding the remainder of that iconic project.

We have been lucky over the last seven years in some ways: we have a new library; a new arts centre; a new sports complex at Melvin; and new streetscapes. However, there is an awful lot of work yet to be done, and we are starting from a low base.

I would ask for a strategic approach to town-centre development — ask the sectors what they want. I have been chief executive of the district council in my hometown of Strabane for seven years; I would like to see major development there within the next seven years.

The RPA brings Strabane and Derry/Londonderry together. Do not let DSD leave Strabane behind. Reports from DSD indicate that, in Derry, 600 buildings have been redeveloped; £100 million has been spent on funding physical development; £400 million has been spent by private investment; £70 million has been spent on community developments; and £30 million has been spent on recent site developments. Strabane received less than £2 million from DSD in that time.

I understand that Sir Roy McNulty is carrying out a report on Ilex. In relation to the RPA, perhaps there should be some consultation directly with Strabane on how developments within the Derry area will come together.

Finally, I want to mention the north-west gateway initiative. There should also be a gateways initiative between Donegal and Strabane — a vision for the north-west; not just Derry/Londonderry.

Mr Joe Barber (Strabane Chamber of Commerce and Industry):
Chairman, on behalf of Strabane Chamber of Commerce and Industry, I thank you for the opportunity to present our case.

Strabane Chamber of Commerce is committed to the regeneration of Strabane town centre and that of other towns within Strabane district. We do not always want to rely on jobs in Derry/Londonderry and other parts of the north-west. We feel that we are more than capable of playing our part in the regeneration of the whole region. There is a lot of untapped potential in Strabane district. The north-west as a whole would benefit from a stronger economy in Strabane.

As members are all aware, Strabane suffered more than most other towns during the Troubles. That has left a legacy of underdevelopment and underinvestment. As a result, we need more help than most just to be able to draw level with the other population centres in the north-west. The town centre of Strabane still has many family-owned and family-run independent shops offering quality goods that are not available from high-street retailers. That unique mix has potential for the future, because a discerning shopper will struggle to find the same product and choice elsewhere.

As retailers, we need to create the correct atmosphere inside our premises. That is more difficult if potential customers do not get a good first impression of the town when they arrive. If neighbouring towns and cities get flagship regeneration programmes that gives them further advantage, that adds to the legacy of the Troubles in Strabane.

The image of the town has suffered. Some of the bad press has been justified, but by no means all. That means that we have to work harder to change the media perception and attitude towards Strabane. The chamber is in talks with the council to try to fund a position to facilitate better marketing of the town to investors and the public.

The post may be able to promote investment in a way that may not be open to the council itself. The precise details have yet to be worked out, but the main problem is funding. The council has indicated that if we can get all the details worked out, it would be prepared to help with that. However, we still need to raise more money to sustain such as post.

In an effort to regenerate Strabane, the private sector has developed an edge-of-town retail park. That is doing well; it attracts an inward migration of shoppers from Omagh, the Maiden City and Co Donegal. The main retailer at that site is Asda, which recently stated that it had secured takings of £1 million in one week.

The link between the old town centre and the new edge-of-town development must be made more attractive to encourage customers to travel further into the town, which is not happening at present. The distance is short, but the appearance is that the new development is isolated from the town centre. That not only means that we do not reap the full benefit of the potential that is being generated, but that customers are put off from coming into town, so the traders in the town centre lose out.

There has been more than £30 million spent on site acquisitions in Londonderry/Derry. The north-west DSD office is seeking further acquisitions there to develop the city centre further. There appears to be no plans to adopt the same strategy in Strabane. At present, there are around 15 to 20 derelict sites, which — if invested in and developed — would serve to stimulate investment and growth in the town centre.

The properties along Railway Road, which links the retail park to the town centre, are mainly old and shabby in appearance. Investing in the development of that area would also add to the positive feel of the town, and attract more retail development to link the two areas.

Despite everything, there is a large and growing degree of optimism. Planning applications are already in the system and more are being drawn up for major private developments, both in the town centre and on the edge of town. We need a coherent strategy that will bring public-sector investment on line when it is needed to stimulate and develop that growth.

The recent American investment conference heralded a potentially massive leap forward for Northern Ireland. Recently, several American business representatives attended a lunch hosted by Strabane Chamber of Commerce and Industry, at which Dr Paisley was guest speaker. At the same event, one representative announced a new private investor’s commitment to invest £60 million in Strabane and create over 100 graduate-level jobs in the town, subject to planning approval. That would be a major boost for all of the businesses in Strabane.

Members will already know that success breeds success. The potential for further investment is huge. We need all Departments to work with one another and with bodies such as Strabane District Council, Strabane 2000, and Strabane Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to ensure that we maximise this opportunity.

Mr Jarlath McNulty (Strabane 2000):
As chairperson of Strabane 2000, I thank the Committee for receiving our delegation.

You have heard the chief executive of Strabane District Council and Joe Barber from Strabane Chamber of Commerce and Industry speak about infrastructure and economic development. I will speak briefly about community development. When I say “community development”, I am not talking about community centres, play areas or sporting facilities. All of those facilities are welcome and are badly needed, but the community development that I am referring to is the development of our people — their increased sense of ownership and confidence, their expectations of the new Assembly, and their understanding of what it means to work in real partnership with Government and the statutory sector in developing their own community to the betterment of all.

The Committee for Social Development can play its part in that development and show its confidence in the wider development of Strabane town by helping to develop — in partnership with Government agencies, Strabane District Council, the community sector and Strabane 2000 — a strategic plan that has financial backing so that, over the next 10 years, it can achieve its aims. It is time for Strabane to step out of the shadow of its neighbouring towns — as well as Derry city — and take its rightful place in the north-west region. Anyone who has visited Strabane in the last four or five years cannot help but be impressed by the development in the community sector, of which I am sure that some members are aware. That success must be integrated into the development of a new town centre.

The Chairperson:
Obviously, the Committee is considering town-centre regeneration per se. There will be issues that will affect Strabane that will not affect other towns, but, equally, there are issues that will affect every town. That came across in your presentation, with the example of the edge-of-town development scenario. Do you have any thoughts on how to reconcile the welcome that was given to projects such as the Asda development and the possible impact that such developments may have on the old, traditional town centre? How will strategic development reconcile those?

Mr Faithful:
My first point is that the outside development and the town centre are not miles apart — there is less than a mile between the two locations. From our perspective, it is important to develop the links between those locations and ensure that, rather than stopping in one area, people are travelling between the two. The lack of car-parking facilities that would allow people to stay in the town centre is indicative of the problems that are faced in that area. We must increase the reasons for people to stay in the town, by developing the streetscapes and making the town more welcoming.

The Strabane by-pass has helped us dramatically in respect of traffic flow, but, like all by-passes, it has taken people away from the centre. We want to ensure that we have a welcoming town centre, and that means obtaining investment from DSD to develop that area. Abercorn Square is a fantastic facility because all the other streets radiate out from it and there is a direct route to the Asda store from it, but that type of area currently needs major development.

Mr Barber:
Strabane 2000 held a meeting with representatives from the Planning Service office in Omagh. At that meeting, Dr Chris Boomer stated that the showgrounds development in Omagh had done well in so far as it brought people into Omagh, but he also said that they came as far as the showgrounds and then went home, because they had established that there was not a strong enough link between the showgrounds and the town centre. That problem is being addressed, but a similar situation occurs in a lot of smaller towns.

As Mr Faithful said, it is a five-minute walk, at most, from Asda to the town centre, but the streetscape puts people off from going into the town centre. There is not a coherent link between the town centre and the new retail centre.

Mr F McCann:
You have addressed some of the issues that I was going to mention. Your document contains a criticism of DSD in relation to its attitude to an overall strategy. Has Strabane 2000 put pressure on DSD to come up with an overall strategy that will encompass the whole town, rather than parts of it?

Mr Faithful:
It has. I am not here to blame DSD. In fact, I should have been knocking on its door more than I have. We had meetings with senior officers in the north-west development office, and, following two of those meetings, it was decided that there should be a 10-point action plan to progress a strategy development in the town centre. That has been reinforced by local ministerial visits to the town.

The Chairperson:
Who is responsible for the 10-point plan?

Mr Faithful:
I would like to see co-operation between Strabane 2000 and DSD, but funding will be an important factor. The council can contribute £10,000, for instance, towards some sort of development plan, but we do not want to end up with another redundant document. If there is going to be a strategic development plan for the town, there must be a working document.

At our most recent ministerial visit, which — I think — was from Conor Murphy, we talked about having some type of a tick-box system, of which Abercorn Square will be the first element. When that development is finished, it is proposed that we will move on to the next. At present, it seems that we are making things up as we go along — we develop Main Street, stop for four or five years and then develop something else. Major investment is required. We are not talking about a mere £2 million coming from DSD; more is needed.

Mr F McCann:
It is difficult to believe that any progress can be made without some type of strategy for the future — and that applies to any of the town representatives to whom we will be talking. As a scrutiny Committee, can we assist you in any way?

Mr Faithful:
In many ways, it is up to us to progress this matter with DSD. Our being here today will add impetus to the strategic development that is due to come. We, as much as anyone else, need to put pressure on DSD to do that.

The funding mechanisms are important. Strabane 2000 has no funds; its representatives go out and look for funds to develop bridge projects or streetscapes. However, Strabane District Council will eventually make the decisions on how the matter is progressed. We always have to put our hands in our pockets.

Mr McNulty:
It is important that DSD links directly into whatever plan is adopted and plays an active part in it. I, as a local councillor, have seen many plans — as have all elected representatives — so it is important to ensure that the anticipated 10-point plan will be acted on and financially supported.

Mr Brady:
I represent Newry and Armagh, and my area has always had an affinity with Strabane. In the 1980s, Newry and Strabane had some of the highest unemployment rates in western Europe. There has been a big turnaround in Newry. The greater Newry vision group was similar to Strabane 2000, and it comprised members of the Chamber of Commerce and the enterprise agency. However, Newry’s biggest employer is still the health trust and Daisy Hill Hospital. There is little manufacturing industry, but there has been local investment in such schemes as the Quays — a huge shopping complex.

Do you have contact with areas of similar historical backgrounds to that of Strabane, but which have managed to improve their lot? Newry is a city — although it is not much bigger than Strabane.

Mr Faithful:
Strabane District Council discusses such issues at chief-executive level.

Ms Heather Torrens (Strabane 2000):
I liaise closely with Cookstown and Dungannon on the Living over the Shop scheme and other town-centre projects. However, as is the case in any town, continuity of funding is vital for successful town centre regeneration.

Mr Brady:
Newry and Strabane are both beside the border. Sainsburys in Newry has some of the highest retail sales figures — in Britain and here — due to customers coming from the South. Has Asda in Strabane had a similar experience? Mr Barber mentioned that it makes £1 million a week.

Mr Barber:
You asked whether we have linked up with other towns. Strabane Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been in close consultation with its Newry counterpart in an attempt learn from their experience and implement the same programmes, pro rata, in Strabane.

You also made comparisons between Sainsburys and Asda. Asda in Strabane is second or third in its class in Britain and Ireland. It is the busiest store that Asda has in Northern Ireland, and the first that was purpose built. Coachloads of shoppers used to come, weekly, from Sligo to Strabane. However, a store has opened in Enniskillen and the coachloads now go to Enniskillen. We were not able to maximise the potential of the retail park. It is viewed as a separate out-of-town centre because there is not a strong enough link to the town along the Railway Road.

The Chairperson:
Thank you very much. We are just embarking on the town-centre regeneration inquiry. However, the information that you provided in advance was very useful and your contribution today will also be invaluable to our investigation. We will be in touch with you again before the conclusion of the project.

Mr Barber:
It would be worthwhile if members were to come to Strabane to see the situation for themselves.

The Chairperson:
I was wondering when the invite would come. I am sure that the Committee will be only too glad to take you up on that offer.