Plan for new 170-home neighbourhood in Omagh ‘welcome departure from dereliction’

Plans to construct a new neighbourhood on the grounds of an old hospital in Omagh have been hailed by the area’s unionist MLA, who said the town has been beset by “too many” derelict sites in recent memory.
By Adam Kula
Published 9th Mar 2021, 17:20 BST
Updated 10th Mar 2021, 09:43 BST
Map of Omagh, with the area of development circledMap of Omagh, with the area of development circled
Map of Omagh, with the area of development circled

The application for 170 homes was submitted just under a fortnight ago to Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.

The development will consist of detached and semi-detached homes, plus townhouses and apartments.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They will be erected on land where the Tyrone County Hospital used to operate, on Hospital Road in east Omagh.

Screenshot of one of the house designsScreenshot of one of the house designs
Screenshot of one of the house designs

The medical site has been defunct since 2017.

Tom Buchanan, DUP MLA for West Tyrone, said: “I welcome it, because the issue is we have too many derelict sites sitting around Omagh.

“Developers have been in, tried to get planning, and it’s caused them so much hassle they’ve walked away from them.”

He cited the Scotts’ Mill site and the old town police station as examples of places which have previously been allowed to lie undeveloped for too long.

The 170-home plans are light on detail at present.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But according to documents submitted to the planners, consultation materials will be available to the public on the week beginning March 29, for a period of five weeks.

They will be on this site: www.CamowenWood.com

Whilst the homes have not yet been built, one type of house is listed online on the CPS property website as having a value of £134,950.

Mr Buchanan said that he is aware “some concerns have been raised regarding traffic” from the new neighbourhood, but if residents raise the matter during the consultation, he is confident the developer “will take them on board”.

The developer is South Bank Square Ltd, a Maghera-based firm directed by Seamus Gillen.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Other projects in which South Bank Square has been involved included a plan for around 750 new homes in east Londonderry – a scheme called H30 Ballyoan project, which was given outline approval in late 2019.

For more stories from this reporter, click here:

Click: US firm Allstate quiet on hiring policies after NI video reveals talk of gender-based targets

Click: ‘Beware thumb being placed on scales of justice’: world-renowed author reacts to Gillen sex case review

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers — and consequently the revenue we receive — we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor

Related topics:Omagh