Derry/Strabane enjoyed highest per capita greenway spend at £3m in past five years

Only in the Belfast area was expenditure higher at £4.2m.

Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd outlined the amount of money spent by his department in each local government district.

He explained that Councils are generally responsible for the development of greenways but that his department had investment a large part of the £3m for greenways in Derry and Strabane. This, however, included contributions from the Department for Communities and Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affiars (DAERA) towards the Strathfoyle Greenway.

The expenditure in Derry and Strabane and Belfast was far higher than in other council areas: Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (£0.9m); Newry and Mourne District Council (£0.8); Ards and North Down District Council (£0.7m); Mid and East Antrim Borough Council (£0.7m); Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council (£0.6m); Mid Ulster District Council (£0.5m); and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council (£0.3m).

The figures, Mr. O’Dowd stated, refer to ‘capital investment recorded or committed directly by my Department for greenway projects over the past five years’ and include provisional amounts for 2023/24 which have not yet been finalised.

DfI has additionally provided match-funding for the European Union-backed cross-border North West Greenway.

“There are three greenway projects which have been funded under the INTERREG Va Programme, namely the Ulster Canal Greenway, the Carlingford Lough Greenway and the North West Greenway.

"The Department’s capital contribution towards the match funding of the three greenways for the last 5 years is set out below: Ulster Canal Greenway: £443k; Carlingford Greenway: £461k; North West Greenway: £3,548k.”

Muff to Quigley's Point Greenway is officially opened