Diamond area to be focus of Urban Villages cross-departmental ‘test and learning pilot’

That’s according to Aisling Reilly, a junior Minister at The Executive Office.

Ms. Reilly spoke of the success of the Urban Villages project that has progressed 56 capital projects including the New Gate Arts and Culture Centre and Meenan Square in Derry over the past eight years.

She said the cross-departmental pilot for the Diamond would be among its next steps.

"Since Urban Villages launched in 2016, there has been a range of other developments that will impact on what Urban Villages does next. That will include reviews of programmes such as Together: Building a United Community (T:BUC) and DFC's neighbourhood renewal programme, and a cross-departmental test and learning pilot to test departmental joint working, initially in the Diamond area of Derry and in Aughnacloy,” she stated.