What could help, who could lead and how to tell whether it works. These proposals respond to the evidence; they are separate from the council’s actual commitments.
Proposal
Connect riverfront improvements to daily routes across the Foyle
Central Riverfront work is at early engagement before designs, while the DNA Museum is under development at Ebrington.
The riverfront offers a chance to improve connections to existing places and the planned museum. Early engagement should shape routes before designs become fixed.
Who could lead: Department for Infrastructure and Derry City and Strabane District Council; Derry City and Strabane District Council.
- Start now
Gather residents’ walking, wheeling and cycling barriers along the riverfront and on journeys to Ebrington.
- Over the next few years
Test future designs for accessible links, crossings and safe public space, with clear responsibilities and funding.
- Over the longer term
Review everyday use and maintenance after any completed phases, alongside museum visitor access.
How to judge progress
Starting point: Derry Central Riverfront: Early public engagement before designs. DNA Museum at Ebrington: Under development; summer 2027 completion expected.
Measure: Barriers addressed in designs, accessible connections delivered and everyday route use.
Trade-off: Riverside works must manage environmental and flood constraints; visitor routes should also serve residents’ ordinary journeys.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Derry Central Riverfront →
DNA Museum at Ebrington →
Proposal
Deliver Springtown’s community facilities alongside its homes
The housing approval includes a community centre and road improvements, not only dwellings.
Proposed response: Track the supporting infrastructure and affordable tenures through delivery.
Evidence
Who could lead: Derry City and Strabane District Council.
- Start now
Publish the next delivery decisions, affordable tenure mix and conditions that must be met before occupation.
- Over the next few years
Report construction stages and the timing of the community centre and junction works alongside completed homes.
- Over the longer term
Check occupied homes, usable facilities and ongoing maintenance against the approved commitments.
How to judge progress
Starting point: Springtown Road affordable homes and community centre: Reserved matters application approved; construction and occupation not verified. Evidence dated 2026-03-19.
Measure: Homes occupied by tenure, community centre opened and required road works completed.
Trade-off: Planning approval does not secure construction funding or guarantee that every facility opens at the same time.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Springtown Road affordable homes and community centre →
Proposal
Make room for homes people can afford
The average home price is £189,000 (July 2026) in Derry City and Strabane council area. This is about £13,000 lower than the Northern Ireland average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 7.6% in Skeoge to 42.1% in Northland — a gap of 34.5 percentage points.
Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.
Who could lead: The housing and planning authorities, housing associations and developers.
- Start now
Publish the local waiting list, temporary accommodation and affordable-home delivery figures together. Start by checking the different needs in Northland and Skeoge; census differences are not proof of unmet demand.
- Over the next few years
Test proposed housing sites against affordable-home need, access to work, school places and water capacity.
- Over the longer term
Check whether completed homes reduce unmet need, rather than counting planning permissions as delivery.
How to judge progress
Starting point: The average home price is £189,000 (July 2026) in Derry City and Strabane council area. Homes rented privately ranged from 7.6% in Skeoge to 42.1% in Northland — a gap of 34.5 percentage points. 21 March 2021; 40 of 40 current wards have comparable figures.
Measure: Affordable homes completed, households waiting, time in temporary accommodation, and rent compared with local earnings.
Trade-off: More homes can put pressure on infrastructure and land. Affordability requirements also affect development viability.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Evidence: Average home price →
Springtown Road affordable homes and community centre →
Proposal
Plan homes and care around an older population
16% of people in Derry City and Strabane council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 5.4% in Skeoge to 31.4% in Madam's Bank — a gap of 26 percentage points.
Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.
Who could lead: Adult social care, local health services, housing providers and transport authorities.
- Start now
Compare the location of older residents with access to care, shops and transport. Start by checking the different needs in Madam's Bank and Skeoge; census differences are not proof of unmet demand.
- Over the next few years
Prioritise home adaptations and care capacity in places with the clearest unmet need.
- Over the longer term
Build accessible homes and joined-up care into local development plans.
How to judge progress
Starting point: 16% aged 65 or over; 21 March 2021. People aged 65 or over ranged from 5.4% in Skeoge to 31.4% in Madam's Bank — a gap of 26 percentage points. 21 March 2021; 40 of 40 current wards have comparable figures.
Measure: Waits for home adaptations and care, avoidable hospital stays, and accessible homes delivered.
Trade-off: Services need skilled staff and ongoing funding. Age profiles alone cannot measure unmet care need.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Evidence: People aged 65 or over →
Proposal
Bring support closer to people in poor health
9.5% of people reported bad or very bad health in Derry City and Strabane council area (21 March 2021). Across Northern Ireland, the figure was 7.7%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 4.7% in Culmore to 17.2% in City Walls — a gap of 12.5 percentage points.
This is how residents described their health in the census. It can reveal differences between neighbourhoods, but does not diagnose illness or measure current waiting times. Age profiles differ between places, so these shares do not measure service quality.
Who could lead: Local health services, public health teams, employers and community organisations.
- Start now
Use neighbourhood evidence to find where poor health and barriers to services overlap. Start by checking the different needs in City Walls and Culmore; census differences are not proof of unmet demand.
- Over the next few years
Test accessible local support and publish who is reached and who is missed.
- Over the longer term
Review whether health gaps narrow, alongside housing and employment improvements.
How to judge progress
Starting point: 9.5% reporting bad or very bad health; 21 March 2021. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 4.7% in Culmore to 17.2% in City Walls — a gap of 12.5 percentage points. 21 March 2021; 40 of 40 current wards have comparable figures.
Measure: Access to services and the health gap between neighbourhoods, using comparable age-adjusted measures when available.
Trade-off: A census snapshot is dated. New service decisions also need current needs assessments and residents’ experience.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Evidence: People reporting bad or very bad health →
Proposal
Connect local skills to local opportunities
29.6% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Derry City and Strabane council area. Across Northern Ireland, the figure was 32.1%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 13.1% in Culmore to 40.4% in Brandywell — a gap of 27.3 percentage points.
Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.
Who could lead: Employers, colleges, universities and the relevant skills authority.
- Start now
Compare vacancies and employer needs with training available to local residents. Start by checking the different needs in Brandywell and Culmore; census differences are not proof of unmet demand.
- Over the next few years
Link training to real jobs, including routes for people without formal qualifications.
- Over the longer term
Track sustained employment and earnings after training, not just course starts.
How to judge progress
Starting point: 29.6% with a degree or equivalent; 21 March 2021. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 13.1% in Culmore to 40.4% in Brandywell — a gap of 27.3 percentage points. 21 March 2021; 40 of 40 current wards have comparable figures.
Measure: Sustained jobs, earnings and training completion for residents who face barriers to work.
Trade-off: Training takes time and cannot create demand for jobs on its own. Qualifications are not a complete measure of ability.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Evidence: People aged 16+ with a degree or equivalent →
Evidence: People aged 16+ with no qualifications →
Derry Central Riverfront →
DNA Museum at Ebrington →
Proposal
Target safety work where problems repeat
Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in Derry City and Strabane council area.
Published locations are approximate and some crimes are not mapped. Counts show recorded incidents, not the chance of an individual becoming a victim.
Who could lead: The local police force, council community safety team and relevant services.
- Start now
Check recurring places and categories alongside local police priorities and residents’ reports.
- Over the next few years
Test focused prevention and support, with a comparison period agreed before the work starts.
- Over the longer term
Publish whether problems fall, move elsewhere or return, and adjust the response.
How to judge progress
Crime evidence and coverage →
Starting point: Use the dated, complete periods shown in Crime and safety; keep anti-social behaviour separate.
Measure: Comparable recorded incidents, repeat victimisation and residents’ reported experience; never a single crude league table.
Trade-off: More reporting can increase recorded crime. Enforcement and support may work differently for different problems.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Proposal
Turn published plans into visible progress
3 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.
A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.
Who could lead: The named project owners and council scrutiny bodies.
- Start now
Put the scope, owner, funding position and next milestone in one public place.
- Over the next few years
Report delivery against the agreed scope and explain delays or changes.
- Over the longer term
Check the benefits residents actually receive after completion.
How to judge progress
Starting point: The dated stages in Projects; unknown costs and funding remain unknown.
Measure: Milestones met, costs against the approved budget, and measured outcomes after delivery.
Trade-off: Delivery reporting takes staff time, but a launch announcement alone cannot show value for money.
Cost: No costed delivery assessment has been established here. These are proposed sequences, not funded promises or completion deadlines.
Derry Central Riverfront →
DNA Museum at Ebrington →
Springtown Road affordable homes and community centre →
What still needs an answer
Delivery costs, current service capacity and residents’ experience need to be assessed before choosing a programme. The time bands describe a possible sequence, not promised delivery dates.
Project locations have not been matched to official ward boundaries. No ward-specific delivery claims are inferred.
Costs, funding and benefits are only reported where the selected official evidence states them; blank fields are not zero.
