New North-South complex for city
Thursday, 2 October 2008
by STEPHEN RICHARDSON.
THE new North-South Ministerial Council complex is to be developed on the site of the old Armagh City Hall.
And plans for the multi-million pound development have recently been viewed in private by local councillors.
It is understood, however, that there may be conflicting views by the politicians on the plans put forward by the architects.
The Lower English Street site has most recently been used as a coach park, but the North-South scheme is seen as a way to completely regenerate the area.
Armagh City Hall was, sadly, a major victim of The Troubles.
It was blown up on September 27, 1972, when a suitcase packed with explosives was left in the foyer of the cross-community property.
Staff had to run the gauntlet and make their way past the bomb before it detonated, completely destroying the historic building.
But now the entire area will get a new lease of life.
The Joint Secretariat of the North-South Ministerial Council was set up in December 2, 1999, as a direct result of the Good Friday Agreement.
Civil servants from Northern Ireland and the Republic have been working locally for the past nine years developing cross-border issues to the benefit of both countries.
But now they will all be brought under one roof at the Lower English Street site.
This has already been cleared and archaeologists have been given time to carry out investigations in the area before the major development gets underway.
The new complex will consist of modern offices, complete with all the up-to-date communication systems.
Apart from the North-South Ministerial Council personnel, it is understood space may also be made available to local public sector staff.
An announcement is expected to be made shortly on the development of the new city centre complex.
