Two major road projects are among those which are at risk after the announcement of paused funding deals for largely rural parts of Northern Ireland.
While City and Growth Deals totalling more than £1billion for Belfast and Derry are expected to go ahead, two deals covering a large area of the north still remain at risk. The UK government said it would be pausing the deals amid a spending review.
The Mid South West Growth Deal involves £252m for the Fermanagh and Omagh, Mid Ulster and Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon areas. Meanwhile, around £72m could potentially be missed with cuts to the Causeway Coast and Glens deal.
Stormont ministers met representatives of the two paused deals on Monday with Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald calling on the government to reinstate funding.
Long-awaited bypass projects in Enniskillen and Cookstown could miss out.
Preparatory work has begun on the A4 Enniskillen, which was agreed in 2006 and aims to reduce journey times and congestion in the wider area.
Another project due to receive funding was the A29 Cookstown bypass upgrade - a plan to alleviate traffic on one of Mid Ulster’s busiest roads. A public inquiry on the project, which was first proposed in 1978, is set to take place next month.
Among other projects whose funding is at risk are the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh, which was to receive more than £20m in a bid to boost tourism.
More than £24m is also at risk for a new “Green Hydrogen Distribution Network”.
The full list of Mid South West Growth Deal projects at risk are:
- A4 Enniskillen Southern Relief Bypass - £12.5m
- A29 Cookstown Bypass - £43m
- Armagh Gaol - £40m
- Culicagh Lakelands Landscape Project - £10.5m
- Ulster American Folkpark - £20m
- Robotics Automation Packaging Innovation Centre (RAPIC) - CAFRE - £9.6m
- Agri-Bio Innovation Centre - £24m
- Carn, Seagoe and Charlestown Green Innovation - £19m
- Desertcreat Green Innovation Park - £36.7m
- Green Hydrogen Distribution Network - £24.7m
- Concrete Sustainability Innovation Centre - £7m
- Investment Challenge Fund - £5m
The pausing of the Causeway deal endangers other projects, worth around £72m.
This includes two town regeneration funds for Dungiven and Bushmills, a new Centre for Food and Drug Discovery at University of Ulster, Coleraine and a new greenway between Portrush and Bushmills:
- Centre for Food and Drug Discovery at University of Ulster, Coleraine
- Business Innovation and Incubation Hub at Atlantic Link, Coleraine
- Innovation Hub at North West Regional College, Limavady
- Bushmills Connected: Regeneration Fund
- Dungiven Regeneration
- Cushendall Innovation Centre
- Coleraine Leisure and Wellbeing Centre
- Connected Causeway Traffic and Parking
- Portrush to Bushmills Greenway
Speaking after the Stormont meeting on Monday, Ms Archibald said all four funding deals “should be honoured”.
“The continuation of this pause risks undermining confidence to get on with delivering these Deals, which had been designed to stimulate growth in local and regional economies,” she said.
“Working together we will continue to champion the case of the immediate reversal of this pause on funding for the Causeway Coast and Glens and Mid South West Growth Deals and their reinstatement, so they can get on with delivering the proposed projects and realising the many benefits they will bring.”