Minister welcomes Cookstown Council’s approval of Rivers Agency HQ at Loughry

The move, heralded as leading the way in the “redistribution of public sector jobs across Northern Ireland”, was approved last November by planners, and recently given the council’s blessing.

Minister O’Neill told the Mail: “I am delighted at Cookstown District Council’s decision to approve the planning application for the new Rivers Agency Headquarters. It is a significant development in the Rivers Agency relocation project which will move DARD jobs into rural areas.”

Cookstown District Council Chair, Cllr Wilbert Buchanan, said: “This is an excellent boost for Cookstown district in terms of bringing public sector jobs and investment to the area and indeed the wider Mid Ulster region. This move will strategically position the agency, providing it with a central location and facilitate clustering with an existing departmental facility” .

A DOE spokesperson added: “Approval was granted by DOE Planning on Nov 20, 2014 for the demolition of [an] existing building and construction of new build office building at Loughry.”