Waterside in Derry/Londonderry
This is a divided and disadvantaged urban area in the city of Derry/Londonderry. It is located in the Waterside area of the city, including Top of the Hill (Gobnascale) and Irish Street within the Clondermot and Victoria electoral wards, as highlighted in the map below. The area includes an interface along Irish Street at which there are sometimes minor disturbances.
The Top of the Hill area has a population of 1,843 in 716 households and is predominantly of Roman Catholic community background (93 per cent). 45 per cent of households contain dependent children. Housing tenure is 48 per cent owner occupation, 29 per cent social housing, and 18 per cent private rented. Much of the built form is low to medium rise housing including a number of apartments. There is little green space apart from a park higher up the hill. A school has recently closed. Unemployment is ten per cent and economic inactivity due to long-term sickness or disability is a high 13 per cent; 29 per cent of residents have some kind of long term health condition. There are several very active community groups and a Community Forum. A large parcel of vacant land exists due to the demolition of a school a few years ago, and a regeneration process for the area was announced recently.1
The Irish Street area has a population of 476 in 234 households, and is predominantly of Protestant community background (89 per cent). 21 per cent of households contain dependent children. Housing tenure is 64 per cent owner occupation, 22 per cent social housing, and 12 per cent private rented. The area is an enclosed estate of mainly semi-detached houses originally built by the Housing Executive, with a small amount of green space and a few shops, most of which are unoccupied. However, shopping facilities are good due to the proximity of the Lisnagelvin Shopping Centre and Crescent Link. Unemployment is six per cent and economic inactivity due to long-term sickness or disability is again a relatively high 12 per cent; 43 per cent of residents have some kind of long term health condition. The Irish Street Community Centre occupies a fairly new building in the area but reports difficulty with community engagement.
Research activities in the Waterside case study are being coordinated by Professor Paul Hickman (p.g.hickman@shu.ac.uk / 0114 225 4522) and Elaine Batty (e.batty@shu.ac.uk / 0114 225 4519) from Sheffield Hallam University, please do not hesitate to contact them if you have any queries about our work in the area.
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