EU Peace IV Programme
The department is accountable for the Shared Spaces - Capital theme of Peace IV. We ensure that accounting procedures are strictly followed as well as the relevant national and European regulations.
The PEACE Programme
The PEACE Programme is a distinctive programme part-funded by the European Union through its Structural Funds programme. The full title is the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland. To date, there have been three completed PEACE Programmes (I,II, and III), with PEACE IV currently being implemented. You can read more on the PEACE IV – Programme Overview page on the SEUPB website.
Our role as Accountable Department
This Department and the Department for Rural and Community Development in the Republic of Ireland, are the 'Accountable Departments' within their respective jurisdictions, for Priority 3.1; Shared Spaces – Capital Build. We ensure that Government Accounting NI and Departmental accounting procedures are strictly followed, as well as the relevant national and European regulations.
This includes:
- the scrutiny of financial and management data provided by SEUPB
- the application of appropriate financial and management control to safeguard public funds
- processing applications for the advancement of monies to ensure that grants are released in accordance with conditions of grant
The Department has a close working relationship with SEUPB, one of the North/South Implementation Bodies established in 1999 and which carries out the role of Managing Authority. The Department is represented on the Programme Monitoring Committee, Steering Committee and Project Boards for individual projects.
Peace IV Programme funded projects
The PEACE IV Programme is a cross-border initiative, financed through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The 2014-2020 Programme represents an investment of €270m of which €77.1m is allocated to the Shared Spaces (Capital) element, for which DfC fulfils the Accountable Department role. The output target for the Shared Spaces – Capital element was to create eight new shared civic spaces which will be used by all sections of the community and have a transformative effect on the area.
Working with the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) through an open call for applications and a rigorous assessment process, approvals have been issued for over £65.3m (€77.1m) of funding for eight ‘shared space’ projects across Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland.
The successful projects were:
The Waterside Shared Village project, led by Derry City and Strabane District Council, was awarded £6.8m to create a multi-faceted shared space facility within the Waterside area of Derry-Londonderry, incorporating a central community hub building surrounded by a sports complex.
The Waterside Shared Village project was the first of the 8 PEACE IV Shared Space projects to reach completion and was officially opened on 7 November 2022.
Click on the link below to view a short video of the development of the Waterside Shared Village site.
The Newforge Community Development Trust was awarded £7.3m in funding towards total project costs of £8.6m to develop and transform a 15-acre site located beside the River Lagan at Newforge Lane in South Belfast. The project will provide a range of indoor and outdoor sporting facilities.
The Newforge Shared Space project was the second of the 8 approved PEACE IV Shared Space projects to reach completion and was officially opened on 6 March 2024.
The Monaghan Peace Campus, based in Monaghan Town, was awarded £12.3m towards total project costs of £18.4m to create a new shared community space comprising of a four-storey community building. The facility includes a youth space, cultural heritage centre, library and peace archive, shared community space, welcome zone and external events space.
The project was officially opened on 10 May 2024.
The Connecting Pomeroy project, based in County Tyrone, was awarded £7.52m grant towards total project costs of £7.92m to create spaces and associated programming to encourage greater levels of cross-community contact within the local area. The Project has five key components spread over various locations across the village. These are:
- The Pomeroy Forestry Building and Forest Adventure Trails,
- A New Church of Ireland Community Hall,
- A New GAC Community Recreation Hall and gym,
- A New Multi Use Games Area at Presbyterian Church Hall, and
- A significant Public Realm scheme within Pomeroy itself
The Official Opening of the Pomeroy Forest Park Building and Magical Trails took place on Thursday 30 May 2024. Click on the link below to view a short video of the Connecting Pomeroy Project.
The Shankill Shared Women’s Centre, led by Belfast City Council, was awarded £7.8m to deliver a purpose-built facility, adjacent to the peace wall and interface at Lanark Way in North/West Belfast. It will provide a new, shared space, providing cross community activities that will deliver ‘meaningful, purposeful and sustained’ contact between people from all sections of the community. Key elements include a welcome space, multi-purpose hall, education & training rooms and an external play & courtyard. The new building was officially opened on 27 June 2024.
The Black Mountain Shared Space project, led by Belfast City Council, was awarded £6.98m in funding towards total project costs of £7.36m. The project will create a shared space facility at the foot of the Black Mountain, Belfast, which will include: indoor leisure facilities, support outdoor recreation and create a dedicated community space.
The new building was officially opened on 18 September 2024. Click on the link below to view a short video of the Black Mountain Shared Space Project.
The Courthouse Shared Space Creative Hub, led by Enterprise Causeway Ltd, was awarded £6.65m to renovate and add a three-story extension to the Courthouse Building in Bushmills, which is currently derelict.
The key components of the capital build are a designerie, a messy studio, 17 workshop spaces, administration area, three shared meeting spaces and a garden area.
The Official Opening of the Courthouse Shared Space Creative Hub took place on Friday 13 December 2024. Click on the link below to view a short video of the development of the Courthouse Shared Space Creative Hub project.
The Riverine Community Park project, led by Donegal County Council, did not complete under the PEACE IV Programming period with the agreement of the SEUPB. The Project has been successful in achieving funding under the PEACEPLUS Programme, Investment Area 1.4 Reimaging Communities.
To commemorate over 20 years of the European Union Peace programme in Northern Ireland and the border regions of Ireland, the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) created a unique Learning Platform to chronicle the diverse range of projects the programme has funded in its various guises over the years. At the Learning Platform, you can find out more about the details behind the various peace programmes including the key projects the funding has helped to deliver. Further information can be obtained by following the link:
Contact
Any queries should be directed to the European Branch (Urban Policy).