Runway extension cost over £5m

Derry City Council has spent more than £15m on safety works

Derry City Council paid more than £5m to buy and demolish 17 homes next to City of Derry Airport to make way for a runway safety extension.

The properties on Donnybrewer Road were vested after residents refused to move.

So far £15m has been spent on safety upgrades with the majority of funding coming from the British and Irish governments.

Derry City Council, which spent £5m, said the investment means the airport can operate at the highest standards.

This is the first time the full breakdown of the £15m cost of the airport safety upgrades has been revealed.

In addition to the £5m paid for the properties on Donnybrewer Road, the council spent a further £250,000 pulling them down to improve safety for aircraft landing and taking off.

A further £6.6m was spent upgrading lighting on the airfield; and improving the taxi way and apron.

Emergency overrun areas at both ends of the runway cost £1.3m and £2.2m was spent on a new railway signalling project which - for the first time - gives air traffic control the power to stop a train approaching the airport.