Controversial bonfire to go ahead in Londonderry despite health and safety concerns

There are safety concerns over an illegal bonfire in the Meenan Square area of the Bogside in Londonderry.

It's being built on private land and contractors have said they are not willing to clear the site.

Whilst work is going on with young people in the area, community groups have told UTV they are frustrated at the cuts being made to services.

Apex Housing Association, which owns the land, said: “We have not authorised the current activity on the Meenan Square site and continue to re-secure boundary fencing and gates after each incident of forced entry. 

"All options to remove materials from the site have been explored, however no contractor has been willing to assist due to health and safety concerns."

It continued: “We fully recognise the distress and potential danger that these activities pose to local residents and visitors in the area. 

"Working with the PSNI, we have engaged with local representatives and statutory bodies to mitigate the risks associated with a bonfire at Meenan Square. 

"We remain committed to working with all relevant parties to find a resolution that ensures the safety and well-being of the local community."

A council cross-party bonfire working group met yesterday without a resolution. No-one from the group was available for interview.

The council say £15,000 in funding was approved for the wider area for new and alternative positive activities.

Independent councillor Gary Donnelly said: "There's nothing positive about bonfires, they're not good and I would hope we would be in a position where they're a relic of the past."

Only up the road at St Mary's youth club in the Creggan area, young people are coming together to build something different as part of a community festival.

This is where some of that council funding was spent, but there is frustration over cuts to youth services here.

"We're trying to get young people engaged in positive alternatives, this is one example of it," said senior youth worker Peter Nixon.

The bonfire is due to be burned on Thursday evening, and police say they will try to ensure members of the public and residents are kept safe and will have an appropriate and proportionate policing operation in place.

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