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Institute FC: Flooded club moves closer to new home

BBC Long grass and weeds growing in front of the main stand at the Riverside StadiumBBC
Institute's former home had a severe infestation of Japanese knotweed after it was abandoned

A football club forced to leave its ground in 2017 after devastating floods has moved a step closer to getting a new home.

Institute Football Club has been named the preferred tenant by the Department for Communities (DfC) for a sports stadium in Londonderry's Waterside.

The proposed home stadium is being developed at Clooney Park West.

Club chairman Bill Anderson said they hoped to develop a first-class facility for the whole community.

"We are delighted to be able to announce such positive news for our players, coaches, supporters, and the local community," he said.

Overgrown weeds in a stand at the Riverside Stadium
Flood damage in 2017 forced Institute to leave its 3,000-capacity home ground

Democratic Unionist Party assembly member for Foyle, Gary Middleton, said the club's announcement was welcome news.

"The Clooney Park West Community Sport and Well Being Hub will be a fantastic asset for the Waterside and wider Londonderry area".

Institute FC was forced from its previous Riverside stadium home in 2017 after heavy flooding when almost two-thirds of the north west's average monthly rain fell in a single night.

In November 2018 the club was told it would be very difficult to get flood insurance for the stadium, which sits on the banks of the River Faughan.

Councillors approved an application from the club to demolish the stadium, which became infested with Japanese knotweed since the floods, in June 2022.

Mr Anderson said the club was notified of the department's decision to award it preferred tenant status on Wednesday.

The Department for Communities (DfC) said it would now conduct a due diligence exercise on their proposals for a community sports, wellbeing hub and stadium project.

The department said it looked forward to working with Institute FC.

"It has been a long five years since we were forced to leave our ground in Drumahoe due to severe flooding, and then we had the Covid pandemic which really put everything on hold," Mr Anderson said.

"We can now look forward with anticipation and excitement to developing a first-class facility for the whole community, and a new home for the club, in Clooney Park West."

The Sky Blues, who have played in the championship of the Northern Ireland Football League since 2018, has played its home games at the Brandywell, home to Derry City Football Club.

But in the years since it has also been exploring options that would allow it to return to the Waterside.

The club's former Riverside home had a capacity of 3,000.

It underwent a £1m upgrade in 2010.

The club leased the ground from Londonderry YMCA and was 10 years into a 25-year lease when it was forced to leave.