Derry City and Strabane District Council has approved the partial demolition of a storm-damaged listed building on Pump Street, Londonderry.

The Martin property group, which owns the former Convent of Mercy, received Listed Building Consent at a council meeting on Wednesday, September 23. The consent covers the unsafe structure and is subject to conditions.

Pump Street has been partially closed since Storm Amy in October 2025, when the historic building was damaged. Shipping containers have been placed near the site for almost a year, and businesses have reported reduced footfall and financial losses.

Mayor Grace Uí Niallais said she spoke to the owners before the meeting, and they plan to contact businesses on Friday morning to explain their timeline for the demolition and restoration. She said the containers may come down very soon for the remedial work, with restoration taking longer.

Foyle MP Colum Eastwood welcomed the decision, saying the closure had caused significant difficulties for traders. He expressed hope that the barriers and containers would be removed as soon as the building is made safe and the road fully reopened.

The building dates to the early 1800s and once housed the Londonderry Sentinel newspaper offices. It later became part of the Convent of Mercy complex and is a grade B listed structure within a conservation area. It has been on the Department for Communities Heritage at Risk register, with a critical risk level.

Structural engineers had earlier warned the building was in a state of imminent collapse. During the meeting, councillors thanked the mayor for work with traders and owners, and one councillor said the council must learn from the closure.