Derry City Council has appointed Knight Kavanagh & Page (KKP) to deliver two vital plans:

The Derry Strategy for Development of Sport and Physical Activity

This will provide strategic direction for management, development and delivery of sport and physical activity in the City for the period 2009-2014. Designed to drive its investment, programmes, practices and structures well beyond that point, it also incorporates a detailed action plan with measurable outcomes, target dates and resource requirements.

Sports Development Plan for Ireland's North West Regional Performance Centre

This plan covers the outputs and outcomes that will be the result of multi-agency investment in the RPC. Its primary focus will be on Judo, Olympic Wrestling, Boxing and indoor climbing. In it, KKP will map out the pathway from participation to high performance in the sub-region, in Northern Ireland and in the context of cross-boundary provision.

The plan will detail the potential impact and role of the North West Regional Performance Centre at St Columb's Park and reflect the desire to ensure synergy between the City's Strategy and RPC operation. It will map out how DCC and partners can optimise its potential as the regional centre for coach education, how this will be organised and led and how it links to the City's Sports Development Active Citizenship ‘capacity building‘ programme.

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KKP was selected because of its credentials in consultation and capacity building. We are very experienced in auditing and developing plans and strategies to drive sports development, physical activity, facility access, coaching and leadership. Our pro-active, interpersonal consultation guarantees a true and representative perspective ensuring that decisions about future direction are based on strong foundations. Our extensive community and stakeholder consultation, for both the Strategy and the RPC Development Plan, will set high standards, based on detailed evidence gathering.

Previous work in Derry and Northern Ireland means that KKP is well placed to deliver; we bring underlying understanding of the demographics and politics of the City and real appreciation of the symbolic and practical importance of the proposed facilities at St Columb's Park.

KKP boasts a strong track record in both disciplines having delivered a range of sport and physical activity strategies and sports development plans. It also has extensive experience of working with and for NGBs. The lead consultants on this assignment include John Eady (CEO), Jonathan Woods (Principal Consultant) who is leading on the Strategy and Clare MacLeod (Principal Consultant) who will take charge of the Development Plan.

Their combined expertise will ensure that the Council benefits from a wealth of contemporary knowledge as well as the inspiration and innovation that results from working as part of a highly committed wider team.

Commenting on the project, John Eady said,

"It is great to be back in Derry. We enjoy working with the City and in Northern Ireland where we have built very strong relationships over recent years. The consultation for both exercises is generating a very positive response and there is a clear commitment to maximise this opportunity to work smarter and to develop the performance facilities that the development work in these sports, particularly in the west of Northern Ireland, merits. The plans we develop will be challenging yet achievable; their implementation will make a real difference to local people's chances to excel and the wider sporting infrastructure in the regional capital."