The Action Plan from the Magee Expansion Task Force team seeks to deliver the 10,000-student target at the campus by 2032 and annual economic returns of over £250 million from 2029.

Mr Honeyford has said: “This is a welcome development, and an important step forward in righting the wrong of historic underinvestment in the North West. An expanded Magee campus will deliver greater balance in both funding for higher education and in student numbers between the east and west of Northern Ireland.

“Alliance is totally committed to encouraging a fair regional and social distribution of investment, jobs and higher education opportunities across the region.”

Former Derry Strabane Alliance councillors Rachael Ferguson and Philip McKinney have said: "Expansion of the Magee Campus has been a priority of local political parties, as well as citizens, in the North West for more than half a century. This is absolutely essential progress for the North West, and indeed for Northern Ireland as a whole.

"We want to thank the task force for its detailed work and the Action Plan they’ve come up with to facilitate and carry out this expansion. These thanks also extend to Ulster University, NW Regional College, and Atlantic Technology University, Letterkenny, for their professional education input.

"As task force’s Chair Stephen Kelly has said, the 'why' has now been answered and the 'how' will require relentless focus in the coming weeks, months and years. We hope this represents a major milestone on the road towards a better future for the North West.”