Belfast City

Masterplan
Review
Investment Programme
2012-2015
www.belfastcity.gov.uk/masterplan
1 Executive Summary 1
2 Preface 25
3 Introduction 29
3.1 The Review 31
4 Refreshed Analysis 35
4.1 Belfast- Regional positioning and economic
competitiveness 36
4.2 City Competitiveness, Drivers and Inhibitors 37
4.3 Belfasts Population 41
4.4 Belfast City Centre Performance 43
4.5 Belfast- Connectivity and Transport Performance 47
4.6 Validated Thematic Issues 55
4.7 The Spatial Plan Review 58
4.8 Validated Spatial issues 61
4.9 The Refreshed Masterplan 62
5 Revised Masterplan Strategy 2011-2020 67
5.1 Quality of Life & Wellbeing 68
5.2 Revised Objectives 69
5.3 Revised Spatial Strategy 71
5.4 Policy Priorities 71
6 Spatial Objectives 75
6.1 An Urban Policy for the Belfast City Region 76
6.2 Centre City 80
6.3 Neighbourhood City 90
7 Strategic Objectives 97
7.1 Learning City 98
7.2 Accessible and Connected City 101
7.3 Low Carbon City 105
7.4 The Digital City 109
7.5 Project Priorities with Identifed Citywide Impact 111
7.6 Why these projects? 113
Review of the Belfast City Masterplan
2013
CONTENTS
8 Implementation 115
8.1 Setting Priorities 116
8.2 The Ability to Deliver 116
8.3 The Belfast Delivery Forum 117
8.4 Assessing Projects 118
8.5 Focused Delivery: The Development of Key Performance
Indicators and Plan Outcomes 118
8.7 Recommendations 119
Appendices 121
1
executive summary
1
The Challenges.............................. 6
Revised Masterplan Objectives..... 10
Policy Priorities ................................12
Spatial Priorities ..............................14
Strategic Projects ..........................20
Issues for Further Review ............22
2.0
MTV Awards
Belfast 2011
1.0
V i c t o r i a
S q u a r e ,
Co r n ma r k e t
Acknowledgement
The Review of the Belfast Masterplan
2012 was led by SLR Consulting Ltd with
economic and transportation input provided
by Oxford Economics and SKM Colin
Buchanan.
Comissioned by the Development
Department, Belfast City Council
Cecil Ward Building
4-10 Linenhall Street
Belfast
BT2 8BP
Executive Summary
Belfast City Council frst published its city wide Masterplan in 2004.
This was a response to the need for a joined up, singular vision for
the city that could guide its development as it emerged from some
40 years of civil confict. Given the very different set of economic
circumstances which now exist the Council commissioned SLR
Consulting Ltd to undertake a review of the Masterplan and align its
strategy with the challenges likely to be faced by the city in the period
2012 -2020.
2004 Masterplan
The 2004 Masterplan had the stated intention of beginning the
process of generating new growth in Belfast by laying the foundations
for a revival of the City allowing it to more effectively play the role of
regional capital. This revival would not be a matter of chance but
would require:
An honest and unfinching analysis of the citys problems
and its relationship with its region the economic entity;
a commitment to tackle even unpalatable and diffcult issues
a strategic alignment to support a single long term strategic
framework for the development of the city;
commitment of energy and fnancial resources and
intellectual resources to the implementation of that strategy;

clear, effective responsibilities for the development,
implementation and review of that strategy.
4
Belfast City Council positioned the Masterplan as a core policy
document which informed its response to the regional planning debate
in Northern Ireland, in particular the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan,
the Regional Development Strategy for Northern Ireland and the
Regional Transportation Strategy. The Masterplan document has also
guided the Councils regeneration activity and the development of its
social and economic strategies including the impressive growth which
the city has seen in the tourism sector in recent years.
The primary achievement of the Masterplan however has been to bring
focus to an ongoing discussion about how best to manage and direct
the systematic redevelopment of this city to beneft all its citizens. The
Masterplan gave rise to the State of the City debates which have
brought leading urban regeneration experts from across the world
to Belfast to share experience and best practice. These events have
stimulated healthy debate amongst local practitioners as to how this
post-industrial city should be regenerated to allow it to compete in the
global marketplace.
The debates engendered greater stakeholder engagement and a
confdence within the City to promote itself internationally to private
sector investors. This new found confdence helped shape the very
substantial building and investment programme that has transformed
parts of this city ahead of the economic downturn in 2008.
Political stability however has been the cornerstone of Belfasts revival.
This stability has enabled the City Council to build its leadership
capacity and to advance a progressive to do list, which was set out
in the 2004 Document, in partnership with Government, the private
sector and the community sector in the city. This to do list engaged
many city stakeholders and released energy across the city producing
an organic development response, the benefts of which can be seen
today in almost all neighbourhoods.
5
The city must also concentrate on liveability and its attractiveness as a
destination of choice for residential use. There is also a need to create
areas within the centre city for sustainable living by making the city
centre a more attractive place to live with a high standard of living.

The ability to set priorities The pressures on public fnances will
demand that the city directs its resources to where they will produce
the greatest benefts for the city as a whole. The city must focus
these resources on a short list of game changing projects and gain a
consensus to commit to making these happen. These projects should
be those which promise the greatest return to the city in terms of
enhancing its international competitiveness. The City Council is key to
building and brokering this consensus.
The importance of targeted strategic partnering - The council must
use its infuence to create new partnerships to harness the power
of the citys anchor institutions, primarily in the health and education
sectors and begin to address issues on a city region basis. In many
instances strategic issues could be more effectively addressed through
coordination across anchor institutions.
The need to nurture city centre cohesion- The city has made
substantial progress in rebuilding its city centre as the main hub
of the regions business and employment services. This has been
strengthened by the development and promotion of the city and region
as an international destination for tourism.
A vibrant and attractive city centre is critical to securing investment
within the city. Changes in retail trends and the demand for more
productive retail space have however led to high vacancy rates within
the city centre. A regeneration strategy focused on retail alone is
no longer an appropriate policy response for the city centre. What
is required is an integrated strategy focused around supporting
employment growth, commercial development, learning and skills
development, business innovation, services and the fusion of culture,
arts and heritage to create a destination of choice.
The Challenges
The dramatically different economic circumstances which the city now
faces present a new set of challenges which must be overcome if
momentum is to be maintained. They will include:
Maximising the citys wealth base Facilitating investment in the
citys business core is essential to the wellbeing of every citizen in
Belfast. The city centre is the main source of employment in the region
and generates incomes for families both within Belfast and the region
as a whole. It is also the main source of the city fnances required to
provide services to the citys neighbourhoods. The city cannot deal
with deprivation without creating wealth.
The ability to deal with deprivation Despite substantial economic
growth prior to the current recession there was little if any positive
impact on the citys poorest neighbourhoods. A combination of
global recession and beneft reform is predicted to have a signifcant
negative impact upon the citys most deprived communities. Economic
inactivity is the greatest single challenge facing the city. This will call
for innovative community based solutions to create local economic
development opportunities through building on neighbourhood
regeneration projects. New networks for skills development and
learning will be critical to tackling deprivation, maintaining international
competitiveness and providing access to opportunity.
The need to develop a total place agenda There is a need to
focus on integrated service delivery for communities and ensuring
scarce public resources are maximised in local areas. This will involve
business, voluntary and public sector bodies being prepared to work
together to deliver optimal land use solutions and effective public
services.
6
The city centre needs to develop sequentially, focusing on physical
cohesion, regeneration and the consolidation of key areas. The city
needs to develop from the inside out, not the outside in as it remains
the most important accessible economic space in the region. This
core area must be strongly connected to the city neighbourhoods and
needs a focus on physical cohesion and urban design to guide its
continued reconstruction.
Sustainable public transport provision has improved considerably
since 2004 but still has a long way to go. Enhanced and more effective
public transport is critical for labour market mobility, to address high
levels of commuting and improve accessibility within a city where 42%
of its citizens have no access to a car.
Developing an urban policy framework for the Belfast city region
would realise considerable economic, social and environmental
benefts. The city has arrested its long term population decline but
only just. Population growth is critical to achieving a sustainable city in
the future however this is unlikely to occur under the current Regional
Development Strategy of polycentric growth across Northern Ireland.
Belfast City Council should work in partnership with adjacent councils
to consider the interdependencies within the Belfast Metropolitan Area
and agree an urban policy framework which better refects Belfasts
physical, social, economic, cultural and environmental reality.
The ability to deliver The Review of Public Administration (RPA)and
the transfer of the Planning and Regeneration functions will enhance
the councils ability to deliver elements of the Masterplan Strategy. It
will continue to be dependent upon strong partnership working and
Community Planning presents the opportunity to create new structures
and partnerships with the community sector, government and the
private sector to advance the implantation of key programmes.
7
Economy, Quality of Life & Well being
Despite economic progress over the previous Masterplan period,
deprivation within Belfast, as measured by the Index of Multiple
Deprivation (2004, 2010) remains largely unchanged. This compares
starkly to those neighbourhoods within the commuter belt, where
population and quality of life indicators have risen measurably.
Quality of life and wellbeing has therefore been identifed as a cross
cutting theme at the heart of this review. This means taking an holistic
approach to city development that extends beyond material wealth to
include issues such as health, social inclusion, education, access to
employment and services, community safety, neighbourhood quality
and the environment.
It is widely acknowledged that these softer indicators are indirectly
linked to competitiveness, with quality of life acting as a key
component in attracting and retaining highly skilled and mobile labour.
Although urban renaissance remains as a long term and overarching
objective for the City, current economic constraints mean that
addressing deprivation is likely to require increasingly innovative
solutions. These solutions must address issues specifc to Belfast,
whilst having regard to best practice internationally.
Analysis of comparative data, research focused on key issues such
as competitiveness, and new approaches to urban development
strategies (outlined at the State of the City debates) have led to
a revised set of spatial and strategic objectives for the Belfast
Masterplan.
Revised Masterplan
The Belfast City Region
The past decade has seen increasing recognition of the need
for coordination and strategic decision-making based on the
wider economic footprints of cities. As with most cities across
Europe, Belfasts economic geography extends well beyond its
current administrative boundaries. Belfast suffers from additional
administrative fragmentation arising from different Government
Departments having statutory responsibility for land use planning,
economic development, regeneration and housing.
The existing policy set out in the Regional Development Strategy is
weak in terms of recognising the importance of the city region. It fails
to fully understand the unique dynamics of the city, identify priorities
for growth and ensure the coordination inter departmental policy. This
weakness results in the citys issues not being fully addressed and
development opportunities not being realised.
The development of an urban policy for the Belfast City Region
would support the realisation of signifcant economic, social and
environmental benefts. Belfast City Council, in partnership with
adjacent Councils and relevant Departments, should consider the
potential for new structures that better refect Belfasts physical, social,
economic, cultural or environmental reality.
8
The Learning City
Belfast has a total of fve higher education institutions, located on 10
sites across the city. These institutions are important city assets which
have a considerable impact on the city and regional economy. They
contribute towards the citys vibrancy by
Increasing educational attainment and the supply of skills and
knowledge workers;
Direct employment of teaching, research and support staff;
Creating start up knowledge based businesses and providing
knowledge transfer to local companies
Increasing GVA through student spending; and
Procuring services from locally based businesses.
The future development of the education estate has the potential to
substantially increase economic activity across the city.
The Accessible and Connected City
Accessibility and connectivity at an international, regional and local
level is critical to the economic competitiveness of the City. Our
airports and port provide access to the global market place. Cities are
also dependent upon their public transport systems to connect the
skills supply provided in neighbourhoods with places of employment
and service provision. There is substantial scope for Belfast to
enhance its connectivity both within the city and internationally.
The Low Carbon City
Northern Irelands current economic strategy, Priorities for Sustainable
Growth and Prosperity, focuses on rebalancing the economy by
encouraging business growth. This is to be achieved through the
growth of local businesses, attracting FDI and developing economic
infrastructure.
The sustainable energy sector and the emerging low carbon economy
are highlighted as market opportunities with an important role to play in
growing the private sector. There is also considerable scope for Belfast
to reduce its carbon footprint and in doing so enable Northern Ireland
to meet challenges relating to climate change and reduce energy costs
for the citys businesses.
The Digital City
The City is already well positioned as a competitive digital city in
European due to existing BT and Virgin Superfast Broadband networks
and super fast high bandwidth connections to global markets. This
is set to be enhanced by DCMS funding which will expand networks
and enhance broadband speeds further. The enhancement of the
digital infrastructure will present the City with a signifcant strategic
advantage in terms of connectivity and in turn will create the
opportunity to foster the growth of digital content businesses; attract
further Foreign Direct Investment; tackle digital exclusion; enhance
economic competitiveness; and improve the provision of integrated
public services.
The Centre City
An accessible, vibrant, attractive and dynamic centre city is a
prerequisite for international competitiveness and regional growth. The
centre city is the economic, social and cultural heart of the City. It is
critical to the well-being of its citizens as it is the generator of the citys
wealth and fnances the delivery of services across the City area.
The Neighbourhood City
Providing a healthy living environment for the citys residents will
help to create thriving neighbourhoods and attract more people to
live in the City. Attractive, connected neighbourhoods are a feature
of all successful cities. They provide high quality environments which
support a mix of housing types and tenures catering for all levels of
demand and identifed housing need.
Issues such as design and environmental quality, health inequality,
lack of skills, poor access to employment, and physical barriers/
interfaces should be addressed by future investment.
Connectivity to the city centre is critical to ensure equality of access to
opportunity and services.
9
Belfast City Council is committed to working with lead partners to
achieve these objectives:
Strategic objectives
The Learning City
Harnessing the economic power of the Citys HE and FE
Institutions. Addressing low levels of educational attainment
within deprived communities.
The Accessible and Connected City
Enhancing accessibility and connectivity internationally,
regionally and locally.
The Low Carbon City
Clean technology, renewable energy and effciency will drive
further growth in the economy and reduce costs for businesses
and households.
The Digital City
City wide ultrafast broadband and integrated smart city
infrastructure driving innovation and supporting growth and
effcient delivery of public services.
Spatial objectives
The Belfast City Region
Working together across administrative and geographical
boundaries to deliver the citys growth potential.
The Centre City
An accessible vibrant and dynamic centre city driving the
regional economy.
The Neighbourhood City
Neighbourhoods which engender confdent, caring, cohesive
and resilient communities.
Objectives:
Having considered the challenges for the city, the revised strategy
is based on a number of development objectives, consolidated from
the list set out in the 2004 Masterplan. The revised objectives are
structured to deliver the long term aspiration of improving quality of life
and wellbeing, which lies at the heart of the strategy.
The responsibility for focused delivery will be assigned to the Belfast
Delivery Forum, a guiding coalition of the citys key strategic partners.
This Forum will harness the power of the citys institutions and private
sector interests to develop collaborative working practices and
combine physical assets and monetary resources in the interests of
the health of the city and city region.
10
11
Policy Priorities
The review process has identifed policy priorities for each of the Masterplan objectives. These priorities deal with specifc issues facing the city and
are summarised in the table overleaf.
Of these priorities a number of key recommendations should be highlighted;
Advance and implement a policy for the city region
in partnership with adjacent councils and relevant
departments
Maintain a focus on the role and functionality of the
centre city as the prime economic space in the region
Address the shortfall in supply of Grade A offce space
and green space within the city centre.
Continue to concentrate the Masterplan strategy around
quality of life & wellbeing indicators.
Retain a focus on enhancing the quality, integration and
penetration of the citys public and private transport
system.
Harness the potential and manage the impact of the
citys anchor institutions including its leading private
sector industries through new partnering structures.
Improve the environment to support investment and
economic opportunities linked to renewable energy /low
carbon growth sectors.
The two universities are important assets which have a
considerable impact on city economy. It is anticipated
that 12,000 students will move to the new UU campus in
the Cathedral Quarter. The Belfast City Forum should
work to ensure that this project provides an exemplar
of sustainable regeneration that is fully embedded
within the civic, community and cultural life of the city.
The benefts from the roll out of the ultra fast
broadband infrastructure must be fully maximised to
enhance business competitiveness, address digital
exclusion within deprived neighbourhoods and drive
effcient delivery of coordinated public services.
The Digital hub will incorporate a range of fexible
workspaces of varying sizes to accommodate small
start-ups and micro businesses working in the key
sectors of flm, television, music and digital content.
The development will take place in the Cathedral
Quarter / inner north area of the city and will act as a
catalyst for development of digital businesses across
the city and complement the planned relocation of the
University of Ulster.
The development of a new conference and exhibition
centre at the Waterfront Hall that will contribute
an additional 40 million annually into the Belfast
economy.
12
Protect and
enhance the role
of the City Centre
Centre
City
Produce and
implement a
framework plan for
the City Centre
Support City Centre
living
Address defciencies
in green space
Deliver an optimal
design solution for the
Cathedral Quarter
and Shaftesbury Link
Expansion of
Waterfront Hall
Conference Centre
Improve quality of
life and well being
Neighbourhood
City
Increase the focus
for community; social
and environmental
stability
Reduce barriers and
segragation and
increasing access to
shared space
Improve Access to
job opportunities
Prioritise projects
that maximise
regeneration
benefts
Improve skills in
relation to the
current and future
job market
Harness potential
of Belfasts third
level education
institutions
Learning City
Enhance and shape
design of UU campus
relocation
Enhance skills and
innovation in key
sectors
Implement
recommendationsofthe
studyintotheHolyland
anduniversityarea
Encouragetravel
planningandintegrated
student housingstrategies
Encourage the
preparation
of university
Masterplans
Support the
development
of integrated
transport hubs
Accessible and
Connected City
Ensure Belfast Rapid
Transit delivers
benefts throughout
Belfast
Integrate air and sea
gateways within the
city strategy
Improve integration
and connectivity
with the Titanic
Quarter
Develop a
sustainable parking
strategy
Integrated transport
Network including
public bike hire
Build green economy
business within
renewable energy/
waste sectors
Low Carbon City
Develop a green
infrastructure strategy
for the city
Develop third level
R&D expertise in Eco
Technologies
Drive energy
effciency and
renewable energy
initiatives
Continue ecological
restoration projects
such as Connswater
Greenway
Address areas
of open space
defciency
throughout the city
Superconnected
Digital / Creative
Hub
Digital City
Smart City Networks
/ infrastructure
Enhanced business
competitiveness/
social inclusion
Development
of broadband
infrastructure

Development of the
creative arts and
cultural sectors
Enhanced Access to
Public Services
Frame and
implement a
policy for the city
region
Develop the
evidence-base
leading to a
credible strategy
Sponsor
collaboration
through a City
Regions Forum
Belfast City Region
Identify priorities
across the city
region area
Consider pooling
powers and
resources to achieve
gains for the region
Ensure that future
structures have
suffcient resources
and powers
13
Centre City - Spatial Priorities
The centre city is defned as the central corridor that links the university area, through the city centre to the edges
of the Harbour Estate and Titanic Quarter. This is the crucible of the regional economy and is the most important
economic space in the Region. The Masterplan strategy for the centre city moves away from the previous
strategy of multiple project driven interventions to a wider strategy based around functionality and
cohesion.
Given the pace and quantum of development of recent years the emphasis now shifts to making
the centre city work and function better as a sustainable mixed use location. It must be
capable of supporting continued investment along with a residential community that is fully
integrated with the citys neighbourhoods. The citys shatter-zones remain a challenge
to accessibility and wider integration. Projects that seek to reduce the physical
severance between the Centre City and the surrounding residential areas should
concentrate on these shatter zones surrounding the Core of the city.
In the context of the Centre City Corridor the Masterplan prioritises two areas
where the City Council, in coalition with government departments and others,
can lead the development of urban design frameworks that will address the
function, cohesion and integration of these areas.
This work will aim to secure deliverable investment strategies for these
areas within the lifetime of the Masterplan. These areas are the Cathedral
area to the north which will host the new University of Ulster campus and
the Shaftesbury Link area to the south which will address the blight of the
current reserved road corridor stretching from Hope Street to Cromac
Street.
An illustrative approach for each area shows the value of a bespoke urban
design process which should be commissioned at a later stage.
Three zones of economic activity
exist within central Belfast
14
Linked together they form a
dynamic Centre City Zone
Fracture zones, barriers and
gateways to the Middle City
Linkages and city
neighbourhoods
Priority Gateway Areas
15
Cathedral
Deliver a Placemaking Solution for the
integration of the University of Ulster at
Cathedral Quarter
The relocation of the University of Ulster is a critical opportunity to
intervene and help coordinate the development of land assets in the
vicinity of the Cathedral Quarter. Its a once in a century event that a
city gets to plan for a new university campus and it needs to ensure
that it maximises the positive social, economic and physical impacts
on the city centre.
The university campus project is just one of a number of projects that
need alignment in this part of the City. Others include:-
The Department for Regional Development (DRD) proposals for a
major upgrade of the motorway interchange at York Street.
The integration of proposals at City Quays and Clarendon Dock
The development of the North Belfast Cultural Corridor and its
link to Girdwood
The critical link to the city centre through Royal Exchange
The re-design of Dunbar Link
The provision of new student housing
Gamble Street Station
All of the above require to be considered within a holistic place making
framework for the Cathedral Area. The Delivery Forum should lead a
coalition of statutory agencies to ensure that the collective impacts of
these disparate projects are fully understood and properly planned to
deliver long standing positive and sustainable transformational change
for the city.
The key elements of the proposed intervention are:
A. Transformation of Dunbar Link into a urban avenue
B. Transformation of Great Patrick Street and Frederick Street into
urban avenues
C. Provision of landmark buildings at key locations
D. Gamble Street Station and Public Square
E. Formalising an urban entrance into the city centre
F. Rebuilding the historic urban fabric with a mix of uses in a
perimeter block form
G. Use of space under fy-over to provide multi-purpose space for
culture and sports
H. New pedestrian bridge
I. New public open space at Donegal Quay
J. Provision of new facade at Great Patrick Street and Frederick
Street
K. Yorkgate Interchange
16
Carlisle Circus
Clifton House
University of Ulster
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Cathedral Quarter
Royal Exchange
Writers Square
River
Lagan
City Quays
St Annes &
the MAC
Custom House
Square
A
B
C
D
E
F
F
G
H
I
J
J
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17
Shaftesbury
Deliver a Placemaking Solution for the
Shaftesbury Link.

The south side of the city centre has been blighted for decades by the
reservation of a road corridor that stretched from the Boyne Bridge at
Sandy Row to the Ormeau Road and Cromac Street. Formerly known
as the Bankmore Link this controversial road project has never been
satisfactorily resolved in terms of its potential severance impacts,
something the city has suffered extensively from in other places. This
issue needs to be sympathetically addressed if this part of the city
centre is to rebuild its linkages.
The area affected stretches as far as Shaftesbury Square to the south
and is the pivotal link with the university and Botanic areas of the city.
It affects the residential neighbourhoods of Sandy Row, Donegal Pass,
Cromac Street and the Markets and involves the regeneration of Great
Victoria Street, Dublin Road, Ormeau Road, Hope Street and Ormeau
Avenue. A design solution is needed that deals with community
impacts, the reconstruction of the city streets and traffc circulation
issues that have direct implications for the wider city centre.
The key components of this project are:
The design of a new avenue that prioritises north/south pedestrian
movements primarily to and from the city centre and the Europa
transport interchange
New mixed use frontage developments that will frame the avenue
and fll the gaps in the existing network of streets
A new public park on Ormeau Avenue.
The opening of new links with established residential
neighbourhoods
The potential for a pedestrian bridge from the Gasworks to
Ormeau Park in order to link the residential neighbourhoods to
Ormeau Park.
In planning and urban design terms, this project will provide a
cohesive strategy for the rebuilding of this part of the city improving
the pedestrian environment, enhancing the setting of the conservation
area and a number of listed buildings.
The key elements of the proposed intervention are:
A. Great Victoria Street Station
B. Key Landmark Building
C. Completion of perimeter block
D. Transformation of Shaftesbury Link into an urban avenue
E. Potential transformation of excess surface car park into urban
allotments
F. Enhancement, redevelopment and tree planting of Great Victoria
Street
G. Enhancement of Dublin Road
H. Redevelopment of Shaftesbury Square
I. Potential redevelopment of key corner building
J. Provision of a new public square - Ormeau Square
K. New building block at Ormeau Road corner
L. Rebuilding the urban fabric with a mix of uses in a perimeter block
form
M. Completion of perimeter block
N. Urban Park
O. Pedestrian bridge
Weavers
Court
18
Europa
Hotel
Shaftesbury
Square
City
Hospital
Ormeau
Baths
Gas Works
Northern Fringe
Weavers
Court
Central
Station
Maysfeld
River
Lagan
Ormeau
Park
A
B
C
D
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
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As part of this review, six strategic projects have been selected to
advance each of the revised objectives on the basis of an identifed
citywide impact, the availability of funding and progress made
to date in respect of delivery. In addition a number of supporting
neighbourhood projects have been identifed that have the cumulative
potential to deliver transformational change across the city.
It is anticipated that these strategic projects, some of which are also
commitments set out within the City Councils Investment Programme
2012 2015, will have transformational and benefcial effects that
extend beyond the local areas to the city region. The council will focus
on supporting these initiatives and together with lead partners will work
to achieve optimal outcomes in each case.
Why these six projects deliver on a city
wide agenda?
Royal Exchange
Progress with Royal Exchange is essential to the cohesive
reconstruction of the city centre. The city must prioritise projects that
advance its development sequentially, from the inside out. Royal
Exchange sits at the heart of the historic streetscape of the city centre
providing a critical link between Royal Avenue and the Cathedral
Quarter. The redevelopment of this site will also help establish the city
centre as a compelling regional destination whether Royal Exchange
manifests itself as a retail project or, given market conditions, is
adapted to a more mixed use profle (perhaps better linked to the
University of Ulster campus project)
Windsor and Casement Stadia Hubs
The reconstruction of Windsor Park and Casement Park will receive
some 120m in government funding to provide state of the art
sports facilities for the city. These projects are important for the citys
international profle and for the development of sporting infrastructure
for the whole community. They also provide the opportunity, if
properly planned, to have major positive regenerative impacts on
their host neighbourhoods. Best practice elsewhere shows how new
stadia projects such as these can be designed to deliver multi use,
community focused facilities linked directly with community health and
wellbeing programmes. They also act as part of the wider tourism,
leisure and event infrastructure and support the development of
a range of neighbourhood and business services. The council in
essence, wants to maximise the regeneration benefts of this public
investment in sporting facilities for the city.
Strategic Projects
with Identifed
Citywide Impact
A New City Region Policy Position for Belfast
This is the missing tier in spatial planning policy in Northern
Ireland. Every other region of the UK recognises the importance of
understanding how their leading city regions work. The absence of this
tier of urban policy weakens Belfasts position, undermining its ability
to grow sustainably and therefore to compete internationally. The
City Council needs to lead the development of this policy response in
partnership with other councils and government departments as it will
be essential in directing key infrastructure commitments and future
development targets for the city.
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University of Ulster North City Campus
Possibly the single most important development project for the city
in the next decade. The construction of a new university in the area
north of St Annes Cathedral will have a profound impact on the city at
a multitude of levels. It will help build Belfasts international reputation
as a city of learning and enhance its skills profle. The project will
enhance the civic, cultural and community life of the city and drive the
urban regeneration of the north inner city. This project can only be
viewed as a catalytic event capable of levering major benefts to the
city and region.
Belfast Rapid Transit (BRT)
Labour mobility and access to opportunity are central to addressing
disadvantage and are critical to the success of the city economy.
BRT will introduce new cross city public transport routes that will link
neighbourhoods in the east and west of the city with each other and
with the centre city zone. Importantly it will also link Titanic Quarter to
the city centre which will aid cohesion. The city needs a modern transit
network that helps to address spatial segregation and which makes
the city work better as an investment location.
North Foreshore Clean Technology Hub
The city has the opportunity to develop a new international business
park for low carbon businesses at its former landfll site at the North
Foreshore. This project has the potential to be an international
exemplar in research and development in the green technology sector
by establishing a dedicated enterprise park focused on the waste and
renewable energy sectors. The UK green economy sector is forecast
to grow by 4% per annum and is worth an estimated 122bn per
annum to the UK economy at present. Given the success of Belfast
Harbour in attracting manufacturing and assembly elements of this
sector its important that Belfast develops a capability that can help
establish this sector as a future driver of the citys economy.
Digital Infrastructure
Belfast City Council will oversee the roll out of the DCMS supported
Super Connected City Programme across Belfast in 2014. This
project will enhance the citys reputation as a Digital City through
the provision of a Wi-Fi network across the city centre and support
businesses in bringing ultrafast broadband into their premises
across the city. This has the potential to dramatically enhance their
competitiveness and attract further investment in the ICT and Financial
Services Sectors into the city.
The development of a Digital Hub in the inner north / cathedral quarter
area of the city and will act as a catalyst for wider development in the
area helping to provide new employment opportunities and support
the growth of start up and existing businesses working in the creative /
digital sector.
Community facilities will also be digitally enabled to provide access
to high speed broadband within deprived communities and enhance
digital skills levels across the citys entire population.
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Issues for Further Review
As a review document, the scope precluded detailed analysis of
certain issues and there are a number of areas where evidential
studies may be required in order to further defne objectives and policy
priorities;
The fve Strategic Regeneration Frameworks produced by the
Partnership could usefully be aligned and re evaluated against the
new strategy platforms presented in this Masterplan and prioritised
accordingly.
A Framework for the city centre should be prepared by the
Department of Social Development and the council to cohesively
address the potential for continued regeneration. An essential
element of the framework would be to harness the opportunity to
enhance the environment through quality design. A newly created
senior position within the Council, with proven skills in urban
design and placemaking would help drive this agenda.
A City Centre Living Strategy should be developed, having regard
to the analysis and policy recommendations arising from the City
Centre Framework referred to above.
Using the strategic themes of this plan, a city wide assessment
should be undertaken in order to prioritise neighbourhood projects
in terms of regeneration impacts and delivery capacity.
Cities can help prepare sites, encourage investment and provide
infrastructure by using alternative funding models. Belfast City
Council should work with other agencies to consider the use of
public sector assets to deliver the Masterplan objectives through
innovative investment programmes.
In implementing the Air Quality Action Plan, Belfast City Council
will consider what additional air quality control measures may be
required for the city to meet European air quality standards.
The City Council should continue to develop a city data set and in
particular get a frm understanding of issues such as the full extent
of vacancy and dereliction citywide, the extent of the public sector
estate in the centre city and the full extent of the NAMA portfolio
within the city.
A set of key performance indicators needs to be agreed in order
to undertake future monitoring and review of the objectives of the
plan.
The Belfast Delivery Forum should engage with the Citys
two airports and the Port of Belfast on the potential for more
interaction with these gateways in respect of driving the economic
performance of the city region.
The Masterplan should take into account the RPA and the
Boundary changes which will see new areas transfer from
Castlereagh and Lisburn Council areas. Specifc consideration
need to be given to Hanwood and Colin Town Centre for inclusion
within the priority list of projects within the Masterplan.
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