Yahoo News Belfast City Council say work ongoing to make city centre 'clean, green, safe, vibrant, connected, and welcoming'
Belfast City Council has said that work is ongoing to make the City Centre "clean, safe and welcoming" as it highlights ongoing projects to improve the area.
The state of Belfast City Centre has been a hot topic in the city for a number of years due to complaints such as rising anti-social behaviour, empty buildings, and a lack of transport, particularly for the night-time economy.
At its July council meeting, elected representatives were given an update on the ongoing work in the City Centre which included an update on North Street and the Tribeca development, the appointment of a new 'Night Tsar', and public events that will be taking place over the coming months.
Read more: Translink announce extra bus services to Belfast International Airport for busy summer period
Tribeca Update
Councillors received an update on proposals to vest the Tribeca site into council ownership following a previous vote by at the council.
The council told members that it "does not own the site and is not the regeneration authority for the city, it is committed to enabling development along North Street. This includes meeting government departments with the relevant regeneration powers and responsibilities, with a view to achieving progress on the scheme.
"Council staff have also begun a phased process to address potential options around the Assembly Rooms. While this building is also not in council ownership, it occupies a key site for the city centre at the junction of Waring and North Street and the council is keen to ensure the future civic use of this important heritage asset."
Belfast Stories Project
Architects Ralph Appelbaum Associates to design the visitor attraction element of the landmark £100 million Belfast Stories project, which is due to open on Royal Avenue in 2029, as part of the Belfast Region City Deal programme, it includes the historic former Bank of Ireland building.
Part of this site has already been temporarily transformed into The BUG – Belfast’s Urban Garden – with polytunnels, raised planters and vegetable beds, using Green and Blue Infrastructure funding from the Department for Infrastructure.
Vacant to Vibrant
The project which is designed to encourage the uptake of empty business units in the city centre has been extended for another two years.
The council says that funding for six organisations has been agreed, with it already having brought 20 units back into use which has created 80 direct employment opportunities and returning £3.87 in rates income for every £1 invested by council.
Councillors have also agreed to look at how best to open up potential residential space above ground floor shop units, alongside continuing work to develop four key city centre sites for housing use in lands around the inner north-west portion, close to Kent Street and Smithfield, with the process to appoint a housing association now nearing completion.
City Centre Safety and Cleanliness
The council has said that two new safe neighbourhood officers have been employed until the end of March 31, 2025, who will work with city centre outreach teams in addressing anti-social behaviour and supporting vulnerable people.
It has also said that it "continues to focus on cleanliness, with a daily and night-time cleansing operation, including street cleaning, emptying litter bins and power washing pavements."
New businesses coming to City Centre
The council has said that a number of new businesses will be opening soon in the City Centre including Dylan Oaks on Castle Lane and Deichmann at ‘The Keep’ (former BHS building). TK Maxx will soon relocate to CastleCourt and The Ivy Restaurant will open at Cleaver House, Donegall Place by the end of 2024.
It says that City Centre footfall "has increased by 3.7% and it was the best performing city in the UK for footfall in June 2024, according to data from the NI Retail Consortium and Sensormatic IQ."
It continued: "Hotel occupancy rates for January to April 2024 were also up by almost 11% for the same period in 2019 and 142 cruise ships are due to dock in the city between April and October 2024, bringing in an estimated 277,472 visitors and a projected spend of £20million for the local economy.
"Expressions of interest have also been invited for six new retail or food beverage trading pitches at Writers’ Square, together with the Department for Communities."
Michael Stewart has also been appointed as Belfast’s first ‘Night Tsar’ by the three Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) with the aim of boosting the night-time economy in the City Centre.
Upcoming events
There are a number of events taking place throughout the City Centre During the summer months, which include:
Belfast 2024, the city’s biggest ever citywide celebration of creativity, continues. Next up is Water Works, focusing on the River Lagan with family entertainment, boat launches and live music, on Saturday 3 August.
A family-friendly activity programme at 2 Royal Avenue
Orangefest on 12 July;
Belfast Pride from 19-28 July;
Sixth annual Belfast TradFest, with world-class traditional music concerts, pub-based live music sessions and a summer school of traditional music, from 21-28 July
Late night art on the first Thursday of every month.
The Sailortown Festival also takes place from 26-28 July
Belfast One’s summer cinema will be at City Hall on 10-11 August.
Councillor Michael Long, Chair of the council’s All Party Working Group on the City Centre, welcomed the progress saying: "The challenges of recent years, including the impact of Covid-19, changing work habits, the fire at Bank Buildings and economic pressures, have all changed how we use and view our city centre, but there is an enormous amount of proactive work underway to unlock growth and support revitalisation,” he said.
“Since 2015, we’ve seen a positive trajectory of development and regeneration activity, but we recognise there is still much work to be done.
“Ensuring our city centre is the best it can be takes collective effort from a wide range of organisations, but we are committed to working with the NI Assembly, relevant Stormont departments, traders and their representatives, the Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and all our statutory partners to build a space that is strong, safe, welcoming and attractive for everyone.”
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