Tribeca "should be scrapped" as Belfast city centre site makes little progress

It's been proposed that unspent Stormont money could be used to make progress on a derelict Belfast city centre site - but readers in the Belfast Live comments section think otherwise.

The SDLP say that the Tribeca site has "become an eyesore, attracting anti-social behaviour, costing the city millions in rates revenue, and detracting from one of the main hospitality and cultural hubs of the entire North." The party are bringing the debate to the Stormont Assembly to explore options for developing the Tribeca site, which extends from Royal Avenue to St Anne's Cathedral.

An English firm has owned the site since 2016, but little progress has been made. Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole MLA said: "We are open minded on how Tribeca is dealt with but the current situation is untenable and unacceptable. The developers are either unable or unwilling to progress it, meanwhile one of the most historic parts of the city, which includes the fabled Assembly Rooms, so significant in the history of enlightenment Belfast, is being allowed to fall into rack and ruin."

Read more: Call for Castlebrook to 'deliver or move on' with Tribeca development

Read more: Council say work ongoing to make city centre 'clean, safe and welcoming'

Reader George2020 has strong words on the area: “Tribeca should be scrapped. Give a compulsory purchase order to the private developer who is actively letting it go to wreck and ruin so it can be demolished. And instead of knocking down the buildings we have and just keeping the facade, restore the buildings and the beautiful art deco North Street arcade.

"Why don't we fill the rest of the street with traditional architecture with ground floor rooms for businesses and the upper floors for housing - particularly social housing which is desperately needed to get footfall back into the center of town. Council could actually generate revenue from that then instead of being a constant sinkhole.

"God forbid anyone with any sense enter the city council. How many handouts have been given over Tribeca? To ask for public money for this is a disgrace - the public won't get anything for it! Let's not forget North Street used to be one of prettiest streets in Belfast before the blitz... Why do we even want Tribeca? The plans are almost as unsightly than the dereliction we have now."

Commenter Newflash would also like to see a fresh start: “Bulldoze it, turn into a hotel or apartments (private investment). Redirect additional funds, use underspend to bulldoze majority of the street and turn into social & private apartment blocks. Or redirect the underspend to NI water to upgrade the sewage system then allow private investment firm to bulldoze that block and half of Castle Street.”

Looknorth writes: “The whole of lower North Street and lower Donegal street is a DISGRACE... North Street Arcade lying empty... What happened about hotel to be built at The Telegraph Building? So much potential with the newly opened Ulster University, and Royal Avenue opposite Castle Court is also Disgraceful. City Council need to get an investment czar never mind a night time czar... we live in hope.”

Nemo2000 says: “Just zone it all for a public park, void all planning permission and pay the land owners what would be paid for compulsory purchase of ex-social housing pockets of land. Who cares if they are English if they are only using it as a land bank.”

Slickstick writes: “It's not a public building. Why on earth would we throw public money after it... it's privately owned. And if the owner allows it to fall into disrepair then they should be fined for every day it isn't rectified.”

Have your say! If money was no object, what would you do with the Tribeca site? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.