Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

BELFAST CITY MASTERPLAN

BELFAST CITY COUNCIL

March 2004

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Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

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 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

table of
contents
12 Chapter One Introduction (4)

Final Masterplan
3 Chapter Two

Chapter Three
Strategy Overload (10)

Economic and Spatial Analysis (16)

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March 2004
Chapter Four Drivers & Inhibitors (36)

Colin Buchanan & Partners Chapter Five Masterplan Strategy (40)

Colin Stutt Consulting Chapter Six The Spatial Plan (50)

Gehl Architects

The Paul Hogarth Company

Donaldsons
Colin Buchanan & Partners

Premier Business Centres,

7 Chapter Seven

Appendices
Programme for Action (100)

Ken Crothers 20 Adelaide Street, 1 Review of Strategies

Belfast BT2 8GB 2 Commentary on Transport Issues

Tel +44 028 90517082 3 Manchester Case Study

E-mail Belfast@cbuchanan.co.uk 4 Acknowledgements

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Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

From Decline to Revival

The Need for Change

The Seeds of Change

The 15 year Development Framework for Belfast

A Single, Shared Strategy

The Role of Belfast City Council as Civic Leader

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Chapter 1
Introduction

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Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
Introduction
In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries Belfast was a
manufacturing city of global importance with locally owned
companies trading world-wide and leading technical innovation in
engineering, textile, food and related fields. Belfast's most
prestigious buildings still date from this period, when the city played
a leading role in economic, cultural and political developments,
nationally and internationally and was the largest city in Ireland.
However, more recently, Belfast has experienced decline. Its
population, a primary indicator of urban health, has fallen from
almost half a million to just over a quarter of a million over a 50-year
period. Its global and national significance has also declined and
Belfast is now only the 13th largest city in the United Kingdom
according to the 2001 Census.
Put simply, Belfast is not pulling its weight either in its own right or as
the capital of Northern Ireland and this should be of concern to the
citizens of Belfast and to those living elsewhere in Northern Ireland.
A region with a capital city, which is not fully functioning, is missing
out on regional opportunities of significance.
From Decline to Revival
For half a century, public policy in relation to Belfast, whether formed
by central or local government, has been concerned about managing
the decline of the City.
The Matthews Report, published in 1963, attempted to concentrate
growth and investment in designated major urban areas. However It
sought to limit the growth of Belfast as it was felt that increased
concentration of the population in the city was detrimental to
Northern Ireland as a whole.
Whilst this development model has been criticised for its lack of
economic analysis, the legacy of the Matthew Report with regard to
the spatial equity argument continues today.
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There is now the need for new direction to stem the decline of the
region's Capital City, to stimulate and focus growth within the Belfast
urban area and facilitate the development of Belfast as a dynamic
European city. This new focus is partially evident in recently
published national and regional strategic documents i.e. The Regional
Development Strategy for Northern Ireland. However these do not go
far enough, further change is required to facilitate the renaissance of
Belfast as the primary engine for growth and prosperity in the region.
This Masterplan is intended to begin the process of generating new
growth in Belfast by laying the foundations for a revival of the City
playing more effectively the role of a regional capital. Such a revival
will not result from single policies, instead it requires a new vision for
the City and committed action on a cross-sectoral basis to realise that
vision over a sustained period of time.
But such revival does not come about by chance. It requires:
an honest and unflinching analysis of the City's
problems and its relationship to the region - the
economic entity;
a commitment to tackle even unpalatable and
difficult issues;
a strategic alignment to support a single long term
strategic framework for the development of
the City;
commitment of energy and financial and intellectual
resources to the implementation of that strategy; and
clear, effective responsibilities for the development,
implementation and review of that strategy.
The Need for Change
Belfast has a complex and controversial history. It grew from virtually
nothing to a substantial city on the basis of the enterprise and
innovation of its people. Since the great expansion of the 19th
Century, Belfast has been a divided city. Its troubles reflected wider
developments on the island of Ireland.
In more recent years the City has revived considerably, but it is still
the only area of Northern Ireland to experience decline in population
between the 1991 and 2001. Whilst the rest of Northern Ireland has
experienced in-migration and population growth in contrast to
decades of emigration, Belfast has not. Its population has continued
to decline both in absolute terms and as a percentage of the growing
Northern Ireland population. In 2001 Belfast accounted for just 16%1
of the population of Northern Ireland, compared to 32% in 1951.2
Belfast has also experienced other forms of decline. The City Centre
retail offering is no longer compelling, out of town centres now
compete with what was once a unique retail product. However, city
centres are now a key area for inward investment and the weakness
of Belfast City Centre is a regional weakness for Northern Ireland as a
whole. The wider centre city of Belfast (from Queen's University to the
city centre and the Harbour Estate) is the key location for knowledge-
based inward investment in Northern Ireland, but this centre city zone
is physically fragmented, poorly presented in image terms and its role
as the dynamic core of the city and of the region has not yet been
recognised in spatial and economic planning.
More recent development in the City has been unevenly distributed.
While Laganside and the outer suburbs have prospered, the areas
between the city centre and the surrounding communities remain
fractured and often underused. These require a distinctive approach
to be based upon physical regeneration, good urban design and the
creation of new employment opportunities integrated with housing to
meet the needs of the City's “potential”.
The city today is a shadow of its former self and has some distance to
go before it can take its place once again amongst the top ranking
urban centres of northern Europe. Notwithstanding the physical
legacy of its recent history, the city is struggling to excel in areas of
physical regeneration and renewal by comparison with its UK and
Irish counterparts. The physical product of the city is largely mediocre,
the core is fragmented and empty in the evening hours, some of its
neighbourhoods exhibit excessive levels of neglect, contemporary

architecture (with only a few notable exceptions) is poor, streets are
grossly over engineered, public spaces are in many instances dirty,
underused and unfriendly, the public transport system is outdated and
overall presentation to new visitors and investors is unimpressive.
These critical observations are a measure of the slow but constant
decline of the city as the regional capital of Northern Ireland. This can
not be allowed to continue and must now constitute a major concern
to all of those engaged in shaping the economic future of Northern
Ireland.
The Seeds of Change
Belfast is already engaged in a process of economic change and
development.
On the negative side the end of shipbuilding, reduction in other
engineering sectors such as Mackies and Sirocco and continued
difficulties in the aerospace industry are all significant challenges.
On the other hand, the development of local, knowledge-based
businesses, the creation of the Northern Ireland Science Park, the
opportunities opened up by the creation of Titanic Quarter and the
confirmed development of a major retail and mixed use facility at
Victoria Square are all indicators of real progress and opportunity.
Michael Parkinson was commissioned by Belfast City Council during
2003 to undertake a study on a comparative city basis. In terms of
headline statistics, whilst the data relating to productivity is still
sketchy, early analysis of existing GDP data suggests that Belfast
performs better than most UK cities and sits mid table when
compared with other European cities. Whilst the total number of
employees working in Belfast is small compared with other larger
cities, in terms of employee jobs per capita the city scores well, a
reflection of its position as the regional employment centre. Belfast’s
unemployment rate again sees it placed “mid table” – better than
many French and UK cities, and a high proportion of the working age
population is qualified to degree level.
Belfast within this baseline context does have strengths that can be
reflected. One of the strengths being its well qualified workforce, with
24% of its working age population qualified to degree level.
Colin Buchanan and Partners
In addition Belfast has a very young population with 28.4% of
residents aged 19 and under, (compared with just 25% across the UK
as a whole). Also average weekly full time earnings in Belfast were
£427.60 in 2002, 9.6% higher than the regional average.
Belfast experienced steady growth in total employment between 1996
and 2001 up 7.1% - ahead of Birmingham, Leeds and Nottingham.
Combined with a share of regional employment eleven percentage
points higher than its share of regional population, a higher share than
any of the core cities, this indicates that, despite employment growth
behind the regional average, the city remains the employment centre
in Northern Ireland. These benefits are supplemented by a high
proportion of employee jobs in Belfast being full time – at 71.7%
(2001) well above the regional rate of 67.1% and higher than most of
the core cities.
The price of all types of property across Northern Ireland is up 63%
since 1998 and property is now most expensive in South Belfast.
Taking Belfast as a whole the average house price is £99,300 – up
73% since 1998. This rise is greater than that experienced in
Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle during the same
period.
In conclusion, the growth processes need to be directed in such a
way as to maximise the benefits to Belfast and Northern Ireland at the
same time as to remove the constraints to growth and development.
The 15 year Development Framework for
Belfast
This masterplan document proposes a framework for the revival of
Belfast in the period to 2020. It is based on a robust analysis of the
socio-economic needs of the City, expressed spatially in a 15 year
integrated development framework. Our specific spatial
recommendations are based on the following themes:
Energising the Core;
Connecting the Middle City;
Promoting Neighbourhood Renewal;
Presenting the City; and
Releasing Environmental Assets
Belfast Masterplan
The value of the framework lies in the integration of the different
economic, social and physical perspectives, the use of international
best practice techniques resulting in the creation of a clear spatial
framework which can be the driver for policy development and
implementation by Belfast City Council, central government in
Northern Ireland and its agencies.
A Single, Shared Strategy
Over the years Belfast has been the subject of numerous
development plans, often competing and seldom integrated. This has
resulted in confusion at all levels. The lack of clarity and shared
intentions about the development of the City has been an inhibitor to
investment and development. Belfast now needs a single agreed
medium to long term 'to do list' which will be effectively implemented
by agreed agencies.
The unique governance situation in Northern Ireland, where central
government holds statutory planning powers has in the past
prevented leadership through local governance. Many successful
cities have depended on strong local leadership as an essential
contribution to their success e.g. Leeds. Often diverse partners are
united through a strong individual (e.g. Chief Excecutive of a Local
Authority) to work towards a common objective.
While local authorities in Northern Ireland now have enhanced powers
to invest in the economic development of their areas, the reality is that
many aspects of this masterplan can be implemented only by co-
operation and partnership between Belfast City Council, Government
Departments (e.g. Department for Social Development, Department of
the Environment and the Department of Regional Development),
agencies (e.g. Invest Northern Ireland and the Laganside
Corporation) and the private, voluntary and community sectors in
Belfast. The Masterplan recognises this and makes proposals for
new, streamlined and more effective structures for partnership
working in Belfast.
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Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

The Masterplan also draws on best practice and experience in urban

regeneration in the UK, Ireland and internationally. In our detailed Footnotes
recommendations we bring the experience of many leading cities
which have encountered development problems and overcome them
1
2001 Census
successfully. Such best practice models not only provide confidence
that the problems facing Belfast can be tackled but also that the
2
Demographic Trends in the Belfast Region by Paul A.
techniques used are effective and grounded in experience elsewhere. Compton included in the Geographical Society of Ireland,
Special Publication No. 5 ‘Geographical Perspectives on the
Belfast Region.
The Role of Belfast City Council as
Civic Leader and its BMAP Influence
Belfast City Council has commissioned this masterplan but, uniquely,
in comparison to other major cities throughout the United Kingdom,
Belfast City Council is not the planning authority for Belfast. The
Department of the Environment, through the Planning Service, is
currently preparing the Draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP),
after an extensive consultation programme. The plan covers six local
authority administrative boundaries including Belfast.

This Belfast City Council Masterplan is, therefore, intended to be an

important contributor to the BMAP, which will set the statutory land
use planning framework for Belfast and the surrounding Council areas
for a 12 year period.

While the input to the BMAP process is important, the role of the
masterplan is wider and includes:

fostering civic leadership, through the preparation

of a single development strategy for the City for a
15 year period, to be the subject of consultation
and agreement with the statutory, private and
voluntary and community sectors in Belfast;

ensuring that Belfast City Council's own operations

are fully aligned to achieve and implement the strategy;and

offering political leadership in making difficult

choices required for successful implementation of the
proposed strategy. In a divided city, the creation of a sense
of shared political purpose is an indispensable first step to
revival and growth.

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Setting the strategic scene

National policy

Regional policy

Planning policy statements

Local policy

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Chapter 2
Strategy Overload

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Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
Strategy Overload
Setting the Strategic Scene
International, national, regional and local policy exist in abundance
therefore the question arises do we need another strategy - the
piece to complete the jigsaw? This directly leads us to assess what
currently exists.
There is a tendency to feel that Belfast is over-strategised. Too many
organisations and offshoots of organisations developing their
approaches and plans in a clumsy, sometimes disjointed and
occasionally isolated fashion. This Masterplan must attempt to pull
together the various strands that at present have not been translated
on the ground into meaningful actions capable of making Belfast
successful.
The importance of ‘locational policy’ (where houses, roads ect are
located) can not be overemphesised. Major mistakes can have long
term (50 - 100 years) implications.
The existing raft of strategies is quite simply not delivering for the
city. The fact remains that Belfast is a congested and fragmented city
with a weakened city core, the product of many years of sectarian
division and unrest, and unfocused planning and promotional
approaches. The challenge is now to identify those strategies (or
aspects of strategies) that can be used as the solid building blocks
from which to move forward and develop, and those that are of
marginal value to the process of re-building the city.
Citizenship is critical to this approach.
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National Policy
Towards an Urban Renaissance -The Urban Task Force Report-
1999/2025
Good practice suggests that towns and cities should be well
designed, be more compact and connected, support a range of
diverse uses within a sustainable urban environment which is well
integrated with public transport and adaptable to change.
"Achieving urban renaissance is not only about numbers and
percentages. It is about creating the quality of life and vitality that
makes urban living desirable. We must bring about change in urban
attitudes so that towns and cities once again become attractive
places to live, work, and socialise. The process of change should
combine strengthened democratic local leadership with an increased
commitment to public participation. There must be an increase in
investment in our urban areas, using public finance to attract the
market. All government initiatives, which affect towns and cities,
should demonstrate a shared commitment to urban renaissance.
The renaissance will require a change of culture through education,
debate, information and participation. It is about skills, beliefs and
values not just policies".
A New Commitment to Neighbourhood Renewal - National
Strategy Action Plan 2001
This approach is based upon a holistic and integrated approach to
tackling social and economic disadvantage. Under several headings
i.e. work and enterprise, crime, education and skills, health and
housing and the physical environment, the plan aims to agree
common goals to reduce problems and to narrow the gap between
the most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of the country. It has
chosen eighty eight of the most deprived local authority districts to
target additional financial resources.
Regional Policy
Northern Ireland Executive - Programme for Government -
" Making a difference" - 2002 to 2005
The priorities stated include growing as a community, working for a
healthier people, investing in education and skills, securing a
competitive economy and developing internal and external relations.
Regional Development Strategy for Northern Ireland - 2025
Central to the Masterplan, the Regional Development Strategy sets
out a long-term spatial framework to guide future development within
Northern Ireland. Its vision by 2025 is to create an outward-looking,
dynamic and liveable Region capable of providing a high quality of
life for all. It aims to achieve this through reinforcing and
strengthening the urban hubs, creating an upgraded and integrated
transport system and enhancing the regional gateways.
The importance of Belfast and its hinterland as the primary engine of
growth for the region is recognised, albeit in a partial way through
the quote "securing a strong and vibrant capital city and metropolitan
area is vital to the economic and social well being of Northern
Ireland". However this fails to identify the separate function of the
city within the wider metropolitan area.
Strategic Planning Guideline 1 for the Belfast Metropolitan Area aims
"to create a thriving Metropolitan Area centered on a revitalised city
of Belfast". The Masterplan provides a more detailed spatial
articulation or dimension for this guidance.
In Belfast's case, it relies upon "promoting a sustained urban
renaissance based on maintaining a compact city, a high quality
urban environment with improved urban transport systems and
green spaces, thus underpinning its strategic role as the hub for
economic activity, employment and services, and providing more
attractive places in which to live".
Objective Econ 1.3 specifically aims to support urban renaissance by
promoting "vitality and viability of town centres as the major locations
and first choice for future investment given their accessibility to all
sections of the community".
The question arises, does it go far enough at reinforcing the
importance of Belfast City to the Region? This does not appear to be
fully reflected in the policy statements. The importance of this
relationship will be further explored in the core city comparator
analysis in later chapters.

Urban Regeneration in Northern Ireland -A Strategy for
Neighbourhood Renewal - 2003
The strategy aims to regenerate those communities experiencing the
most serious economic and social deprivation across Northern
Ireland. It outlines an approach to regeneration with crosscutting
policies coupled with a joined-up delivery across public sector
agencies merging the four strands of people, jobs, services and
infrastructure.
Some of the relevant key themes aim to tackle the most acute
deprivation/disadvantaged areas; place regeneration at the centre of
the work of departments, agencies and programmes; and develop
city and town centres strengthening linkages with disadvantaged
areas.
Regional Transportation Strategy for Northern Ireland 2002 -
2012
The vision of the Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS) is 'to have
a modern, sustainable, safe transportation system which benefits
society, the economy and the environment and which actively
contributes to social inclusion and everyone's quality of life'. The
RTS identifies strategic transportation investment priorities and
considers potential funding sources over the next 10 years.
The RTS provides a range of transportation initiatives across
Northern Ireland including providing quality Bus Corridors on all main
Belfast commuter routes; commencing rapid transit network in the
Belfast Metropolitan Area; and demand management measures in
Belfast;
The city/region relationship is shaped to a significant degree by the
transportation infrastructure that links the two. It is critical to both that
the balance is right and is found to be to the mutual benefit of both.
The masterplan will examine this relationship from the city's
perspective as the prime economic driver of the region.
Planning Policy Statements
A number of Planning Policy Statement (PPS's) documents have
been prepared by the Department for Regional Development (DRD),
to provide guidance to the whole of Northern Ireland in the form of
strategic planning policy on a number of land use issues, including
Retail, Housing and Access, Movement and Parking. Planning
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
Policy Statements are a material planning consideration for the DoE
in preparing development plans and dealing with individual planning
applications.
The three PPS's of most relevance are;
PPS5 Retailing and Town Centres:
The leading themes are to encourage; new and diverse retail
Prepared in 1996 and currently under review. A study by Roger and
investment; modern offices/business development; investment in
Tyms carried out research on large-scale retail development as part
tourism and leisure; connectivity and public realm enhancement; and
of their review of retail planning policy in Northern Ireland The
reinforcing City Communities.
research will inform the forthcoming Planning Policy Statement). It
sets out the Department's planning policies to enhance the vitality Priorities include; Victoria Square as the principal shopping
and viability of town / city centre, maximize competition and the development in town; Royal Avenue/Cathedral Quarter (NE Quarter);
opportunity to use alternative transport to the car, ensure the public realm (at Castle Place/High Street and Bridge Street,
availability of a wide range of shops and maintain an efficient and Donegall Square/City Hall, Donegall Place/Royal Avenue, Fountain
competitive economy. Street/Queen Street/Castle Street, Chapel Lane/Rank Street and
pedestrian links to the river); rear of Castle court/North Street (NW
PPS12 Housing in Settlements:
Quarter) - masterplan and regeneration strategy; city centre office
This PPS is in draft form only. It has a number of policy objectives, core (potential vacant sites); and Grosvenor Road Office Site (high
including the ; development of balanced local communities; creating quality development).
compact urban forms; higher density urban housing; a mixed-use
DSD People and Place - Neighbourhood Renewal in Belfast
approach to new residential; and integration of residential
Draft Implementation Plan, 2004
development with public transport and modes of transport other than
the private car. This draft plan aims to: develop confident communities to improve
quality of life, develop economic activities in the most deprived
PPS3 Access, Movement and Parking:
neighbourhoods and connect them to the wider urban economy,
improve social conditions for those who live in the most deprived
As before this PPS is in draft form. It defines the Department's
neighbourhoods and create attractive, safe, sustainable
planning policies for vehicular and pedestrian access, the protection
environments. The document, currently at consultation stage,
of transport routes, transport assessment, and parking. It forms an
important element in the integration of transport and land use prioritises the most deprived neighbourhoods.
planning and embodies the Programme for Government's
DOE Belfast Urban Area Plan - 2001
commitments.
The BUAP 2001 is the current landuse planning document for the
Local Policy administrative area of Belfast City Council and includes the adjoining
urban areas of Castlereagh, Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Greenisland
DSD GVA Grimleys City Centre Regeneration Strategy 2003
and Hollywood. This document sets the development strategy and
The report establishes the need to prioritise investment to give a policy statements for the City but has been superseded in parts by
the series of Planning Policy Statements (PPS) that set out policy
clear message to the market on what the priority developments are
and guidance for a number of specific land use activities.
and to control development in order to maximise rental growth,
making development and investment viable.
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Published in 1990, the principle aims of the BUAP identified the need
to; maintain and strengthen Belfast's position as the regional centre
for Northern Ireland; to create a physical environment and a
framework for social and economic activity which would enhance the
quality of urban living; and facilitate an efficient, economic and orderly
pattern of development.
Prepared during a period of economic change and civil disturbance
(which led to significant population decline and decanting to adjacent
urban areas), the BUAP failed to define and articulate the area as the
economic driver for the region. The main aims of the BUAP were
targeted through a development-led approach which identified a
variety of physical measures to contain and renew the urban area and
the inner city, promote a vibrant urban economy, create a strong city-
centre, and a revitalised inner city. However the BUAP significantly
enhanced the potential capacity of Belfast as a regional centre by
identifying significant development opportunities within the City e.g.
the development of Laganside.
DOE Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan 2015 - Issues Paper 2025
BMAP will provide a statutory land use planning framework to guide
and control future development until 2015 and covers the
administrative districts of Belfast, Carrickfergus, Lisburn, Castlereagh,
Newtownabbey and North-Down. The Draft Plan is due to be
published later this year.
In line with the RDS the Issues Paper seeks to create a thriving
Metropolitan Area centred on a revitalised City; to strengthen the role
of the BMA as the regional economic driver and to develop a strong
City complex to rival other European cities. The issues paper further
considers:
Accommodating additional housing need within the existing
urban area;
Enhancing the employment potential of the city centre,
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Laganside and the Harbour Estate and developing
strategic locations for employment growth in North, West
and East Belfast;
Tackling Belfast's existing traffic problems caused by the
dependence on the private car;
Supporting the continued renewal of the riverside with
modern commercial, residential and entertainment
developments;
Upgrading the arterial routes to produce quality
environments and strengthening their roles as service
centres;
Exploring opportunities for the development of further
leisure and community facilities and the potential of the
Lough, Lagan and surrounding hill;
Improving the international image of the city and improving
its attractiveness to visitors; and
Supporting and reinforcing the role of the city centre as a
regional shopping centre and educational, cultural and arts
capital.
DRD Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP)
BMTP seeks to co-ordinate the implementation of transportation
within the same BMAP area, by drawing up an integrated and phased
programme of transport schemes and measures. It hopes to ensure
an integrated approach to land use and transportation planning. The
BMAP will set out the future land use for the BMA and will incorporate
the main proposals outlined in the BMTP.
Belfast City Council Corporate Plan 2003 -2006
The recently launched plan states its key objectives as; providing civic
leadership; improving quality of life now and for future generations;
and promoting good relations and delivering best services.
Priorities include; creating a clean and attractive city; a safe city; a
healthy city; a strong economy; and managing the City's waste.
Belfast: Capital City - The Development Agenda 2025
The lead themes of transforming leadership, diminishing barriers,
leaving a legacy, becoming a better place and believing we are worth
it, capture the dynamic approach and political drive needed to make
things happen.
" Belfast will remain the lynchpin for the economic and social good
health of the entire region. The success of a revitalised Belfast will be
shared by everyone".
Belfast City Council Local Economic Development Plan 2002-
2006 - Sustaining Competitive Advantage
The plan is based upon; increasing investability, creating clusters,
promoting entrepreneurship and competitiveness, driving economic
change, fostering neighbourhood renewal and outward and forward
looking region are the stated areas for focus.
However it must be recognised that Belfast City Council’s role is
somewhat limited by central government (Department of Finance and
Personnel) especially with regard to European resources.
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A Ten Year Health Check

Economic Analysis

Social Analysis

Physical Analysis

Transport & Movement Analysis

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Chapter 3
Analysis

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Analysis
Before examining how Belfast compares with the performance of
other UK cities, it is important to understand the demographic, social
and economic trends in the city over the last ten years.
A Ten Year Health Check
The table on the following pages takes a snapshot of Belfast's profile
which is compared against other UK cities.
The objective of the analysis is to enable the masterplan to identify
the drivers of economic growth, the asset base upon which they rely
and the inhibitors that constrain their performance. These are
summarised in Chapter 4 and form the basis upon which the
masterplan strategy is evolved in Chapter 5.
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Key Topic Demographic/Socio and Economic Statistics and trends
Population Since 1991, Belfast City Council has lost 5.4% of its total population as a result of out-migration and was
the only council in Northern Ireland to experience decline.
With a population of 277,391 it homes 16% of Northern Ireland’s population.
Smaller than most Capital Cities.
The population structure is increasingly youthful with a higher than average 20 to 24 year old group,
important for the growth of new industries.1
Static Protestant population comprising 40% with an increasing Catholic proportion of 42%. (Note a high
Religious affiliation
% did not provide a census response).2
Continuing polarisation of communities exhibited city wide.
Contains ten of the worst deprived wards in Northern Ireland in terms of health. (Government
Deprivation indicators
commitment to Target Social Need).
166% rise in house prices in Northern Ireland compared to 75% in the UK.3
Housing market
Household size declining further implying an upward demand.
Relatively low rate of new start builds compared with rest of Northern Ireland.
City Centre living competes unfavourably with suburbia.
60% brownfield housing target for BMAP area.
Education Belfast exhibits the best and worst education results with the continued need to bridge the gap.
35% of school leavers obtained 3+ A Levels whereas 7.6% did not achieve any qualifications, both
greater than the Northern Ireland average.4
Increase in the number of further education places equating to approximately 60,000 in total.
Low level of commercialisation activity between universities and businesses compared with the South of
Ireland where it is three-fold.5
Labour market Employment growth of 6% compared to Northern Ireland average of 11%.6
Low wage economy biased towards low added value manufacturing goods.
Slight increase in benefit dependency culture.
Manufacturing sector Major decline within Belfast to 9% accompanied by increase of market share in neighbouring districts
from 18% to 21%.7
Service sector 88% jobs are in service sector. Public sector dependent economy (72% of civil services jobs are located
in Belfast). Very vulnerable to fluctuations in public expenditure.

Key Topic
Construction sector
Knowledge based sector
Tourism
Inward investment
Local indigenous business
City centre and area
based regeneration
Industry and other investment
Transport
Quality of life and the
environment
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
Demographic/Socio and Economic Statistics and trends
Employs 3% - the lowest rate recorded in Northern Ireland. This is in stark contrast to the level of build activity.
Slow to grow by comparison to other cities e.g. Manchester, but potential now exists through the Northern Ireland Science Park, the Universities and
Hospitals’ eagerness to encourage further growth.
From 1995 to 2001 both tourism spend and numbers employed in the industry have doubled to £100m/year and 5000 respectively, with significant
capacity for further growth.8
Increasing trend where investment by new industries keen to be located in liveable city centres.
Quality of Life and environment a major consideration in a competitive market.
Continues to employ majority of Belfast residents. Increasing lack of small business space/property in city.
Increasing acknowledgement of the potential of locally based employment growth in community businesses, intermediary labour markets and local
exchange trading schemes.
Has worked at Laganside but has still to foster improved linkages with the city centre.
Investment in the city centre’s public realm has been neglected. Laganside’s investment is a marked contrast.
The city is increasingly viewed as the economic driver for the Metropolitan area and Region.
Lack of government direction towards investment priority in spatial terms - stifling the market.
No shortage of land but mismatch between land supply and demand. Large land banked sites available but not where businesses require them to be.
Decrease in number of people using public transport.
Increase in city centre car parking spaces.
Increase in traffic volume and congestion with the prediction of a further 30% growth by 2020.
46% of Belfast households do not have access to a car9.
Growing recognition of the role of public transport in providing safe and equitable access to services, facilities and employment.
Quality of life and environment (soft issues) have become more important to attracting and retaining mobile investment. Belfast is increasingly capable
of offering these.
A public realm open space strategy has been prepared - now must be delivered.
Street cleanliness has improved but much needs to be done.
Urban design quality has improved e.g. Laganside but little evidence elsewhere in city.
Increase in safety perception issue especially at night.
Increase in need to find sustainable solutions to waste management.
Increase in understanding of the economic potential of green spaces.
19
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

How does Belfast compare to other UK
Cities?
On the whole Belfast is improving but one must ask where it fits
against other comparator UK cities. Does it have a competitive edge?
Below we compare it's placing in demographic, regeneration spend,
retail, cleanliness and safety terms from recent research conducted.
Demographic Trends At present the residential market appears to be saturated with an over
supply of apartments, however the cycle may change again in the
As previously noted population trends are a good indicator of the short term.10
health of a city. The table below gives an appreciation of trends over a
ten year period for several UK cities.
Regeneration Spend
Minimal residential development occurred in Belfast until the early
Approximate regeneration spend per head of population for UK cities,
1990's. This was as a result of suburbanisation and the flight to less
shows that Belfast has spent more per capita than any other major
troubled areas. Between 1990 and 1997 a small number of
city in the UK yet the physical fabric of the city does not convey this.
apartments were developed but these were successful with young
Leeds by comparison has spent least, yet is renowned as one of the
people rather than appealing to the wider population.
most successful regeneration models in the UK. Clearly there are
Growth in this housing type has been demonstrated clearly over the lessons to be learned for Belfast.
last five years. Local agents have noted that those under £120,000
It has been estimated that it costs approximately £100,000 to
have sold quickly whereas those in a higher price range have been
establish an organisation before it becomes operational. Given the
slow to sell.
number of regeneration/development organisations within the Belfast
area, this clearly amounts to significant overhead costs.

Mid-year estimates 199111 Census 2001 Change in population Rank City Approximate regeneration spend
per capita from 1994 to 2003.12

Leeds 706,700 715,404 8,704 (+1.2%)

1 Belfast £3815
Sheffield 520,100 513,234 6,866 (-1.3%)
2 Manchester £3244
Liverpool 475,600 439,000 36,600 (-7.7%)
3 Newcastle £2072
Manchester 432,700 392,819 39,881 (-9.2%)
4 Liverpool £1782
Cardiff 296,900 305,353 8,453 (+2.8%)
5 Nottingham £1719
Belfast 292,938 277,391 15,547 (-5.3%)
6 Plymouth £1395
Nottingham 279,400 266,988 12,412 (-4.4%)

Newcastle 275,000 259,600 15,400 (-5.6%) 7 Sheffield £1291

Plymouth 251,000 240,720 10,280 (-4.1%) 8 Leeds £982

20

Other general performance indicators for 2001 to 2002 suggest that
cleanliness, safety perceptions, retail ranking, tourism spend, room
occupancy, public transport use, accessibility perceptions, have
decreased whilst retail floorspace, number of retail units, number of
tourists staying one night, frequency of evening visits, number of pubs
and clubs have all sustained increased levels.
Retail
Many cities have undergone significant change over the last ten
years, often reinventing themselves as a result of effective Urban
Renaissance. The successful cities have all had a common vision for
their cities.
Does Belfast know what it wants to be?
In addition to the above, it is noted that Belfast achieves high
rentals of approximately £190 and £145 per square foot for prime
and secondary retail areas respectively indicating strong retail
confidence.13
However the lack of modern, good quality retail space has led major
multiple retailers seeking more peripheral locations. Gaps exist in the
fashion and sports sectors and specialist traders but interest by a
number of stores currently under-represented in Belfast exists.
Unfortunately a number of major retail proposals are currently subject
to long standing planning applications i.e. by Ewart plc for Royal
Avenue/Cathedral Way and by Westfield to extend Castle Court. This
has stifled the market and lead to a negative perception of Belfast as
a place where development opportunities are slow to realise. On a
positive note however the recent permission granted to the A.M.D
Development/Victoria Square retail development should act as a
catalyst to encourage further investment in the city centre.
Office Market
Belfast has experienced relative stability over the last ten years in
contrast to other UK cities. Although it remains one of the least
expensive UK cities in terms of office costs this is not always an
advantage. The underlying reasons for the low cost base are often an
indication of a sluggish market. The fact is rents remain low and
growth limited with demand coming generally from local companies.
The Northern Ireland Office Market has been historically driven by
demand from professional services and banks. However Belfast has
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
relied heavily on the public sector and continues to exhibit that trend.
This dependency has cushioned the “ups and downs” experienced
with markets that rely upon speculative development. However the
standard (design and specification) of building required by the public
sector has been lower than that expected by most developments in
both the UK and Europe. Further to this, demand for higher
specification offices outstrips supply in Belfast.
Donaldson’s Property Market report (BCC July 2003), states average
take up rates vary from 200,000sq ft to 350,000sq ft a year. They
suggest projecting forward at the higher end given the economic
“catch up” process that has continued to parallel the peace process.
The report confirms that there is approximately 800,000 sq ft office
floorspace currently available either available to let or under
construction in the BMAP area. In addition 1,300,000sq ft of space is
proposed in major office schemes in central Belfast which excludes
both Titanic Quarter and Sirocco. But does current supply satisfy
demand?
Looking at forecasted employment growth based on the lower and
higher take up rates, Donaldson’s state that there would appear to be
supply that should last for between 6 and 10 years. Therefore it is
clear that future capacity would require to be accommodated to
ensure the continued growth of the office economy over a 15 year
period.
Cleanliness
The 1996 Tidy Britain Survey14 , ranked Belfast mid way out of 58 UK
cities scoring similar to Cambridge, Portsmouth and Leicester.
Although this survey is no longer carried out, a similar Northern
Ireland one has been conducted annually since 2000. It demonstrates
that Belfast has experienced a significant decline in perceptions of
cleanliness. This affects not only the quality of life for those who live,
work and visit but less favourable first impressions are often made by
potential investors.
Belfast’s ranked position (out of 26)
2000 18th
2001 13th The ongoing campaign at present is trying to positively tackle the
issue and raise awareness of the benefits of keeping the city clean.
2002 25th
21
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Retail Change experienced 15

Manchester Significant enhancement in the quality and quantity of its retail offer and environment. Transformation in terms of image from a city suffering industrial
decline and social unrest to its “Glam” image.
Fact: Floorspace has increased by 17% whilst the number of retail units has remained static. Nationally ranked 3rd according to Verdict Research survey
carried out 2002.
Glasgow Amongst the top performing centres in the UK. Constantly reinventing itself through its retail offering from Buchanan Galleries to Ikea. Significant public
realm expenditure focussed within the city centre has assisted its success.
Fact: Number of retail units has fallen but retail floorspace has increased by 36 % between 2001 and 2002. Ranked 4th.

Leeds Has experienced major renaissance as a retail destination triggered by the opening of Harvey Nichols store, the first outside London.
Fact: Floorspace has marginally decreased and the number of retail units has slightly increased. Ranked 6th.

Nottingham Now one of the top performing centres in the country. It has witnessed significant improvement in its retail performance and image.
Fact: Floorspace and number of retail units have remained static over last year Ranked 7th.

Belfast According to research carried out by Verdict Research in 2002, Belfast had fallen to 11th out of the 12 ranked. This was due to the lack of new development.
Strength of the retail location indicated that Belfast was ranked 23rd and named as a “Mr Average”. On the vitality and viability front, Belfast ranked 55th
highlighting up to 10% vacancy levels.

Bristol Experienced significant threat from a major out of town shopping centre.
Fact: Floorspace has remained static whilst the number of retail units has marginally decreased.

Newcastle Floorspace has marginally increased and Number of retail units has declined.

22
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Belfast and its Comparative UK Cities Socio-demographics

The table below examines the key findings taken from the 2001
Census, making comparisons between Belfast City and a selection of
other UK cities.16
The cities which have experienced an increase in
population over the period are Cardiff (6.9%) and Leeds
(5.1%). Alternatively, Belfast experienced a decrease in
population (-0.7%) but not as great as Manchester (-2.1%)
and Liverpool (-2.8%).

Note that the population % difference figure for Belfast
differs from the previously used -5.4% due to the 1991
undercount. The figure of -5.4% is the most accurate
record of population trend taking account of adjustments
by using mid year population estimates.
Notably Belfast has a high proportion of students and
young working adults (43.1%), similar to Sheffield (42%)
and Cardiff (44.1%).
In Belfast 16.9% of people questioned about their religious
preference stated that they had none, however, this figure
was relatively similar to the other cities i.e. Leeds (16.8%)
and Newcastle and Manchester (16%).
With regard to average household size, Belfast was
second highest out of the selected cities with 2.38, slightly
below Cardiff at 2.41. All the other cities ranged from 2.34
in Leeds to 2.2 in Nottingham.

Cities Population Age Structure Religion Households

% of persons Average
% of persons aged % of persons
2001 1991 % difference with no religion household
16-24 aged 25-44
or religion not size
stated

Belfast 277,391 279,237 -0.7 14.99 28.11 16.93 2.38

Cardiff 305,353 285,531 6.9 15.20 28.90 18.80 2.41

Leeds 715,402 680,424 5.1 13.20 39.50 16.80 2.34

Liverpool 439,473 452,340 -2.8 15.20 29.40 9.70 2.27

Manchester 392,819 401,207 -2.1 17.70 29.80 16.00 2.25

Newcastle-upon-Tyne 259,536 259,668 -0.1 15.40 28.70 16.00 2.28

Nottingham 266,988 263,522 1.3 18.10 29.20 24.80 2.22

Sheffield 513,234 500,900 2.5 13.40 28.60 17.90 2.32

23
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
Economic Profile
Belfast has the second highest level of unemployment
(5.41%) after Liverpool (6%). The remaining cities range
from 5.3% in Nottingham to 3.10% in Cardiff.
Within the different sectors of employment, Belfast's
majority work within the service industries (83.31%). The
remainder are employed within the manufacturing
(10.49%) and the construction industries (5.24%). This
profile is quite similar to Cardiff and Manchester.
Belfast has the second highest percentage of people with
no qualifications (41.8%), with only Liverpool having a
higher percentage (43.4%). Those with degrees and
professional qualifications are similar to Leeds (19.2%)
and Newcastle (20.9%).
Surprisingly in Belfast 46% of households do not have
access to a car or van, similar to Newcastle and
Nottingham. This is a higher percentage than Cardiff,
Leeds and Sheffield. On the converse Belfast has a high
percentage of households with 2 cars (13.08%), higher
than Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Nottingham.
24
Characteristics of a Competitive City
The previous sections have assessed Belfast in terms of its stand-
alone performance and that compared to other UK cities. In doing so
it has provided an insight into the city's competitiveness or lack of it.
Therefore a useful starting point is to assess what make some cities
competitive and others not.
Research has proven that certain common factors underpin
competitive cities namely:
The ability of cities to change their relative performance;
The relationship between cities and regions - the most
competitive regions contain the most competitive cities;
The links between economic competitiveness and social
inclusion - lower unemployment, higher skilled, better
educated workforce. Investment in Human Capital the
key;
A supportive national policy framework is essential.
Decentralisation within cities with more local autonomy
and clear accountability leads to a more proactive,
entrepreneurial and successful approach;
Strength of innovation in all areas;
Level and relevance of workforce skills;
Efficiency of transport connections to key markets;
Capacity to design and deliver long term development
strategies.
The key messages to Belfast are that investment in human capital, a
supportive national policy framework, decentralisation with local
autonomy and clear accountability, innovation, workforce skills and
efficient transport connections are essential ingredients to give it that
competitive edge.
Successful Regions have Successful
Core Cities
"Successful regions have successful 'core cities' at their heart - but
the 'city-region' relationship is mutually reinforcing and requires
positive partnership in order to gain the full benefits"
This quote, taken from the Cities, Regions and Competitiveness
second report, June 2003, emphasises the role Belfast must perform
for the betterment of the region.
"In advanced countries major regional cities have significantly
stronger economies and higher international profiles. They act as
motors of growth for their regions and in consequence their national
economies are less reliant on the unique contribution of the
Capital City".
Economic appraisal
Macro Factors - Globalisation
Belfast has undergone structural economic change typified by the 20
year decline in manufacturing industry (current share is 9% compared
to neighbouring districts that exhibit shares from 18% to 21%). Over
the same period it has experienced an increase in public sector jobs
(often a barrier to accelerating growth). In all, total employment
growth for Belfast was 6% between 1995 and 1999 compared to a
Northern Ireland average of 11%.17
Whilst the pattern of employment is changing, Northern Ireland has a
predominantly low wage economy biased towards the production of
low added value manufactured goods. This is unsustainable in the
long term due to technological change, globalisation and changing
consumer tastes. The local economy is overly dependent on the
public sector (72% of all civil service jobs are located in Belfast),18
making it vulnerable to fluctuations in public expenditure.
Belfast City Council's area has been over-represented in declining
and slow growth sectors but has not experienced the growth in
construction and services employment as has been experienced in
the rest of Northern Ireland.
A drive to build high value added economy with higher wages is
critical to its future success. Building a high value added, high wage,
regional economy will require emphasis on research development and
innovation placing demands on higher and further education sectors
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

to retain indigenous talent. Lesser number of further education places
exist in NI than in the rest of the UK. Future growth in the number of
further education places suggests that the opportunities exist but the
retention of these is critical to creating an innovative economy.
Current estimates suggest there are 58,325 further education places
in Northern Ireland.19
Clearly Belfast has not performed as the growth engine for the region
and much latent capacity now exists.
The city should have a distinctive economic profile different from the
rest of Northern Ireland. It has a specialist role to fulfil as regional
capital and Gateway City, centre for principal administrative,
commercial, industrial, retail, cultural, educational, health,
entertainment and employment for NI.
In an increasingly open and deregulated global economy there is
intense competition for mobile investment. “Soft” factors such as
quality of life and quality of environment are increasingly important in
attracting and holding mobile investment.

All persons Percentage of Percentage of persons aged 16-74 in Percentage of population Percentage of
Cities
aged 16-74 persons aged employment working in: age 16-74 households with
(2001 Census) 16-74
economically
active
With no With degree or No cars Two cars
Un- Manu- Total academic professional
Construction or vans or vans
employed facturing Services qualifications qualifications

Belfast 197,519 5.41 10.49 5.24 83.31 41.82 19.2 43.78 13.08

Cardiff 138,247 3.10 10.30 5.30 82.3 32.6 25.2 29.7 21.3

Leeds 342,706 3.30 14.20 6.30 77.6 37.7 19.2 34.5 19.6

Liverpool 176,602 6.00 10.60 6.00 82.5 43.4 15.2 48.3 11.4

Manchester 159,127 5.00 10.70 5.20 83.2 38.9 21.4 47.8 10.6

Newcastle- 111,741 4.70 10.30 6.50 81.7 38.50 20.9 45.2 13.0
upon-Tyne

Nottingham 113,383 5.30 15.20 6.40 76.7 39.60 17.6 44.9 11.9

Sheffield 236,098 4.20 15.60 7.20 76.1 38.90 18.8 35.7 17.9

25
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
Local Economic Factors
Labour Market
A snap-shot of the labour market reveals that;
the gap in educational attainment between school leavers
with no formal qualifications and those educated to third
level continues to widen;
the unemployment level has dropped to 5.41%20 however
there is still a dependency culture on government benefits.
Access to jobs by traditional means is often difficult for
those marginalised and the need for an activated social
economy is greater than before; and
more people are prepared to travel further for work on the
basis that where they live should provide a quality of life
experience rather than where they work. Large numbers
of people (53%)21 are currently commuting to work in the
city from neighbouring districts.
Inward Investment
Traditional inward investment is flat globally however growth is being
experienced in new industries associated with knowledge and
creativity. Increasingly city centre locations are being sought to locate
these industries. Quality of life is a major consideration for much of
this investment. Therefore Belfast must be able to compete with the
many cities that have already taken up the challenge.
26
Local Indigenous Businesses
The majority of people employed work for local indigenous
businesses. These businesses struggle to find appropriate locations
and property. The numerous Local Enterprise Centres that provide
support are largely full and have low turnover rates. This in turn
creates problems for businesses that often need property ready to
operate from. A shortage of such premises is currently evident
throughout the city. As a result of the analysis in the Shankill and West
Belfast Employment Task Force Reports, Invest Northern Ireland is to
consider a pilot 'industrial co-ownership' initiative in inner city areas of
Belfast in which existing tenants of local enterprise agencies will be
encouraged to move into owned premises, but in a context in which
the capital costs will be shared with the development agencies. Land
however is in no shortage especially within the fracture zones that
exist around the inner city and adjacent to surrounding
neighbourhoods.
Retail
Current retail and office policy has created inappropriate out of town
opportunities at the expense of the city centre. Delays in decision
making e.g. A M Development /Victoria Square, have reinforced a
negative perception to future investors. In the future development
procedures must maximise the opportunity presented in such
schemes.
Social appraisal
Belfast covers 11,489 hectares and is home to a resident population
of 277,391 (16% of NI's population). Approximately two thirds of the
population of Northern Ireland live within a 50 kilometre radius of the
city.
The population has fallen by 5.4% since 1991. Belfast City Council
was the only District Council area not to experience growth in the last
ten years. Although the population in neighbouring council areas rose
significantly e.g. Carrickfergus by 13.8% and Castlereagh by 8.2%.
In addition Belfast exhibits a youthful population with approximately a
fifth below 16 years and a higher than average 20 to 24 year old age
group. A youthful population has implications for education, training
and jobs.
Catholics (42% up) and Protestants (40% static) who make up the
remainder of the population generally live in highly segregated areas.
Ethnic minorities comprise less than 1% of the total population.
According to the Noble Report, Belfast contains the worst ten
deprived wards in terms of health.
New living arrangements require smaller household size due to the
growth in elderly population, marital separations which adds to a
greater demand for an increased number of homes.
Belfast is a divided and polarised society. A recent report entitled
"measuring and visualising labour market and community segregation
in Belfast " 22 makes two key recommendations;
1. There is a need for a policy approach which recognises
indigenous employment needs within deprived areas and
also seeks to connect local people to job opportunities and
efficiently; and
2. A safer and less expensive public transport system would
not only connect deprived area to places of employment
growth but also to other services such as shopping and
leisure facilities.
Opportunities exist for policy makers to promote; greater community
integration by facilitating the removal of existing physical barriers
between communities, conditional upon local agreement. Land
designation, the location of employment and investment decisions on
social, economic and physical infrastructure must respect the
sensitivities of the divided and polarised nature of the community,
while seeking to contribute to the healing of community divisions.
The “Shirlow et al” study evidence strongly suggests that people from
segregated and deprived areas will work together if workplaces are
located within neutral spaces. Particularly so if they can locate a
workplace without having to enter a place "dominated" by the other
religion. Therefore locating workspaces between adjacent
communities stimulates greater mixing. The location of employment,
in sectarian terms, is more important than the frictional effects of
distance.
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Belfast Wards - Rank of Multiple Deprivation

1 to 6 (Highest)
6 to 11
11 to 16
16 to 21
21 to 26
26 to 31
31 to 36
36 to 40
40 to 44
44 to 48 (Lowest)

Multiple Deprivation Indices (Noble Report)

27
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
New Targeting Social Need (TSN)
The Northern Ireland Government is committed to tackling social
exclusion by targeting efforts and available resources towards people
and areas defined as being “in social need”. It requires existing and
new spending programmes to identify and effectively address
deprivation. The Masterplan aims to facilitate this through its
development framework and focused effort in these multiple
deprivation areas. It will deliver promotion of equality of opportunity,
good relations between people of different religious belief and political
opinion or racial group.
Role of the Social Economy
The social economy is an important component of the development
dynamic in Belfast. The social economy (or third sector) lies between
the roles of the private and public sector and has an important role to
play in economic development, social inclusion and the provision of
services to local communities. Northern Ireland has taken the lead in
the development of social economy policies in the UK and has
established a formal Social Economy Forum chaired by the Minister
for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
The social economy consists of a number of social enterprises which
undertake economic activity for social, community or philanthropic
purposes. They seek to provide services to their communities and to
make profits which can be re-invested in the further development of
their communities. The ownership structure of social economy
organisations ensures that the benefits of the business activities
undertaken are re-invested in the local community - most social
economy organisations are structured as companies limited by
guarantee. Social economy organisations are very diverse, ranging
from credit unions, to housing associations, local enterprise agencies
and the trading arms of voluntary and community organisations.
There is no easy way to measure the social and economic
contribution of the social economy - an issue being addressed by a
number of researchers. However, in other urban areas of the UK
where detailed social economy impact studies have been undertaken,
28
the social economy has been found to account for between 6 and 8%
of total employment. In Belfast that would imply that it accounts for
between 6,000 and 8,000 jobs. More significantly, surveys have found
that the employment provided by the social economy is heavily
concentrated in areas of greatest disadvantage, is taken up by those
who are disadvantaged and provides a pathway to mainstream
employment for many people.23
The Reports of the Shankill and West Belfast Employment Task
Forces both argued that greater emphasis should be given to
development of the social economy in Belfast and that social
economy delivery of services to local communities should be given
priority. In particular, detailed proposals are being implemented now
which will enable social economy organisations to offer intermediate
labour market (ILM) employment opportunities to those in inner
city areas who find it difficult to access conventional employment
opportunities without significant training and other support
interventions.
Physical Appraisal
Planning and Environment City Wide
Before moving forward to look closer at the spatial dynamics of
Belfast, and how these can be read in the context of the preceding
economic analysis, the masterplan needs to review the state of the
city and examine the physical inhibitors to performance and
investment.
The city of Belfast is emerging from one of the most turbulent periods
in its post-industrial history. Not only does the city carry the scars of
its changing economic fortunes over this period, it also continues to
live with the physical consequences of decades of intense community
division and sectarian conflict. Notwithstanding all of this, some parts
of the city have faired better than others but overall the city, given its
relative status as a European regional capital, exhibits a fairly
mediocre if not in parts a distinctly poor urban quality.
The city as a product is very poorly presented. Arrivals by road, rail
and air are marked by poor visual first impressions. The primary
arrival corridors are completely absent of public art, are dominated by
heavy engineering (primarily roads) solutions and present almost
expected images of poor and depressed urban fabric. The gateways
through which one enters the city centre and the city neighbourhoods,
from these arrival corridors are no better. The Broadway roundabout
on the city's southern entrance has an electricity pylon in the centre of
it. The Grosvenor Road gateway to the city centre is marked by fly
posting and advertising hoardings and the entire Westlink corridor is
devoid of public art at any of its interchanges or gateways (which is
surprising given the strength of the artistic community within the city).
The same can be said of the eastern approaches on the Sydenham
Bypass from the City Airport and the very uncertain pedestrian route
to the city centre from Central Station.
Under-investment within a number of city neighbourhoods is striking
and the perception of Belfast as a dangerous place is strengthened by
the visual impact of sectarian emblems and dirty streets leaving the
impression of too many no-go areas for the uninitiated, despite the
efforts of the Housing Executive to renew the housing stock within the
poorest parts of the city. The arterial routes that serve many of these
locations, are congested and appear to be viewed more as transit
corridors than the focus of community life in certain areas. Interface
and territorial issues, heavily influence movement and linkages
between communities and places of employment.
The quality of contemporary architecture across the city is generally
poor. For a city of its size and considerable built heritage, it has very
few modern iconic buildings of international design quality. This is a
strong indicator of the absence of business confidence in the city and
of the dominance of the public sector in the office market driving down
rental rates and hence built quality. The city's built environment is still
largely dominated by its stock of historical buildings and landmarks.
The design agenda for Belfast both in terms of its architecture and
public realm, but also in relation to its cultural and artistic expression
is an area that needs to be given status as part of the quality agenda
for the city.
Notwithstanding this overall impression, there has been considerable
progress made by the private sector in the city in lifting the quality of
the urban environment. There have been bold investments in the
evening economy which have helped the city centre develop a much
more vibrant and secure profile. Confidence has been demonstrated
in reviving city centre living through a strong investment in apartments
and mixed use residential development and in the hotel and
hospitality sector. These commercial ventures indicate that a design
agenda is emerging for buidings and spaces throughout the city. This
confidence is encouraging and must be supported by continuing
investment in the public realm.
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

The natural environment remains a similarly under-developed
resource. The River Lagan is still not the focus of attention it should
be, and there is potential to develop the Connswater and Blackstaff
corridors as important amenity features. The dramatic Belfast Hills
remain an untapped resource and have a significant potential to
contribute to the tourist product of Belfast. Air quality across the city is
also an issue and is worst in pockets that lie along the main transport
corridors.
One of the more striking aspects of the physical planning of Belfast is
the apparent abundance of vacant or brownfield land that exists within
and adjacent to its city core through areas or dislocation and
underinvestment. Surface car parking and gap sites in the city centre
Physical Environment: Negative Drivers
area alone account for some 33 hectares of under-utilised space. Add
to this extensive reserves at the former Sirocco Works (6.5 ha),
Titanic Quarter (80 ha), land between the lower Newtownards Road
and the Sydenham bypass and pockets within the Harbour Estate
north and south of the river, and the figures amount to approximately
100-120 hectares within the central area of the city. This volume of
development opportunity land is a major challenge to the spatial
Transport and Movement Appraisal
planning of the city and will require an agreed approach to be adopted
on phasing, release and implementation. On the one hand it offers an In terms of transport infrastructure, the car is “king” in Belfast despite
opportunity to build the city from within and to achieve major returns the city having the lowest level of car ownership of any of its
on the brownfield quota for the city. On the other hand, if not comparable UK cities. The dominance of roads infrastructure has had
adequately addressed, it could represent a threat to the ordered and a major effect on the quality of the physical environment of the city,
focused regeneration of the city core. creating areas of severance most notably to the west and east of
the core. Projected population growth will exacerbate the co-
dependency problem further.

Within the central city four lane highways are commonplace in all
directions. These roads are well below capacity except for peak
Middle City City Centre City Presentation hours, making the city centre a difficult place to walk or cycle. In terms
(Area between city centre and adjacent neighbourhoods) of public transport the city is behind its comparators in the debate on
rapid transit, heavy rail, bus services and other sustainable modes of
Years of neglect and under- Road dominance Arrivals by road and rail travel. This deficit affects the economic performance of the city,
investment in specific areas inhibits the mobility of the labour force and negatively impacts on the
Retail Product Dominance of roads infrastructure/ attractiveness of the city in terms of quality of life indicators that play a
Absence of targeted Severance major role in investment decisions.
regeneration strategy Works in pockets, not as a whole
Sectarian emblems and signage Since the M1 Westlink was built, removing north to south through
Poor linkages to employment Lack of iconic attractions
traffic from Belfast City Centre, the residual city centre road network
and training locations and Under -investment/Dirty streets now appears over designed. On entering the city centre there is an
Nigh-time inactivity
city centre immediate impression that a disproportionate amount of space is
Quality of modern architecture
Poor links to Laganside allocated to private vehicles compared to other modes.
Poor urban townscape
Lack of cohesion- buildings and
Lack of town centre housing The image of four or more lane roads carrying little traffic is a common
Interface blight spaces
sight during inter peak hours, while observations and statistics
Shatter-zones to the west suggest that most of the highway infrastructure operates well within
Accessibility and traffic Lagan- still a barrier not a focus
capacity even at peak times. For the pedestrian, the negative impacts
management Poor public realm
Perception as a dangerous place. of this are considerable. Those travelling west or north from the city
Litter and upkeep of public suffer considerable severance due to the old network which runs
Outdated transport connections
spaces along the inside of the M1 Westlink, while those wishing to access the
waterfront to the east must tackle two major roads. Although facilities
Emblems and signage to cross these highways exist, priority lies with the motorist.

Perceptions of damage While it would be unreasonable to expect heavy rail to cater for
Belfast's urban travel demand, it is essential that it serve the longer

29
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
trip market providing an attractive alternative to the car. Whilst quality
rolling stock serves the main line to Dublin the service frequency is
half what may be expected when compared to services in
comparative cities. On arrival in Belfast, both stations are slightly
detached from the central core, particularly in the case of Central
Station, and neither offers the sense of arrival, or the onward
transport opportunities that exist in cities like Newcastle or Edinburgh.
With the exception of a few trips undertaken by rail, the public
transport provision serving the Belfast urban area consists of black
taxis and buses. The black taxi service provides a relatively
inexpensive form of public transport in the western and northern
corridors, whilst the bus service throughout the city is ineffective. An
aged fleet, poor and irregular service frequencies, and lack of cross-
city or radial routes, results in the bus being a mode of necessity not
choice. The token and ineffective provision for bus priority sums up
the attitude to public transport within the city.
Under the current proposals evolving through the BMTP, even though
a variety of initiatives including park and ride, quality bus corridors
and rapid transit are being considered, there remains a sense of the
‘do minimum’ approach in public transport planning. With all proposed
measures implemented, BMTP estimates a 3% reduction in car use in
the centre city by 2020 will be achieved. This appears to be a very low
return for such a significant investment, particularly in a city where
46% of its population do not have access to a car. The target for a
similar transportation strategy in Edinburgh is 30%.
Belfast City Council Transport Policy 2001
“Cities can not exist without movement. They develop on the back of
large inflows and outflows of people, goods and the vehicles that
carry them”.
(Richard Rogers, Urban Taskforce Report).
The aim of the City Council’s transport policy is to provide a consistent
approach to ensure that the city continues to develop and prosper in a
sustainable manner and avoids the potential problems that
unconstrained traffic growth could bring. As a means of addressing
many of the issues above it contains a number of policy measures
aimed at addressing the following:
30
An increase in long distance commuting travel patterns
into Belfast, 66% of which are by car
Traffic congestion at peak hours
46% of households in Belfast have no access to a car
Car ownership is growing twice as fast as the rest
of the UK
Growth of traffic levels has an impact on localised air
pollution
Historic under-investment in the rail network
Bus priority is still too low but improvements have taken
place
Black Taxi use in North and West Belfast operates like a
bus service
Provision of cheap and plentiful car parking spaces in the
centre city
Neighbourhood “rat-running” is becoming an issue
Inheritance of car orientated transport policies “Car is king”
Need for transport vision rather than piecemeal approach
Lack of funding for sustainable transport initiatives
The strategic objectives that underly the policy are based on the five
principles of prosperity, social inclusion, safety & security,
sustainability and health. Against these headings are a range of policy
measures addressing such issues as road user charges, land use
planning, provision of cycling, public transport, development of Home
Zones etc. These policies are valuable in informing the debate on the
BMTP and are complimentary to the spatial planning strategy of this
masterplan.
Resolving Uncertainties in the Transport
Strategy
The Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS) sets out the transport
elements (to 2012) of the Regional Development Strategy (RDS)
which in turn provides the spatial development framework up to 2025.
The RTS considers transport issues in Northern Ireland under 4
spatial headings, one of which is the Belfast Metropolitan Area. The
Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP) and the associated Belfast
Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP) are currently being undertaken
by the Department of Environment (DoE) and the Department for
Regional Development (DRD) respectively. The BMTP sets out an
emerging plan for the year 2015 and a Preferred Strategy for 10 years
hence.
A complication of preparing the transport aspects of the Belfast
Master Plan (BMP) is the difficulty of integration with the emerging
Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP). This strategy itself
requires to be incorporated with the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan
(BMAP), which in turn is yet to be completed.
These uncertainties are not fundemental to the process of preparing
the transport aspects of the BMP since all these plans are essentially
strategic in nature and none of their various authors claims a
monopoly of wisdom in such plan preparation. Indeed all are ready to
discuss and debate the key issues in order to achieve a coherent and
cost effective strategy.
Despite this harmony over the general approach to the formulation of
the transport aspects of the Belfast Masterplan, there will inevitably be
differences that have to be resolved and choices which have to be
justified. On this matter the consultants would suggest a slight
departure from the DRD approach of following the extensive advice of
GOMMMS. This advice was designed for the UK government's Multi-
Modal studies, most of which were concerned with Trunk Road
corridors where highway proposals had proved contentious.
GOMMMS advice regarding the evaluation of schemes and strategies
was itself based on the overlapping and somewhat confused transport
objectives set out in the 1998 Transport White Paper.
In relation to the BMP the consultants would favour simplifying the
transport objectives to:

Increase accessibility in terms of reducing journey times
and costs
Reduce accidents
Improve the environment
Achieve the equivalent for freight
Be progressive and contribute to the breakdown of
sectarian divides
Contribute to the BMP planning objectives and in particular
to the opening up of new development areas
Achieve all this at a minimum cost to the public purse
These seven objectives do not contain the over-worked word
"integrated". This is deliberate since integration is really a policy rather
than an objective and there is little value in adopting an integrated
approach to transport problems unless doing so achieves one or more
of the objectives listed. An integrated station car park or bus
interchange is not of value if no one uses it. Inclusion of integration as
an objective therefore merely adds confusion of the sort evident in
GOMMMS.
Achievement of the seven objectives provides a sound basis for
assessing the likely contribution of particular transport policies to the
BMP and hence to decisions as to which policies should be included.
In making such judgements many policies can and should be
assessed in financial terms either as costs (e.g. capital investments)
or benefits (e.g. time savings or accident reductions expressed in
monetary figures). Where this is possible the GOMMMS advice is
very helpful and should be followed. Where such evaluation is not
possible, for example in assessing environmental impacts, it is
proposed the effects should be quantified as far as possible and then
judged against the monetary figures summarising other aspects of the
schemes or policies.
This it is considered should be the way in which the component
transport policies should be assessed in terms of their contribution to
BMP and hence their importance as part of BMP. It is the way in which
Colin Buchanan and Partners
any emerging differences between BMP and BMTP should in due
course be resolved. The adoption of such a procedure is important
not only to resolve any differences but also to ensure that the BMP
and BMTP are as cost-effective and integrated as possible and do not
contain wasteful or ineffective policies, one alone of which (for
example slack parking control or an extravagant, but unjustifiable new
public transport system) can seriously undermine a whole transport
strategy.
Addressing the Planning Objectives
Both the BMAP and Belfast Masterplan are development plans with
important planning objectives. Transport investment may be essential
to the achievement of some of these objectives even though it may
itself appear to be of doubtful value as a transport investment. For
example a new access road to a development site may be expensive
but carry little traffic, yet without it a whole development strategy may
be impossible. Some elements of the transport strategy may thus be
justifiable in planning terms alone with the onus being placed on the
planners to justify this rather than an alternative site or plan.
Performance of BMTP Draft Preferred Strategy
for 2025
An indication of the performance of the Draft Preferred BMTP
Strategy for 2025 was provided in the BMTP conference paper,
February 2003. No such information was provided for the 2015
Emerging Plan. Compared to the do-minimum, or without strategy
scenario, it is forecast that introduction of the BMTP will reduce the
number of car trips in the Metropolitan Area by 3% to 4% in 2025, with
an associated increase in public transport trips of 30%.
Whilst more information is required to comment fully on the
performance of the Strategy (for example, what is the reduction in car
usage in Belfast City alone? Were any traffic management measures
included in the do-something scenario?) a 3% to 4% reduction in
private car based trips seems a modest goal and a minimal benefit
from such a considerable investment in infrastructure. Compared to
other cities the target set in Edinburgh for example is to reduce traffic
levels by 30% by the year 2010.
Belfast Masterplan
Opening up the Titanic Quarter
The opening up and redevelopment of the Titanic Quarter is perhaps
the largest and most striking planning objective in the BMP. Its
omission as yet from BMAP is perhaps the largest discrepancy
between the two plans and one which will need early resolution.
In planning terms the Titanic Quarter offers an opportunity to
introduce a major new tranche of population, jobs and economic
activity adjacent to the city centre. This will not only help to revitalise
the city centre itself, it will also redevelop the largest "brownfield site"
in Belfast and reduce the pressure for other more remote
developments.
In transport terms the opening up of the Titanic Quarter presents
particular challenges and opportunities. Its location, adjacent to the
city centre, offers the opportunity to minimise reliance on the private
car for travel to work and comparison shopping. Its design and layout
offer the opportunity to create a new and sustainable development in
which car ownership may be held at a low level, new forms of public
transport may be introduced and ideas such as car-pooling may be
experimented with. All these opportunities are in addition to the
planning opportunities discussed elsewhere in the document.
Organisation of Public Transport in Belfast
It seems that both Ulsterbus and Citybus are poor relations to
Northern Ireland Railways are very hungry of both finances and
management time. (Note that at the creation of Translink, it was a
deliberate policy that nearly all individual managers would combine
both rail and bus roles.)
Greater Belfast would be served better if public transport in the city
were the responsibility of a separate organisation, with no other
transport responsibilities to distract it from the job in hand. Such a
body could be responsible to the City Council itself, or a joint board of
the six councils covering the Metropolitan Area. Providing or procuring
bus services should be the main job of this organisation, along with
31
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

City Movement Analysis (by car) and BMTP Rapid Transit Corridors

1. Northforeshore

2. Shore Rd/York Street

3. Great Patrick St /Gamble St /Dunbar Link

4. Crumlin Rd Gaot & Courthouse complex

5. Brookfield/Rosemount Mill, Crumlin Rd

6. Ballysillan Industrial Estate

7. Hicks / Bullick Site, Ligonell

8. Hillview enterprise park

9. Ballygomartin Industrial Estate

10. Springvale/Mackies

11. Former St. Patrick Site, Monagh By-Pass

12. Glen Road Industrial Estate, Hannahstown

13. Suffolk Rd, Former Hill

14. Stockmans Lane

15. Titanic Quarter

16. Ravenhill Road

17. Ravenhill Rd, Ravenhill Ave, London Road

This diagram gives an indication of how people at present move around Belfast using their cars (red bands) and correlates this with the proposed rapid transit 18. Castlereagh Mill, Creagh Road
corridors suggested in the BMTP. There are clearly strong movement corridors that to date have not received a significant public transport response – north to
south Belfast crossing the city centre, south west Belfast to north Belfast on a western route, and east Belfast to south Belfast. 19. Connswater

20. Ballygomartin Indust. Estate

32
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

LRT if appropriate. It should also have powers of co-ordination in

respect of suburban rail services. Transport Commentary – Appendix 2
Whether this body should actually run the bus services itself is
another matter. The preference would be for a franchising Existing City Movement Analysis
arrangement, with perhaps three geographical franchises covering the
city. The franchises should have a certain amount of freedom in The Rail Network Existing City Movement Analysis
determining their own routes and timetables subject to a minimum
An assessment of the BMTP 2001 base year travel demand was
threshold determined by the procuring body. - Conversion to light rail undertaken in order to identify the transport needs of Belfast City. Trip
patterns are shown on page 34 for private vehicles (left) and public
Transport Commentary – Appendix 2 - The potential for new rail technology
transport person trips (right) for trips both originating and terminating
The transport aspects of the masterplan must address a wide range - The LRT/E-Way Proposals in Belfast City only. The public transport trips include those made by
of initiatives that will inevitably require extensive further investigation black taxis.
and research as part of the ongoing BMTP/BMAP debate. Parking, Ultra
Of the 30,000 car trips taking place within Belfast City during the AM
QBC’s and the bus network, black taxi’s, park and ride, the rail peak hour, the main origin-destination pairs were found to be
network, additions to the highway network etc are critically important QBC’s and the Bus Network
between:
elements which the masterplan must consider. Appendix 2 contains a
Parking Policy and Highway Capacity
commentary on these aspects as they relate to the debate on the South Belfast and South City Centre (13% or 3,900 2-way
integration of the masterplan with emerging thinking on the BMTP.
Reclaiming road space trips)
The themes contained in this commentary are followed through in the
physical strategy where they can be addressed, by the masterplan. City centre circulation
Otherwise they are there to inform the next review of the City Councils Internal to East Belfast, 12% or 3,700 2-way trips)
Transport Policy and influence the debate on how these issues might Expanding the Highway Network North Belfast and South West Belfast (8% or 2,200 2-way
be tackled by other stakeholders and lead agencies.
The Black Taxis trips)

Park and Ride North Belfast and South Belfast (7% or 2,100 2-way trips)

Similarly, of the 6,300 public transport trips (buses and

black taxis) undertaken during the AM peak hour, the major
trip patterns were found to be between:

North Belfast and the City Centre (12% or 800 2-way trips)

East Belfast and the City Centre (10% or 600 2-way trips)

South City Centre and East Belfast (10% or 600

2-way trips)

South West Belfast and South West Belfast (ie or internal

to South West Belfast, 8% or 500 2-way trips)

33
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Public Transport Movement

Private Vehicle Movement

34
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

The simple analysis of base 2001 travel patterns

Footnotes
indicates the following:
1&2
2001 Census
There is demand for a quality public transport provision
between South Belfast and the South Social appraisal
3&4
Belfast City Centre Healthcheak and Benchmarking 2002 -
Belfast City Centre Management differences are not likely to have any significant impact upon the
which corresponds with the Super Route Rapid Transit
comparisons made.
corridor, and between East Belfast and the South City
5
Report reference - NUTS research

Centre which corresponds with the EWAY corridor.

17
Censuses of Employment 1995 -1999, DETI Statistics Research
6&7
DETI Census of Employment 2001
Branch
There is little demand for travel between West or South 8
NITB website 18
Relocation of Government Consultation Document, DFP.
West Belfast and the City Centre. The public transport 9
2001 Census 19
Benchmarking Innovation Performance in Ireland's Three NUTS 2
trips that are currently made between South West Belfast
10
Residential Property Magazine, July 2003 Regions, October 2002 - InnovationLab, Northern Ireland Economic
and the City Centre are predominantly made by black taxi. Research Centre.
Based on 2001 travel patterns the figures suggest that 11
The results of the 2001 Census showed that previous estimates
of the UK population were around one million too high. ONS has
20
Census of Employment 2001
unless travel patterns change dramatically in the future the
published interim revised national mid-year population estimates
WWAY Rapid Transit proposal would be difficult to justify
21
Employment Bulletin, DEL
consistent with the 2001 Census for the 1991 Census. As there
on these grounds alone. However on regeneration are no mid year estimates for 2001, the Census figures will be 22
Measuring and Visualising Labour Market and Community
used instead. Segregation: A Pilot Study by Dr P Shirlow, Dr B Murtagh, Dr V Mesev
potential, the case may be stronger.
and A Mc Mullan
12
Compiled by the Consultant team on the basis of comparable
There is a reasonable demand for travel between North UK data supplied by others. Note that NI regeneration 23
www.colinstutt.com/social - economy.htm
Belfast and the City Centre although no Rapid Transit programmes differ from those delivered in the rest of the UK,
therefore the team has endeavoured to provide a most equitable
Route is proposed on this corridor.
match where possible.
There is significant demand for a cross city public transport 13
Belfast City Centre Healthcheck and Benchmarking
route linking North Belfast and South Belfast and other Report, 2002
cross routes. There is very little existing cross route public 14
Belfast City Centre Healthcheck and Benchmarking, 2002 –
transport demand due to services terminating in the city Belfast City Centre Management
centre. 15
Verdict Research Survey, BCCM, 2002
There appears to be considerable demand for an orbital 16
Aspects of the 2001 Census in the have been challenged
public transport route linking South Belfast - South West bycertain major cities and in some cases the basis of data varies
Belfast - North Belfast - East Belfast. Again there is no between Belfast and other U.K. Cities, however, any such
existing orbital public transport demand due to lack of
service.

35
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Drivers

Inhibitors

36
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Chapter 4
Drivers & Inhibitors

37
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Capital City Document

Belfast City Council launched an earlier document in 2003, entitled
"Capital City - Development Agenda" which sets out the priorities for
the Council's Development Department by reasserting the city's role
as the powerhouse for Northern Ireland's economy. The document
uses the "force-field analysis" as a useful tool to find solutions to
complex problems.
We have applied this approach to carrying out qualitative research
with key stakeholders. Through this we have identified a number of
drivers and inhibitors currently affecting Belfast and it's potential. This
gives a solid platform on which to exploit the opportunities, which are
many. These are explored in the next chapter.

Drivers

Governance Market Attitudes Physical

Devolution A young, educated and willing Beginning of a city centre with buzz
workforce Titanic Quarter opportunity
Increasing civic role of Belfast Belfast City Council World Trade
City Council Sectoral strengths in Universities Centre/A M Development shared Quality of Life
and Health Services license
Strong Civic and other North Role of river/environment assets
(world class)
America and Core Cities links Core City learning Best Practice
Northern Ireland Science Park
Bright young companies and
City Wide Partnership Desire for change ability to employ 4000 over
wealth of creative skills
10 year period (knowledge based
Other Partnerships A workforce suited to knowledge- More dynamic organisations industries)
based industries
Civic accountability Arterial routes
A.M Development retail catalyst
Reform of Local Government Setting of the City Lagan
Site availability (serviced)
Programme for Government
Office Sector

Port

Airport

38
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Inhibitors

Governance Market Attitudes Physical Social

Competing and confusing number of Lack of development phasing Perceptions of the Troubles; Lack of Brownfield in neutral areas Divided and polarised
bodies with no common vision for approach leads to market community;
Belfast; suppression; Lack of profiling success stories; Mismatch of residential land versus
supply in North, West and East Benefit dependency
Uncertainty regarding roles of Low rents and oversupply of Absence of Big Ideas; Belfast; culture;
Laganside Corporation and Belfast office space;
Suburban living versus city living Blighted land along the proposed Difficult access to jobs;
Local Strategy Partnership once
Lack factory/workspace for all; Inner Ring Road;
funding depleted;
accommodation for local Social housing
Mr Average; Lack linkages between city centre and provision/demand; and
Gap in physical regeneration function indigenous business;
at strategic level - equivalent of neighbourhoods;
Avoidance of risk by public Quality of life.
Regional Development Agencies in Mismatch of investment land
sector; and Shatter/fracture zones between city
UK. Falls between INI and DSD; versus locational needs;
centre and middle city
Benefit dependency culture.
Central government lack commitment Sectarian labour market neighbourhoods;
culture; boundaries reinforce a
disinclination to travel to work Poor image, low quality design
Uncertainty over timescale and outside comfort zones; standards;
consistency of decision making in
Polarised City; and Traffic congestion, subsidised car
planning process;
park spaces and dominance of roads
Ineffective town centre management Individual Sector appraisal. infrastructure;
due to competing interests;
Lack of public transport choice and
Absence of business support structure; investment;

Absence of knowledge industries Lack of access to assets;

development forum; and
Lack of integration of resources; and
Assembly stability issue.
Lagan a barrier rather than a focus.

39
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Grow the City

Develop the City Centre

Develop the New Industries

Provide Land for Employment, and

Simplify City Governance

40
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Chapter 5
Masterplan Strategy

41
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Masterplan Strategy
Having established the need for change and development in Belfast
and carried out a detailed analysis of the competitive position of
Belfast, this section sets out the recommended strategy. The strategy
is based around economic, social and community imperatives, which
are translated into 5 themed objectives for the spatial planning of the
City as set out in chapter six.
Grow the City
The growth or decline of the population of a city is a primary indicator
of its economic and urban health. A growing city is one in which
people have the opportunity and desire to live and work; conversely a
declining city is one which people choose to leave
either voluntarily or because of the absence of opportunities.
Belfast's population has fallen dramatically in recent years. In part this
has reflected suburbanisation trends that have affected other cities, in
part it was public policy to move people out of Belfast to other urban
centres in Northern Ireland. However, a major contributor to Belfast's
population decline was the impact of the Troubles on the City. This is
reflected in the 25% fall in the City's population in the 1970s.
Northern Ireland's population is growing. The region now receives a
net inflow of immigrants after decades of strong net emigration from
Northern Ireland. This is a sign of regional economic health and
greater political stability. However the City Council area when viewed
against other District Council areas in terms of population change
over the last ten years exhibits a contrasting continuing decline.
The major challenge facing Belfast is to reverse the 50 year spiral of
decline, in particular the loss of population. Belfast requires to make
itself an attractive and prosperous city in which to live and work. The
measurement of success being to increase the City's population
within its existing boundaries. Belfast City Council would require
setting a stretching population target for the City, within its existing
boundaries. The target suggested being to increase the population
from 277,000 in 2001 to 400,000 in 2025.

The Economic Strategy Belfast Population Decline - by decade 1821 to 2001

The imperatives are (priorities for change);

Grow the City;

Develop the City Centre;

Develop the New Industries;

Provide Land for Employment; and

Simplify City Governance.

42
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Percentage Change for each District Council Area 1995-2001

35%

28%

21% This would necessitate a higher proportion of people living and

working in the City, a denser mode of development, much fuller use of
city-centre living, an emphasis on the residential use of Titanic
14% Quarter and other strategic sites and use of the very large amount of
derelict or semi-derelict land for residential development.
7%
Such an approach needs to be balanced and sustainable, it needs to
take into account the differing housing needs of single person
0% households, households including young children and other

Newry & Mourne

Newtownabbey
household types, an appropriate mix of social and private housing and

Carrickfergus

Castlereagh
of other tenancy types. This will require the type of policy change and
North Down

Magherafelt

Dungannon
Ballymoney

Fermangah

Cookstown
-7%
Craigavion

Ballymena
Banbridge

Coleraine

Limavady
Strabane

development which other European and UK cities have undertaken -

Armagh
Omagh

Lisburn
Belfast

Antrim
Moyle
Larne

Down
Derry

for example to ensure that appropriate social housing is part of the

Ands

NI

city centre residential mix.

Northern Ireland % One of the sources for growth of the resident population is the large
number of people who commute to work in the City. The latest data is
taken from the 1991 Census of Population, (with traffic flows prepared
by the Economics Branch of The Department for Employment and
Learning). This showed that while 72% of those resident in Belfast
worked in the City, less than half (47%) of those who worked in the
City were resident in Belfast, with 53% of workers in the City travelling
into it from other District Council areas. In 1991 the number of
Achievement of this key target would require an average rate of Achievement of this rate of growth would result in the intermediate workers commuting from other District Council areas to work in
growth of just less than 1.8% per annum over the period 2004 - 2025. year population figures shown in the adjoining chart. These figures Belfast was almost 78,000. This daily tidal flow of commuters
This would represent an increase in the City's population of would require to be monitored as a primary indicator of the urban accounts for much of the traffic congestion experienced in and around
approximately 5,000 per annum at the start of the period rising to health of the City. The following section explains how these Belfast which could be much reduced if many were to migrate to the
almost 7,000 per annum at the end of the period. This rate of growth population increase projections can be accommodated within the City were they could be served by sustainable public transport
has been achieved by many UK cities experiencing urban overall strategy. In essence they will require the development of systems.
renaissance. Belfast as a more compact and sustainable city.

43
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

2021 Belfast Target Population

Indicative Future Population Targets for Belfast

400,000

300,000
Population

200,000

100,000

2001 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025

277,000 282,000 308,000 336,000 366,000 400,000

44

Develop the City Centre
Belfast's City Centre is a key regional asset, but one which has
declined in effectiveness in recent years.
Belfast City Centre is Northern Ireland's prime retail market but also
contains key cultural, leisure and tourism facilities. The City Centre
has an increasing residential population and is also Northern Ireland's
main prestige office location. It is an area considered neutral between
the communities, a place where both can meet, relax and do
business. However, the role of the City Centre goes beyond these
traditional functions.
Increasingly, vibrant city centres with a good quality of life are the
locations sought for inward investment. In particular the fast moving
knowledge-based and creative industries which are the key to future
growth of export-led employment in Belfast. Indeed, many such
investment decisions are taken on the basis of the ability of the
investing firm to assemble a young, committed workforce in a central
business area which is safe, accessible and cosmopolitan in its
nature. Such investors will not consider traditional industrial estates
but require city centre locations of quality.
The International Economic Development Council in its' Economic
Development Reference Guide2 expresses the needs of such
companies as follows:
'Talented youth, the new key to any truly successful economy, look for
high-grade natural environments and places with real urban charm,
sociable and walkable places with restaurants, cafés, bars, night-
clubs, health clubs and public spaces.
Businesses migrate to areas where the quality of life matches the
group of employees they are trying to attract . . . urban lifestyles cater
for young professionals and start up businesses.
Many factors influence the decision of a company or an individual to
move into or out of a city, with a major consideration being the city's
quality of life. Improving the quality of life through the enhancement
and expansion of public open space is a key initiative of many urban
areas.''
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
If Belfast is to begin the process of growing again, the seeds of growth
will be found in a more successful City Centre. This will also contribute
considerably to Northern Ireland's ability to attract inward investment in
the knowledge-based and creative industries.
Belfast City Centre has already successfully attracted a number of such
inward investments, hosting companies such as Fujitsu, Halifax, Abbey
National, Northbrook Technologies and Liberty Mutual. It has begun to
develop a better lifestyle mix, particularly in the area to the south of the
City Hall where health clubs and new restaurants and other facilities
are located alongside new companies. In addition it is hoped that
Belfast's retail offering will be transformed by A M Development
(formerly MDC) through the Victoria Square development. There may
be opportunities to develop further the partnership with the private
sector which is represented by Belfast City Centre Management Ltd.
and the Belfast Chamber of Trade, possibly by replicating the Business
Improvement District approach to city centre development which has
been extensively tested in the USA and is now receiving increasing
policy attention in a UK context.
But there is still much to be done to enhance the wider retail offering of
the City and to improve its tourism, leisure and cultural attractions.
There is the need to promote high quality office provision (noting an
over-supply of mid-range office accommodation) and to promote better
quality open space within Belfast City Centre. Given that there is some
degree of surplus of office accommodation in the City Centre, there is
an opportunity to diversify the economic and social mix of the area by
considering adapting some existing office accommodation to residential
or mixed-use developments. This might include some of the Victorian
and Edwardian office blocks located around the City Hall. The
successful and sensitive redevelopment of former office
accommodation at the junction of Donegall Square and Linenhall Street
into the TENsq Hotel, is an example of what can be achieved.
Horizons are beginning to be expanded e.g. Belfast City Centre
Management Ltd. is working to enhance the perception of safety in the
City Centre. It has also proposed a number of initiatives such as
regular free ‘trolley’ services (based on a replica of a Belfast tram)
through the City Centre, as seen in many North American cities e.g.
Portland, Oregon.
45
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
Develop the New Industries
Belfast's 19th and early 20th Century prosperity and growth was
based on leading-edge, innovative companies which sold their
products competitively on world markets. In the future such products
will not be ships, linen or textile machinery but are more likely to be
ideas, embedded in software, know-how or innovation. Such new
products come from the fusion of academic research and commercial
know-how. Belfast has considerable strengths arising from the work of
the two Universities and, increasingly Belfast Institute but also through
the tradition of engagement between the academic and commercial
sectors in the City. QUBIS, the technology commercialisation
company of Queen's University is one of the most long-established
companies in the UK. Another strength is the Northern Ireland Science
Park Foundation, established to promote new business incubation
facilities at Titanic Quarter. Further to this, Queen's University of
Belfast has begun building its new Electronic Commerce and
Information Technology (ECIT) Institute on the same site and new
incubators have opened at the University of Ulster's Jordanstown
Campus just to the North of the City Boundary.
These new industries are broadly designated as the knowledge-based
industries. They are characterised by commercialisation of intellectual
property developed in or around University or other academic
institutions. As Belfast has the highest concentration of academic
institutions in Northern Ireland, it is the natural focus for these
industries. In a recent survey by the think-tank Demos Belfast ranked
14th out of 40 UK cities in terms of the number of patents sought.3
Investment Belfast Ltd. has done much to stimulate awareness of
these industries in Belfast e.g. through its Boston Lunches and £20k
awards. Investment Belfast has also worked to create a forum for the
common issues they face to be addressed.
46
Within the broad definition of the knowledge based industries, the
'creative industries' form a distinctive sub-set based around the
design related sectors (architecture, craft, design etc.), the expressive
industries (music, performing arts etc.) and media and information
industries (advertising, film, broadcast etc.) These industries account
for 4% of total employment in Belfast according to estimates produced
by QUB.4 This is approximately equivalent to employment in the hotel
or transport sectors. Some 60% of the creative industries employment
in Northern Ireland is in Belfast, located mainly in BT1, 7 & 9. There is
a commitment in the Council's Local Economic Development Strategy
to establish a series of creative industry hubs across the city,
including the Brookfield Mill, Cathedral Quarter, Springvale and East
Belfast. The Cathedral Quarter has been identified as a major location
for the creative and cultural industries in Belfast, making a particular
contribution to urban vitality, diversity and cultural tourism in the City.
In a recent workshop, the key need that emerged was that of a clean,
safe, attractive city centre in which to assemble a skilled, high income
workforce. While acknowledging that much had been done, those
working in the sector felt that more was needed and that the current
position of the city centre at times undermined the development of
local businesses and of inward investment.
While new incubation premises now exist at the Science Park, there is
the perception that many knowledge based businesses work, at least
initially, operate from inappropriate premises.
Develop Land for Employment
Belfast was once one of the world's great manufacturing cities. Today
manufacturing plays a much less significant role in employment in
Belfast than in the rest of Northern Ireland. The following table
(page. 47) shows the latest available data about employment in
selected District Council areas in 1999 and the change in employment
share between 1995 and 1999.
It can be seen that, except for Moyle, Belfast has the lowest
percentage of employment in manufacturing - well under 50% of the
share of the surrounding District Council areas.
The chart shows the percentage of total employment in manufacturing
in Belfast, Northern Ireland as a whole and the District Council areas
surrounding Belfast.
This shortage of suitably packaged land reduces employment
opportunities for residents of Belfast within the City and conflicts with
the fact that Belfast has an unusually large amount of vacant or
derelict land within the City.
The opportunity arises to use vacant or derelict land to create new
employment zones around the City Centre, to accommodate
manufacturing and other traditional industries such as transport and
distribution as a complement to the focus on knowledge-based
industries in the Centre City corridor.
The vacant and derelict land around the City Centre is associated with
disadvantaged communities and interfaces. The opportunity,
therefore, arises to offer employment to those communities and to
create new, neutral workplaces. This can also be combined with the
physical regeneration of a number of the arterial routes into the City to
link the City Centre with the Middle City communities and
neighbourhoods.
This approach will need to be marked by a high level of urban design
to ensure that the resulting areas are liveable and walkable and form
effective and secure means of reaching the City Centre from the
surrounding communities.
In addition to the creation of employment zones adjacent to the main
centres of disadvantage in the middle city areas, there is scope for
Belfast City Council to act to increase the supply of land for business
and, therefore, the volume of employment opportunities arising.
Actions which Belfast City Council could consider include:
Reviewing its own land-holdings to see if there are areas
which are suitable for business development and which
are not essential to the Council's operations;
Using its new powers to assemble and develop
land for business uses;
Working with the private sector, the local enterprise
agencies and other components of the social economy
sector to identify ways of meeting the needs of local
businesses;
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Ensuring that planning policies arising from BMAP and

Area Manufacturing as % % Change in Number of Jobs 1995 – 2001* (Censuses)
other processes provide a sufficient priority on land for of Total Jobs 2001
local and smaller businesses, appropriately developed;
Manufacturing Services Total
Lobbying the Belfast Regeneration Office and Invest
Northern Ireland 16% -4% 18% 14%
Northern Ireland to ensure that sufficient land is developed
for local businesses; and Belfast 9% -13% 14% 11%

Where the City Council itself is developing sites, ensuring Carrickfergus 20% 12% 27% 20%
that smaller businesses are specifically catered for and
Castlereagh 14% 16% 21% 22%
that the premises provided are affordable - this may
require the Council to forego some of the development Lisburn 20% 35% 11% 16%
gain to allow savings to be passed on to the small Newtownabbey 19% 11% 30% 28%
business tenants.
Craigavon 28% -19% 27% 11%
These opportunities merit careful consideration, but they also need to
be set in the context of Belfast City Council's wider policies and to Moyle 8% -12% 16% 19%
recognise the legal and other constraints under which the Council has
to work. It is recommended that the Council should commission a Limavady 22% 8% 22% 21%
specific study of these issues before implementing an important
strategic component of the overall Masterplan. The study could be Ards 19% -19% 1% -2%
combined with an examination in the City Centre area of the scope for
converting some of the existing office accommodation into residential Cookstown 23% 24% 31% 33%
or mixed use accommodation and with an examination of the property
needs of knowledge based businesses in Belfast - the study would, in
effect, develop an implementation strategy for the main property * Relatively small ‘construction and ‘other’ categories have not
components of the Masterplan. been presented separately but included in total employment
change column. Manufacturing and services accounted for 93%
of all employee jobs in Northern Ireland 2001

47
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

and Belfast City Council and seek to form a communications bridge

between their local communities and city-wide issues. The area based
partnerships are also forming a relationship with the Belfast Local
Percentage of Total Employment in Manufacturing (Census of Employment 2001) Strategy Partnership (BLSP) which has responsibility for
administering support to the social economy in Belfast under
25% Measures 3.1 and 3.2 of the Peace II Programme. Local Strategy
Partnerships across Northern Ireland are intended also to play a wider
20% part in the civic governance of their areas, although this role is at
present not well defined.
15% Belfast City Council has formed four arms-length companies to
pursue aspects of economic development in the City. Belfast First
10% Stop Business Shop Ltd (BFSBS) provides information and
signposting to new businesses, Investment Belfast Ltd (IBL)
investment in the city internationally and has been active in promoting
5% awareness of the knowledge-based industries, Belfast City Centre
Management Ltd (BCCM) takes a lead on city centre management
0% issues working in association with the Belfast Chamber of Trade
(BCT) and the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau (BVCB)
NI promotes tourism in the City and the use of Belfast by internationally
Belfast Carrickfergus Castlereagh Lisburn Newtownabbey
mobile conferences and conventions.

This 'alphabet soup' of organisations does not promote strategic

Simplify City Governance
Effective implementation of a 15-year strategy for Belfast requires
effective City governance.
At present Belfast suffers from over-governance, yet there are
significant gaps in the strategic mesh of governance responsibilities.
Whilst Belfast City Council is the sole political authority with
responsibility for Belfast alone and has a significant developmental
capacity, the Council's responsibilities and powers are very limited
compared to those Councils responsible for similarly sized cities
elsewhere in the UK and Ireland.
In brief, responsibility for strategic planning falls to the Department for
Regional Development (DRD), the Department of the Environment
(DOE) is the planning authority for Belfast and the Department for
Social Development (DSD) (through the Belfast Regeneration Office
(BRO) is responsible for regeneration policy and its implementation.
The DRD is also responsible for roads and public transport policies.
Invest Northern Ireland (INI), through its Belfast Local Office, is
responsible for business support in the City and liaison with Belfast
City Council (BCC) on Local Economic Development issues, on which
it reports to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment
(DETI). DETI is responsible for the distribution of much of the EU
funding for Belfast, apart from the URBAN II Programme which is
administered by the Belfast Regeneration Office, although day to day
administration has been contracted to the North Belfast Partnership
(NBP).
The North Belfast Partnership is one of 5 Area Based Partnerships
(ABPs) in Belfast which relate both to the Belfast Regeneration Office
governance of the City and provides a poor foundation for
implementation of this Masterplan. There is an absence of an agreed
overall strategy for the City (which this Masterplan is intended to
address) and a lack of implementation capacity, except in the
Laganside area where the Laganside Development Corporation has
shown what can be achieved by strategic planning and a focus on
implementation. There is a lack of clarity about who is responsible for
what and certain tasks appear to fall between the organisational
cracks. The system is marked by a lack of co-ordination, co-operation
or consultation and the result is confusion, duplication and
ineffectiveness accompanied by a wasting of organisational resources
in competing overhead structures which contribute little to
implementation.
There is universal acknowledgement of the need for change, yet no
change has occurred. In part this is due to the acknowledged need for
change in central government in Northern Ireland and the associated
Review of Public Administration in Northern Ireland. The lack of
change is also due to the complexity of decision-making structures
and the need for a consensus approach. It is vital for the effective

48

implementation of this Masterplan that this problem is addressed
effectively.
This is particularly important because of two strategic gaps in current
provision:
There is a structural gap due to the diffusion of
responsibility for strategic regeneration in Belfast. In
English cities the Regional Development Agency (RDA) is
responsible for business support and strategic
regeneration and draws funds from the Single
Regeneration Budget (SRB) to address both functions in
an integrated and strategic manner. In Belfast statutory
responsibility for the provision of industrial land falls to
Invest Northern Ireland and the regeneration function to
the Belfast Regeneration Office of the DSD, which has
Comprehensive Development powers. This structural
division of responsibility means that the two issues have
not been addressed in an integrated and strategic manner.
Instead each has been pursued as an end in its own right
and as a result important opportunities for strategic
regeneration appear to us to have been missed; and
Other than in the Laganside area, Belfast has not had the
benefit of a dedicated development agency. Learning from
the Laganside approach and recent regeneration
experience in the UK, there is merit for the creation of
some form of single development agency for Belfast
particularly as it is currently proposed that the Laganside
Corporation will be de-designated by 2006/07;
Belfast City Council must pursue the creation of a single development
agency for Belfast by 2006/07 to replace the Laganside Corporation
but acting for the City as a whole. The precise model to be adopted
will need to be the subject of further discussion, research and debate
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
between the City Council and the other organisations concerned with
regeneration in Belfast.
Northern Ireland Regeneration Loan Fund
In part as a result of the Masterplan process, the Belfast Local
Strategy Partnership is currently leading an examination of the
opportunity for a sustainable Northern Ireland Regeneration Loan
Fund. The Loan Fund would support SMEs and social economy
organisations to implement projects which contribute to the
regeneration strategy for Belfast. Initial proposals are being
developed for a £20 - 30 million loan fund which would draw
contributions from the EU, Belfast City Council and the private sector.
It would be expected that the Northern Ireland Fund would increase
considerably due to further contributions from public and private
sector investors and repayment of principle and interest from
investments in supported projects.
The consultations on the development of the Northern Ireland
Regeneration Loan Fund have involved Belfast City Council, the
Belfast Regeneration Office, Invest Northern Ireland and the
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. A crucial
consideration will be the ability of the Fund to meet EU State Aid
requirements and a decision on whether to proceed with the formation
of the Fund is expected to be taken in the context of decisions about
the possible extension of the period of the Peace II Programme to end
2006.
Footnotes
1
Census of Employment 1995 - 2001
2
See www.iedconline.org
3
see www.demos.co.uk
4
‘Investigating the Creative Industries in Belfast’, Centre from
Creative Industry, Queen’s University Belfast, January 2003
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Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

A New Spatial Understanding of Belfast - A Compact City Approach

The Spatial Plan:

1. An Energised Core

2. A Connected Middle City

3. Integrated Neighbourhood Renewal

4. Released Environmental Assets

5. Enhanced Presentation of the City

50
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Chapter 6
The Spatial Plan

51
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
A New Spatial Understanding of Belfast
The five economic, social and community imperatives as detailed in
the previous section, particularly growing the city and developing the
city centre requires a new way of assessing, viewing and
understanding the city of Belfast. It is argued that the city of Belfast is
city-centric and not polycentric as promoted in the RDS and
supported in BMAP. Belfast has a pivotal role as a regional capital
with potential to develop as a major European Capital of international
standing. This can only be achieved if Belfast is prioritised as the
region's key economic crucible, providing a full range of major city
assets, supported by a distinctive yet mutually interdependent
hierarchy of settlements with their own roles and functions. Viewed in
these terms, Belfast does not have a competitor, but stands in a
league of its own driving not only its own economy but also supporting
other settlements and the wider region.
Urban models have traditionally sought to examine and understand
the urban structure of Belfast, defining a Central Business District
(CBD- a very traditional understanding of a city centre) with the city
growing outwards in either concentric rings or wedge patterns.
Although the health and vibrancy of Belfast's core was weakened
during the 'troubles', (with the erection of security gates and the
development of out of town shopping centres such as Abbeycentre
and Sprucefield), it has traditionally been described as the heart of the
city, the vibrant retail and commercial core to which all of the
neighbourhoods and urban villages within the city connect and rely.
Whilst a defined CBD approach to urban development and
containment is still relevant, the dynamics of the urban core in Belfast
are much wider than this and an appreciation of the spatial activities
within the central core area necessitates a broader approach and
understanding of activities outside of and adjoining this area.
This masterplan seeks to create a new understanding of the city by
defining a centre city, a corridor extending from the harbour lands in
the north, to the University Complex in the south, bound by the River
Lagan to the east and the Westlink to the West. This centre city zone
is the most dynamic economic space in the region.
52
The harbour lands to the north of the centre city are in a transitional In order to understand the complexities of the middle city, it is
state offering tremendous opportunities for residential and commercial analysed around five unique sectors, including North, South, East,
development and the opportunity to build on the industrial heritage of West and Shankill sectors. These sectors are based on the five
the city. Their integration with the central core of the city will existing Area Based Partnerships and are used for analysis purposes,
preoccupy the physical planning of the city for years to come. The providing necessary social, economic and cultural data. The middle
eastern fringe contains a number of important key strategic sites, city contains a number of strategic sites, either vacant or derelict,
including the Gasworks, Waterfront, Sirocco and East Bank, some of located between the centre city and the middle city and associated
which have recently been developed, others awaiting development. with disadvantaged communities and interfaces. The opportunity
The southern section of the corridor accommodates possibly some of exists to transform this land into new employment zones as a
the strongest economic drivers in the region in the form of Queen's complement to the focus on knowledge based industries in the centre
University and the bio-sciences centres of excellence at the City and city corridor, offering neutral employment workplaces.
Royal Victoria Hospitals.
Extending from the Harbour Estate to the University and hospital
area, the corridor fuses the regions leading academic institutions, its
prime retail centre, its prime office location, its traditional
manufacturing heartland, its cultural focus, its international port and
arguably its most promising international tourist product at Titanic
Quarter. This corridor is the single most preferred location for foreign
direct investment in Northern Ireland. It represents, Northern Ireland's
window on the global economy. It should be planned as such.
Like any other city, the defined centre city corridor has a core vibrant
area of which shopping provision is a key component, contributing to
the vitality and viability of the area. This area known as the
pedestrian retail area, is defined as the heart of the centre city and
allows for a combination of retail and non-retail uses. As the prime
shopping area of Belfast, it also accommodates prime office space
and has the potential to become a thriving area, although it is
necessary that a proactive role is taken in enhancing and sustaining
this core space.
Unlike other cities, Belfast does not have an outer city - a product of
the physical constraints of its position with the Antrim Plateau to the
north and the Castlereagh and Holywood hills to the south,
constraining the city within the Lagan Valley. In fact the surrounding
boroughs of Lisburn, Castlereagh and Newtownabbey could be
described as Belfast's outer city. However, it does have a middle city,
located just beyond the centre city, traditionally dominated by
residential development which bears the scars of years of community
conflict as well as economic change. The middle city is where the
social and community agenda of the masterplan will focus. This area
is where the regeneration strategy for the city must have its most
meaningful impact - on the quality of life of its residents.
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Three zones of economic activity exist in

central Belfast

Linked together they form a

dynamic Centre City zone

53
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Key economic development locations linking the Centre City Fracture zones, barriers and gateways to the Middle City

Note: Areas highlighted are

considered in detail in later chapter.

54

Linking Centre and Middle City :
A Compact City Approach
Thus, the challenge of this masterplan is to effectively link the middle
city to the 'neutral' centre city and to facilitate the gradual change from
a fragmented city to a holistic, regenerated urban core of international
stature. This will require a dual strategy approach of neighbourhood
regeneration and compact city development, assembling land within
the city to accommodate the population target of 400,000 people.
There is a need to refocus the city to develop inwards, enhancing the
carrying capacity of the centre city to create a dynamic and vibrant
urban focus capable of attracting people and employment and a
diverse range of supporting services.
The compact city model is a spatial concept, which intensifies the use
of urban space by seizing opportunities to redevelop large parcels of
land in the centre city and promote balanced development thereby
improving the quality of urban life. The policy is based on a number of
essential components, including minimum densities; mixed use and
integration of land uses; a hierarchical concentration of development
in nodes within the centre city; transformation of urban mobility and
orientation of future urban development around existing transport
routes.
Revitalisation of the pedestrian retail area in Belfast is an essential
first step towards a compact and sustainable city with the
strengthening of both the residential and office components a
necessity, to attract people back into city living. This has traditionally
been achieved through integration of land uses, intensification and
development of brownfield sites. Whilst urban intensification
represents the most sustainable use of land, the compact city model
has been criticised, as the link between density and potential loss of
greenery and open space, poor quality built environment and
gentrification can, in general, be largely negative and has impacted on
communities in other cities.
However, it is argued that the scenario in Belfast is somewhat
different. Notwithstanding increased densities, the identification and
significant availability of brownfield land1, (an estimated 80-100
hectares, suitable for development in the centre city area alone),
enhances resilience and immediately increases the carrying capacity
of the city to accommodate and support additional population. Unlike
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
other divided and segregated communities in Belfast, the pedestrian
retail area of the centre city has traditionally been considered a
'neutral area' and immediately this creates opportunities to integrate
new developments harmoniously within the existing urban fabric and
to develop better linkages between the pedestrian retail area and the
wider centre city. Of course the nature of intensification is also
important, particularly in relation to quality of life and will require high
design standards, significant landscaping and urban design
improvements.
The compact city is envisioned as hierarchical and monocentric with
Before urban compactness can be physically achieved, the current
concentration of development in the centre city focused on a number levels of car ownership and use, the severance effect of highly
of central nodes, which are key strategic and accessible sites.
trafficked roads and the spatial demand of parked vehicles must be
Development on these nodes will include a balance of housing, addressed. Currently, the M3 and associated road infrastructure on
employment and subsidiary functions to maximise the share of the Lower Newtownards Road provides a significant physical and
activities that can be pursued locally both day and night. Belfast has perceptual divide between the pedestrian retail area and the northern
a number of important key strategic sites, including the Titanic section of the centre city. Thus, whilst a compact city may not
Quarter, Cathedral Quarter, Gasworks and the Press Quarter, located necessarily reduce the need to travel, developing Belfast as a
on existing transport routes and which can be appropriately compact city will address existing transport barriers and restrictions
developed as central nodes, accommodating future urban and seek to enhance linkages between the centre city and middle city.
development. Development of such central nodes has the potential to
contribute to and evolve richer linkages between the centre city and Whilst the strategy of this masterplan seeks to achieve important
the middle city, attracting knowledge-based industries thereby long-term, physical regeneration and economic advancement of the
enhancing Belfast's competitiveness and facilitating its flagship role as centre and middle city, it is also necessary to derive social inclusion,
a major European Capital City. although workable solutions are as divergent as the market-place and
must be tailored to local opportunities. A new approach is required to
The middle city contains a number of neighbourhood retail service overcome the historically embedded and generational cycle of
areas, which are currently dominated by shopping with limited deprivation in Belfast. Overall, better co-ordinated and targeted
community services. These facilities are especially important for community action is required in Belfast to counteract past actions,
residents without access to a car, or otherwise with limited mobility including demand-led and fragmented responses to social and
and play an important role both economically and socially in the local economic deprivation.
community. Intensification of these areas as Neighbourhood Activity
Centres, broadening the base of activity and increasing the range of
services over longer hours, will form an essential component in the
regeneration of the middle city. The special needs of distinct
geographical areas in the middle city also need to be addressed and
there is a need to focus on areas in special need of economic and
physical revitalisation in which assistance programmes and
development initiatives can be concentrated. These could focus on
specific areas within each of the five city sectors and could include
Interface Areas and key strategic sites such as Crumlin Road.
55
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

The Spatial Plan

The masterplan has evolved five themed objectives which are
designed to illustrate, through exemplar projects, new approaches to
creating a more dynamic and competitive urban entity.

These themes demonstrate ways in which we can reconstruct Belfast,

rebuilding its core area and residential neighbourhoods, establishing
much better connections and linkages between its sectors, and
improving its presentation and environmental quality as befits a first
class European city.

The themed objectives are:

1. An energised core

2. A connected middle city

3. Integrated Neighbourhood Renewal

4. Released Environmental Assets

5. Enhanced presentation of the city

56
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

57
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Energised core
Why ?

The Energised Core comprises an area that includes Belfast's core

economic drivers. It is important to recognise, plan and develop the
Energised Core as a unit in order to create something that is bigger
than the sum of its parts. The juxtaposition of investment and activity
in each of the core drivers is crucial in the development of Belfast as a
world class city.

Where ?

The 'Energised Core' is loosely defined as the area between Queens

University in the south to Belfast Harbour in the north, the Westlink in
the west and the A2 / edge of the residential development in the east.
The area is generally seen as 'neutral' territory and includes most of
Belfast's existing and potential economic drivers such as:

Belfast City Centre, including the city's shopping and

commercial core;

Laganside and Cathedral Quarter;

Belfast City Airport;

The working port;

Titanic Quarter and other areas in the harbour that have

recently been redeveloped or are likely to be redeveloped
in the near future (Odyssey, Clarendon Dock, Harland and
Wolff);

North Foreshore;

The Sirocco site;

An Energised Core: A range of projects that will serve to increase the vitality, connectivity
and attraction of the city core. Central Station and the Maysfield area;

The Gas Works;

The Golden Mile and Great Victoria Street;

58

Queen’s University and surrounding café / nightlife
quarter; and
Botanic Gardens and Ulster Museum.
How ?
The delivery of a vital, attractive and easily accessible Energised Core
will depend on a wide variety of projects. These include:
Improving and widening the offer in the core zone on all
fronts (cultural, residential, commercial, retail etc) and at all
times of the day and week;
The redevelopment of city quarters and sites in a way that
not only serves that particular area itself, but also makes a
valuable contribution to the attraction and vitality of the
core zone as a whole. The development of an urban
design framework will serve to identify the role and
character (i.e. ‘vision’) for each city quarter and defines
how each of the quarters are linked and interact;
The introduction of high quality hard and soft landscaping
throughout the city centre, but in particular in the areas
around landmark buildings (Donegall Square, Custom
House Square etc.) and on important routes between
quarters;
The introduction of new (public) uses in existing, vacant
yet attractive historic buildings;
The introduction of high quality architecture, in particular
on highly visible, ‘landmark sites’ and for buildings with an
important social, civic or cultural function;
Reclamation of the road space from use by private
vehicles to provide better conditions for pedestrians and
cyclists, an improved urban environment and priority for
public transport;
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
The introduction of a high quality, quick and convenient
public transport system throughout the core zone, that
provides an attractive alternative to the car; and
Creation of the right conditions for an animated public
realm to develop. This may include design guidance on The seven quarters
the way buildings should interact with the public domain
(ground floor activity, access points, windows overlooking
spaces etc); creating an attractive micro-climate; reducing
traffic noise and pollution; ease legislation on pavement
cafes, busking and other street activities; introduce
temporary / seasonal activities (ice skating rink, mobile
cafes, urban beach); organise events etc.
Preliminary Development Framework
The following pages serve to illustrate how different quarters in the
core zone may be developed, and how they relate to each other to
make a vital, varied and attractive city.
Seven quarters are identified on the basis of existing character and
development potential. They include the:
Retail Core (1)
Cathedral Quarter (2)
Historic Harbour (3)
Urban Waterfront (4)
Northern Gateway (5)
Titanic Quarter (6)
Golden Mile (7)
The landuse and character for each of the quarter has been described
in turn, as well as the key elements and linkages to be developed /
enhanced in each of the quarters.
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Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
High quality shopping environments
( London, Freiburg, Rotterdam)
Donegall Square: Need to create a world
class setting for a world class building
(Lyon)
The Retail Core
60
Retail Core - Quarter 1
Use and character
It is proposed that this area should retain its primary function as a
shopping destination. The introduction of additional retail
development will strengthen the product offer.
The retail core should be a pedestrian priority zone from which
through traffic is excluded. The existing pedestrianised or pedestrian
priority zone extended and new street surfacing and street furniture
introduced. Access for public transport and services will require to be
carefully integrated to avoid compromising the quality of the
pedestrian environment. Car parks will be located on the edge of the
zone, with high quality pedestrian links leading to the shopping
streets.
New development within the core should increase the connectivity
and permeability of the area, with streets and spaces that are
accessible, attractive and safe 24 hours a day. The development of
large monolithic structures with lengthy 'blind' facades should be
avoided. The interface of new developments with the public domain
will require to be carefully considered to ensure an interesting and
varied streetscape that is overlooked, safe and encourages activity to
'spill out' on the street.
Landmarks and key links
The core anchors of the area include Donegall Square, Castle Court
and the proposed Victoria Square Shopping Centre. Buses will
require to be moved from Donegall Square and the space developed
as a 'world class square'. A pedestrianised High Street and the
Victoria Square development will serve to form a link between the
retail core and the waterfront (Quarters 3 and 4). Bridge Street and
the area to the north east of Castle Court will form an important link to
Cathedral Quarter (Quarter 2).
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Cathedral - Quarter 2
Use and character

A mixed-use area with a vibrant night-time economy, a high proportion

of cafes and restaurants and workspace aimed at the creative
industries, and a public realm that is characterised by its historic fabric
of red-bricked buildings, cobbled streets and an attractive and
intimate network of streets and alleyways. Creating spaces for cultural events and ‘people
watching’ (Dublin, Copenhagen)
It is proposed that the Dunbar Link shall be realigned (straightened)
between Nelson Street and Corporation Street. This will serve to:

Establish an urban structure and form that is more

sympathetic to the original pattern of streets and serves to
create a sense of place;

Creates development land within the Cathedral Quarter

that can accommodate an attractive development frontage
on the Dunbar Link; Open air cinema in cultural complex (Dublin)

Improves pedestrian connectivity between Cathedral

Quarter and the 'Old Harbour' (Quarter 3).

Landmarks and key links

The Cathedral will form the heart of the new quarter with a new
square created around the building. This square will also form a good
location for a new Arts Gallery or alternative cultural venue. By
realigning Dunbar Link, Talbot Street can be extended and will form
the key link with Quarter 3. The view of the Cathedral from Nelson
Street will be retained and enhanced. Thus this attractive and
Belfast Cathedral: Create a high quality square
significant building will form an important gateway feature for people
around a landmark building
arriving in the city from the north (see also 'Presentation of the City').

Cathedral Quarter

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Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Historic Port - Quarter 3

Use and character

This quarter comprises a mixed-use area including offices, housing

and new visitor attractions in Custom House and the Harbour Office,
as well as around the Titanic Slipway. A 'discovery trail' could be
introduced between these significant historic attractions. The
introduction of a series of night-time activities on the route between
Cathedral Quarter and the Odyssey will serve to create an attractive
night-time route. A new station at Gamble Street could act as an
important catalyst for the regeneration of this area, as well as for the
Cathedral Quarter to the south.

New development should be introduced in a traditional block structure

with new development on the waterfront. The area underneath the
motorway viaduct may in part be developed with one-storey
workspace (subject to demand), or alternatively as an 'urban park' i.e.
accommodating skateboarding, wall climbing, public art, exhibition
space etc.
Fine grained development sympathetic
to its historic environment (York,
Landmarks and key links
Nottingham, Rotterdam)
The area in front of the Harbour Office should be developed as a
public square linking this landmark building with the Cathedral Quarter
at the other side of the motorway. The square will also function as a
station square when Gamble Street Station is built. An avenue of
trees would provide a visual continuation of the Dunbar Link across
the Station Square to the waterfront. A pedestrian bridge could be
suspended from the existing motorway viaduct to create a new
pedestrian route from Cathedral Quarter to the Odyssey Centre.

Eating and drinking on the waterfront

(Rotterdam)

The Historic Harbour

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 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Urban Waterfront - Quarter 4

This quarter straddles the river Lagan to include the Bridge End /
East Bank area and is capable of accommodating a major new
development, including uses which seek high levels of exposure,
such as conference facilities as well as high quality residential
development.
A memorable skyline (Dusseldorf)
New development on the waterfront should be of the highest
architectural quality to create a 'world class' waterfront. The
Waterfront Boulevard is already established and benefits from high
quality landscape design. However, public activity in the area is
limited, as there are few destinations and/or attractions, which can
generate this. The development of the Public Realm 5 associated
scheme may serve to accomplish this. In addition, opportunities to
introduce seasonal / temporary attractions such as open-air cinemas,
'beach cafes' and kiosks should be considered.

A dramatic reduction and rationalisation of road infrastructure on the

East Bank will serve to create extensive new developable land,
greatly improved urban environment and better links with the East High quality bridges across the river
Belfast Communities (see 'Connected Middle City'). New (London)
development on the Sirocco site will include high quality design along
the waterfront. South of the Central Station the Maysfield site offers a
superb mixed use development potential integrated with the rest of
Laganside.

Landmarks and key links

The River Lagan and a high quality, public 'boulevard' on both banks
will form the spine of the Urban Waterfront. New development of the
river shall be permeable, with a large number of (pedestrian) routes
linking with the Retail Quarter, East Belfast, and Titanic Quarter.
Development edge with activities at
Particular care shall be taken to ensure that these routes have an
ground floor level (Oslo)
attractive and varied frontage with public uses on the ground floor.
The public realm and pedestrian and vehicle circulation around the
Central Station will be transformed and new pedestrian routes to the
city centre developed (see also 'Enhanced Presentation of the City').

The Urban Waterfront

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Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Northern Gateway - Quarter 5

Land use and character

The area around York Street, to the north of Cathedral Quarter could
be redeveloped as a prime office and residential quarter.

High quality architecture and a consolidated urban form will serve to

Redevelopment of the Dunbar Link to
a high quality boulevard (Maastricht)
provide a high quality impression to visitors and an attractive gateway
into the city centre - both for visitors from the Motorway as the local
communities in North Belfast. This should include an attractive, safe
and well-overlooked street frontage at ground floor level, and a
dynamic, forward-looking skyline to drivers on the M2/M3.
Landmarks and key links

Changes to the alignment, width, pedestrian crossing facilities, urban

form and quality of the Dunbar Link shall serve to 'knit' this part of
Belfast back into the urban structure of the city (see sample project
'Dunbar Link and surrounds').

Landmark development addressing

the motorway (USA, Den Hague)

The Northern Gateway

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 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Titanic Quarter - Quarter 6

Land use and character

It is essential that a comprehesive Masterplan is produced for Titanic

Quarter and adhered to, so avoiding piecemeal development. The
redevelopment of the area that includes Queens Island, East Twin
Island and other sites in the area that may become surplus to current
shipbuilding / port requirements, should be residential-driven. Titanic
Quarter could provide high quality, high-density and affordable
housing in 'neutral' territory close to the city centre.

A mixture of apartment buildings and single family housing should be

developed to a density of approximately 100 dwellings per hectare
(gross). Schools, shopping and public space facilities should be
accommodated within the development, as with the Science Centre
and a visitor attraction around the Titanic Slipway (see also 'The
Historic Port'). Office development should be limited to the areas
adjacent to the M3.

Landmarks and key links

A public walkway along the River Lagan and the docks should form an
integrated part of all new development, and be bounded by blocks
with activity on the ground floor (entrance halls, residential, A3 uses).
On the tip of East Twin Island a public park / square with landmark
building or public art object should be introduced. This will provide a
gateway feature to ferries and cruise liners destined for the city (see
Presentation of the City).

ULTRA2 or similar system could provide quick and convenient access

to the city centre (see 'Towards a City Core Transport Strategy'). Creating a high quality, water-orientated
living environment (Amsterdam,
A new boulevard could link Titanic Quarter with the East Bank / Urban Rotterdam, Stockholm)
Waterfront area. This boulevard will make a strong physical
statement about the relation between the Titanic Quarter and the rest
of the city core, and possibly build on the existing visual links
established by the Harland and Wolff cranes.

The Titanic Quarter

65
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Golden Mile - Quarter 7

Land use and character

The linear 'Golden Mile' should be reinforced as Belfast's leisure and

night-life strip that links the city centre with the University area. New
cafes, restaurant and clubs could be introduced. Public art, lighting,
hard and soft landscaping in the corridor should serve to enhance the
cohesion of the zone.

Landmarks and key links

Shaftesbury Square / Bradbury Place could be transformed from a

major barrier to pedestrian movement, to the focal point of pedestrian
/ people activity in the Golden Mile.

Introducing dramatic lighting to

enhance the night time environment
(Lyon)

Creating an attractive environment for

pavement cafes (Barcelona, Belfast)

The Golden Mile

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 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

encompasses all existing and proposed public

Preliminary Transport Strategy within the
Energised Core
Ultra
The development of the 'Energised Core' reinforces the case for a
new distribution system capable of linking all the nodes of entry to
the key destinations. An alternative to an improved and expanded
bus network, and one which could additionally give the city centre
a new image, is to look forward at the new public transport
technologies now becoming available. The most promising of
these is a system of the Ultra type, offering point to point travel
and capable of penetrating new and old developments and of
having stations located within such developments as well as on
street.
The practicalities of introducing such a system would clearly need
to be the subject of a detailed feasibility assessment. Serious
consideration shall be given to the pros and cons of Ultra in
Belfast - not in the least the impact the system may have on the
urban fabric and other users of the city and would require careful
design in order to minimise the impact on other users.
It may prove to be the case that new systems will rapidly be
developed along the lines of Ultra that would be better suited, and
so at this point the concept is perhaps of more importance than
the Ultra system in particular. The system is nevertheless
referred to as Ultra in the following descriptions of the base and
extended networks which are proposed.
The network aims to connect all of the major activity nodes within
the centre city, with the first phase linking the existing city core to:
The Titanic Quarter and Belfast City Airport east of the
River Lagan
transport nodes including:
Existing Central and Great Victoria Street Rail
Stations
Proposed Gamble Street Rail Station
Great Victoria Street and Laganside Bus Stations
Black Taxi stands at Castle Street, Peters Hill and
the High Street
It is suggested that further expansion of the system should be
considered in order to provide access to Laganside in the east
and the "Northern Gateway" to the north of the existing centre.
Parking policy and highway capacity
The future of Belfast as a more prosperous, busier, vibrant
and attractive city centre has to be built around public
transport. In addition to the provision of a high quality public
transport network, limits will have to be placed on the use of
the car for journeys that could easily be made by public
transport. In first instance this should include:
Control of on-street parking;
Limit the provision of off-streets parking;
Reclaim road space from the private car for
pedestrians, cyclists, public transport. This would
further serve to create a more attractive urban
environment and release land for new
development.

Queens University and Belfast City Hospital in the

south of Belfast

Belfast Institute of Further Education

Preliminary Ultra Network
The Cathedral Quarter and Clarendon Dock in the
north of the city centre The base network also

67
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

severance created by the "Main traffic Route" (Great

Traffic Circulation within the Energised Core
The urban environment and movement for all modes of transport, suffer in
Belfast City Centre due to:
Over provision of space allocated to the private car
Complicated, disjointed and infrequent pedestrian crossing
facilities
Victoria Street, College Square (E), Carrick Hill, Fredrick
Street and Cromac Street)
To remove traffic from the "Press Quarter" and the
"Cathedral Quarter"
The proposed improvements to the city centre (to be the subject of
network capacity tests) include:

Circuitous one way systems resulting in confusion for Creation of 2-way "inner circular route" to provide for cross
unfamiliar drivers river trips travelling through Belfast

Inappropriate locations for bus layover space Provision of 2-way "calmed" streets on Howard Street/
The primary goals of the proposed strategy are: Donegall Square South/May Street and Victoria Street to
provide for necessary east-west and north-south trips
To address the current imbalance with respect to the
respectively
existing dominance of the private car in Belfast City Centre
The re-routing of the Dunbar Link to Great Patrick Street
To channel traffic passing through the city onto designated
routes, providing relief to traffic sensitive streets Removal of all private vehicles (except service vehicles)
from Donegall Place, north side of Donegall Square,
To significantly reduce severance between the city centre
Chichester Street, and Oxford Street
and the waterfront
Removal of bus layover from the west side of Donegall
To connect the port and improve the permeability of the
Square
Harbour Estate
Improved pedestrian facilities, particularly on the main
To permit pedestrianisation of Donegall Place, Donegall
inner circular route to minimise severance
Square (N) and Chichester Street
Redesign of Shaftesbury Square to rationalise pedestrian
To allow traffic calming of Donegall Square, Wellington
movements
Place, Linenhall Street, Castle Street/Castle Place/High
Street

To improve pedestrian linkage to, and through,

Shaftesbury Square
Preliminary traffic management system
To improve pedestrian/cycle crossing facilities to minimise

68

Dunbar Link and Surrounds
The redevelopment of this area would have a positive effect on the
promotion and redevelopment of 'Cathedral Quarter', 'Historic
Harbour' and 'Northern Gateway'. It would serve to:
Bring new activities / life to this derelict part of the
city centre;
Reposition Cathedral Quarter more centrally in the city
centre (by moving new land uses and activities to the north
of the area);
Link Cathedral Quarter with the waterfront;
Link Clarence Dock area with the City Centre;
Create a high quality image of / gateway to the city centre
from M2 / the north / International Airport (see also
'Enhanced Presentation of the City);
Improve links with the North Belfast area (See also
'Connected Middle City')
Key components of the illustrative scheme include:
Realignment and narrowing of the Dunbar Link.
Cathedral Quarter expanded to the edge of Dunbar Link in
traditional block structure sympathetic to existing
development form;
Talbot Street continued to new Dunbar Link as central
spine through quarter and principal link to 'The Historic
Harbour';
A new square behind the Cathedral to improve setting of
building and 'capture' the views towards the Cathedral
from the M2 / Nelson Street. Floodlit at night, the
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
Lagan Weir
Custom House
Cathedral will form an important gateway feature for
ey
ss
people arriving in the city from the north; O
dy
A new public space under the M2 as connector between
Cathedral and the waterfront, an attractive setting for
Harbour Office, and station square for Gamble Street;
New development between Nelson and Corporation Street
on either side (and underneath M2).
n
do
en
ar
Cl
ck
Do
M3
Indicative view of the redevelopment area surrounding Dunbar
Link (above). The realignment of the road will serve to:
1. Create space for Cathedral Quarter to expand in an attractive
and traditional block structure;
2. Release land to develop an positive and welcoming frontage
environment on Dunbar Link;
3. Improve pedestrian connectivity between Cathedral Quarter
Public art, lighting and water features may be introduced in and the ‘Old Harbour Quarter’.
the new square under the motorway (Amsterdam; Sydney;
Malmo)
Development on Nelson Street may include
residential or commercial ‘towers’ of various
heights on ‘plinth’ of commercial
development (left: Den Hague, Paris). On
Corporation Street an intimate, fine grained
residential or commercial development of
various heights and plot widths would be
appropriate (right: Amsterdam).
69
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Maysfield/Albert Bridge and Sirocco

The redevelopment of the Maysfield / Albert Bridge / Sirocco area will
serve to strengthen / establish the south-eastern section of the 'Urban
Waterfront'. This sample project illustrates proposals for a high
density, mixed-use development with a strong urban form.

Key components include:

Public space focused around harbour to the back of

Central Station;
Sirocco waterfront: A public walkway and landmark building in walking distance of Central Station (Left to
right: Stockholm, Maastricht, Amsterdam) Mixed use leisure/retail/residential and station car park

New leisure facility and station car park integrated in

development;

New station square to west of Central Station (see also

'presentation of the City);

Closure of Albert Bridge slip roads and introduction of

gateway development (see also 'Linking Neighbourhoods);

Landscaping of Short Strand and realignment of northern

section to introduce new residential edge (see also 'Linking
Neighbourhoods');

Pedestrian-only, public waterfront

on the east bank of the Lagan;

Landmark and public building on

Sirocco site with associated high
High density residential development on the
quality public space.
waterfront and commercial development near
the station

70
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Shaftesbury Square Key components of the illustrative scheme include:

In its current form, Shaftesbury Square is a major barrier between the
northern and southern section of the Golden Mile, the city centre and
the university area.
This sample project illustrates how Shaftesbury Square may be
transformed from a busy traffic junction, to a focal point of public life in
the Golden Mile, and gateway to the city centre.
Sculpture light colums (Lyon)
A redesign of the multiple junctions
Rationalisation of the existing disjointed and multiple
pedestrian crossings (pelican and zebra) particularly for
pedestrians walking on the north-south axis
Re-design and upgrade of the public realm of the square,
rationalising the multitude of sign posts and directional
information
Introduction of public art and new
lighting to upgrade the status of the square
and one of the premier gateways to the centre city
Preparation of design briefs for the introduction of new
buildings to the square and the refurbishment of existing
ones, restricting ground floor frontages to retail and
evening economy uses only

Indicative skecthes of a new Shaftesbury Square

Place Charles Hernu: A junction in Lyon, similar in size and configuration to Shaftesbury Square,
given a high quality design treatment

71
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Westlink - a barrier between the

Energised Core and the
communities to the West

Poor quality development

frontages where the radial
routes meet the city centre

East Bank ‘shatter zone’ between

the city centre and Belfast East

A Connected Middle City: A range of projects that will serve to give communities access to jobs and facilities in the
Energised Core.

72
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

How?
Connected Middle City
Two broad types of projects can be identified:
Why?
Transport projects that seek to improve accessibility for all;
The economic opportunities, cultural, social and retail facilities in the
'Energised Core' need to be easily accessible to all communities of Development (in particular those associated with local South Link - Lower Ormeau Road
Belfast. Without access to the facilities in the Energised Core, the
indigenous job creation) and environmental improvement
quality of life within the surrounding neighbourhoods will be severely
compromised. And without the support and patronage of local people, projects that address the severance caused by road
the Energised Core will not be able to sustain itself. barriers and a fragmented, unattractive and 'hostile' urban

Where? form.

Transportation projects must focus on the improvement of the public

Belfast is a radial city, with radial roads linking neighbourhoods with
transport network and include:
the city centre and 'Energised Core'. Public transport services also
follow these radial routes, with services generally terminating in the
High quality public transport in high-demand corridors
city centre. With regard to the provision of public transport facilities,
projects should initially be concentrated in areas where travel pattern
Increase cross-city bus services;
analysis indicates a demand. This includes journeys between: North and Shankill
Introduce orbital bus services;
South Belfast and South City Centre;
Update the existing bus fleet.
East Belfast and South City Centre;
Development and environmental projects shall focus on the creation
North Belfast and City Centre; of an attractive, easy and welcoming journey experience from leaving
the neighbourhood to arrival in the Energised Core. This will include:
North and South Belfast;
The redevelopment of vacant, derelict or under-utilised
South West Belfast - South Belfast - East Belfast and
sites and the introduction of attractive development
North Belfast.
frontages and a mixture of activities along the route;
Projects that seek to reduce the physical severance between the
East Link
'Energised Core' and the surrounding residential areas should The introduction of high quality hard and soft landscaping
concentrate on the “shatter zones” surrounding the Core to the West, and public art along the route;
North and East. This includes:
The reduction of road and junction widths and
The intersection connecting the radial routes from the
simplification of pedestrian crossing facilities.
north and west and the West Link;
Creation of a welcoming frontage environment, threshold
The Bridge End / East Bank area;
or gateway to the city centre at key entry points;
Albert Bridge.
A welcoming frontage environment, threshold or gateway
to the neighbourhoods at the key entry points.
West
73
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
River Lagan

East bank/bridge end

Hall
Waterfront
East Bank / Bridge End 'shatter-zone' forms a barrier between East
r idg
e Belfast and the Energised Core. This sample project illustrates how
il B
Ra the area may be restructured through the transformation of the
highway network and development of released land. This would
serve to:

Improve links to the East Belfast communities;

Consolidate the Energised Core by strengthening the link

Creating tree-lined boulevard (Paris) between Titanic Quarter and the city centre (see also
'Energised Core');

Improve the quality of this important arrival point (route

from City Airport and A2 corridor) (see also 'Presentation of
the City');

Key elements of the illustrated scheme include:

An urban form that on one hand addresses the scale of the

Indicative illustration of a redeveloped East Bank / Middle Bridge area
pedestrian / cyclist / slow moving traffic at ground floor
level, and on the other represents an image of a dynamic,
Commercial development to address modern and vital city to the traffic on the M3;
the motorway (Lille)
A strong visual and physical link with the Titanic Quarter
and East Belfast through the transformation of roads to
boulevards;

Introduction of new attractive edges / thresholds to existing

residential areas;

A highway / movement network that is easy to understand

Development frontages of
appropriate scale and integrated
public transport (Stockholm)
and negotiate for all modes (see also 'Enhanced
Presentation of the City').
Residential development to form attractive edge to the radial routes, stepping down in scale
to link in with existing neighbourhoods (left: Stockholm; right: Rotterdam)

74
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Westlink/divis street
The Westlink forms a barrier between the Energised Core and the
communities to the west. This is not only caused by the road itself,
which is located in a cutting, but also by the poor development form in
the areas surrounding the Westlink, and the barrier formed by the
Carrick Hill / Millfield / College Avenue road corridor (and associated
junctions).

This sample project illustrates how the barrier caused by the Westlink
'shatter zone' may be overcome through:

The development of the surface car parks on Millfield

introducing a welcoming gateway to the city centre;

Consolidation of urban form of Divis Street on either side

of the Westlink;

Art project on Westlink, possibly reflecting identities of city

centre and West Belfast communities (see also
Option 1: Consolidated development form and landmark buildings to mark the city
'Presentation of the City'). centre entrance

Scheme concept and two

possible development
options

Art project on the Westlink, possibly reflecting identity of Entrance to the city - sketch perspective
surrounding areas

75
Colin Buchanan and Partners
Integrated Neighbourhood Renewal
76
Belfast Masterplan
Neighbourhood renewal
Whilst long-term physical regeneration and economic advancement of
the centre and middle city, is necessary so too is social inclusion.
However, a better co-ordinated and targeted community approach is
required in Belfast to counteract past actions, including demand-led
and fragmented responses linking social and economic deprivation.
Belfast is unique and distinct from other major cities in that individual
social, economic and physical attributes are exhibited not only
between different areas but also within the areas themselves. Thus, it
is very difficult to define individual neighbourhoods in Belfast, although
it is recognised that neighbourhoods are evolving units, incorporating
religious, cultural and historical dimensions as well as physical
delineation of boundaries.
In an attempt to understand the dynamics of each recognisable and
identifiable area of the city and understand its role within a more
strategic city-wide context, the city has been analysed on a sector
wide basis. Outside of the centre city are five sectoral areas, each
with an established Partnership Board, co-ordinated via the Belfast
Area Partnership Board Forum, with responsibility for area-based
regeneration and neighbourhood renewal initiatives. The benefits are
quantifiable. The movement and function of each sector within itself,
between the city centre and other sectors of the city are identified
taking into consideration existing economic drivers and examining
potential new opportunities for economic, social, physical and
environmental regeneration.
In an attempt to define a regeneration strategy, which directly
addresses multiple disadvantage and social exclusion, a number of
strategic actions in each sector are prioritised. These prioritised
actions have been developed from an understanding of the economic,
social, physical and environmental issues that are being experienced
within each sector. Issues of social inclusion, education, housing,
community health and welfare and equality need to be assessed in
parallel in order to achieve an integrated strategy for each sector and
for the city as a whole. It is acknowledged that some sectors
experience linked problems such as high unemployment, low incomes
and poor environment and thus the actions are not intended to be a
panacea solution for all issues but rather an overall strategic
approach for the benefit of each city-sector in the context of its
contribution to the wider city model. Future area and or
neighbourhood renewal programmes within each city-sector should
have due regard to the prioritised actions as defined.
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

North city sector

North Belfast city-sector is defined as that area lying between Belfast
Lough to the east, Crumlin Road to the west, and contained by the
Belfast Hills to the North. The Cavehill containing Belfast Castle and Strategic Road Network
associated Country Park frames north Belfast presenting a unique North Sector Map Movement Corridors
Strategic Rail Routes
physical setting for the city while providing a significant amenity City-Centre Gateway
resource not only to this sector but for the whole city. Linkages
Local Access/Gateways
Economic Drivers
The local road network, the Westlink, the M1, M2 and M5 provide Economic/Employment/
Neighbourhood
good access and linkages to the city centre, the south and west city Development Opportunities
sectors, and the wider region. The provision of the cross harbour M3 Arterial Route Study
Views & Prospects
link has enhanced the linkages with the east city-sector and North Mountain Tops
Down. Green Belt
Greenways
Access to the Hills
The sector also provides a number of secondary access routes Landmark Features
Shatter Zones
through the northern/western side of the city and access corridors to Retail
the city from the satellite towns of Glengormley, Antrim, and Crumlin.

One third of the city's population (just under 75,000), live within the
14 electoral wards of the north-city sector within a multitude of socially
and religiously diverse, overlapping, interconnecting, and separated
neighbourhoods. 1 Northforeshore
2 Shore Rd/York Street
3 Great Patrick St /Gamble St/ Dunbar
While the overall population has increased slightly since 1991, 50% of Link
the wards have experienced a population decline over the same 4 Crumlin Rd Gaol & Courthouse complex
5 Brookfiled/Rosemount Mill, Crumlin Rd
period. Six of the wards are within the top 3.5% of the most deprived 6 Ballysillan Industrial Estate
wards in Northern Ireland. 7 Hicks / Bullick Site, Ligoneil
8 Hillview enterprise park

Home ownership is low with 44% of the stock provided by housing

bodies and higher levels of multiple deprivation can be found in inner
lying areas adjacent to the city-centre.

The Port and associated activities are located within the north city-
sector and contains a significant area of economic activity for the city
as a whole. Regardless, the north city-sector still contains a high
level of long-term unemployment (higher than the regional average), a
lack of employment skills and employment opportunities.

Views from the North Linkage from the North Economic Development North Belfast Interface
Opportunity

77
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
The interconnection between the north city-sector and the city centre
converges in an arc between Carlisle Circus and the Yorkgate
complex and includes a number of arterial routes into the city-centre.
The decline of traditional retailing and commercial activities along
parts of these arterial routes together with physical divisions created
by new road infrastructure, have reduced the interactive relationship
with the city centre. This has resulted in poor social, economic and
physical environment of inner areas of the north sector that adjoin the
city centre reinforced by a lack of activities, poor urban form, fracture
zones and the under-utilisation of available land.
North city-sector is characterised by a diversity of residential
environments comprising dense residential areas and more spacious
'leafy' suburban areas. Sectarian divisions have created a catalogue
of defensive interfaces and 'shatter-zones' characterised by dereliction
and poor urban form throughout many parts of the sector and along
the primary access corridors with the Shankill city-sector.
There are a number of landmark buildings, features and diverse social
and economic development opportunities throughout the area. These
include; Cathedral Quarter, North-Foreshore, Shore Road, Duncairn
Gardens, and Crumlin Road Court House and Goal (located on the
boundary with the Shankill Partnership).
Actions:
Re-establish physical and visual connection with the
city-centre
Attempt to provide a gradual complementary transition between the
centre-city and city-sector uses will require an appreciation of the
importance of the arterial routes as visual and functional gateways
between the city-centre and the city-sector. This includes identification
of vacant/derelict and or under utilised land along Carlisle Circus/
Clifton Street, lower Antrim Road, Shore Road, North Queen Street,
Shore Road and York Street.
78
Link Development Opportunities
Identification of site specific and inter-active development
opportunities that will not only contribute to city-sector renewal and/
or improved linkages with the centre-city, but that may also have
economic, social and cultural benefits to adjacent city-sectors and
the wider city model. Such opportunities include North Foreshore,
Cathedral Quarter, Crumlin Road Courthouse and Goal complex,
potential expansion of enterprise activities at Duncairn Gardens
and Brookfield and Rosemount Mills, and new commercial
enterprises on Hillview/Crumlin Roads.
Build on Port and Infrastructure advantages
Former industrial sites and under-utilised land on the Shore and
York Roads should examine the potential for accommodating small
business and incubator port/ distribution related activities having
regard to the proximity of the port and excellent access to strategic
transport infrastructure (road, rail and sea).
Address diversity
Recognise the economic, social, physical, and cultural differences
that have contributed to the breakdown in urban form between
various residential neighbourhoods and seek to identify a variety of
appropriate uses that are acceptable in such locations. Not
intended to be a universal solution for every shatter-zone
throughout the sector, but this method should be adopted on
significant sized parcels of land and at primary gateways with the
Shankill sector.
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Five Neighbourhood Sectors

79
 Colin Buchanan and Partners
Shankill Sector Map
Shankill Environment Linkage to the North
80
Belfast Masterplan
Shankill city sector
Shankill city-sector is defined as the area located between Crumlin
Road and the Springfield Road. This sector focuses around the
4 Crumlin Rd Gaol & Courthouse complex Shankill Road which traverses the core from Peters Hill adjacent to
5Brookfiled/Rosemount Mill, Crumlin Rd
8 Hillview Enterprise Park the City Centre, to Ballygomartin and Glencairn at the foot of Black
9 Ballygomartin Industrial Estate mountain and Divis mountain, framing the west of the city.
10 Springvale/Mackies
This city-sector is highly accessible to the city centre via the
Shankill Road, which is the primary arterial corridor, and the north
and west city-sectors via the local road network and contains an
important link of the 'outer-ring' between the North and west/south
of the city.
The population of the seven electoral wards comprising the Shankill
city-sector was estimated at just over 30,000. Although some
wards are indicating a population increase since 1991, the overall
Strategic Road Network
population has decreased by 2%. In terms of multiple deprivation,
Movement Corridors
City-Centre Gateway this city-sector falls within the top 15% most deprived in Northern
Linkages Ireland with Crumlin ward recorded as the most deprived ward in
Local Access/Gateways Northern Ireland.
Economic Drivers
Economic/Employment/Neighbourhood Four of the seven wards are recorded within the top ten in the
Development Opportunities region. Higher levels of multiple deprivation are more evident within
Mountain Tops inner wards along the middle to lower Shankill Road areas.
Green Belt
Greenways Other than the Ballygomartin Industrial Estate (which currently
Access to the Hills
Landmark Features
comprises only a small number of enterprises), there are no major
Shatter Zones employment opportunities within this city-sector.
Retail
However, the sector is strategically positioned to avail of a number
of potential economic, employment and neighbourhood
development opportunities located in close proximity to and within
the north and west city sectors including Brookfield Mill, Crumlin
Road Gaol and Courthouse complex and Mackies/Springvale.
The Shankill Road has traditionally been the economic and social
hub of the area and today still retains a strong community character
City Centre Gateway Views to the Hills
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

and a degree of vibrancy concentrated around the traditional
retail core.
Residential areas and other local access and movement corridors
connecting the north and west city-sectors radiate from this principle
spine.
The environmental quality of the area is poor, exacerbated by the
substantial area of vacant/derelict land located on the lower Shankill
Road, adjoining the Westlink underpass. This has resulted in poor
relationships, interconnections and association with the city-centre on
its primary access and movement corridor.
Due to the nature of the sectarian divisions between north and west
city-sector, the primary access corridors and gateways with these city-
sectors are characterised by 'shatter zones' characterised by poor
urban form, dereliction, unusable spaces and peace-lines.
Actions:
Overcome Barriers to Employment Opportunities
The large portion of derelict and under-utilised lands comprising the
lower Shankill Road/Peters Hill offers the potential for new mixed use
developments that would not only make the physical reconnection
with the city-centre but could also provide new economic,
employment, commercial and residential opportunities. Such
developments would contribute to and support the existing economic
and social base of the area.
Uplift urban quality and mend linkages
The quality of the physical environment and urban form throughout
the area needs to be enhanced in order to uplift the appearance of the
overall area, and to attempt to mend the fractured visual linkages with
the city-centre and the north and west city-sectors. This is of particular
importance along the primary movement corridor of the Shankill
Road, the movement corridor from the city-centre onto Peters Hill/
lower Shankill Road, local access and gateway interconnections
including Springfield Road/Lanark Way, Upper Springfield Road/West
Circular Road, Twaddell Avenue/Crumlin Road and Agnes Street/
Crumlin Road.

Due to the lack of employment opportunities within the geographical

boundary, this city-sector must find a means of overcoming physical
and interface barriers that undermine its accessibility and ownership
of development opportunities that lie just beyond its boundaries. It will
be vital to establish social and economic links with the north and west
city-sectors in an attempt to acquire equal ownership of these
development opportunities and overcome perceptions of
disadvantage and isolation due to territoriality. Such development
opportunities include Springvale/Mackies, Crumlin Road Courthouse
and Gaol complex, and business and commercial enterprises taking
place within Brookfield Mill and Hillview Enterprise Park and links with
the city core.

Create New Economic and Social Development

Opportunities

81
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

West city sector

This sector is located between the Springfield Road and the Westlink/
M1 motorway, and is contained by the Greenbelt of Lisburn to the south
and the Divis and Black mountains, which provide the backdrop to the
west of the city.

Strategic Road Network The sector is well served by the local road network with a number of
Movement Corridors highly accessible linkages to the city centre, the Shankill, and North
Strategic Rail Routes and South city-sectors. The location of the adjacent M1 motorway
City-Centre Gateway
Linkages
enhances the accessibility of this sector with all elements of the city
Local Access/Gateways and the wider region.
Economic Drivers
Economic/Employment/ The Falls and Andersonstown Roads are the principal movement
Neighbourhood corridor throughout the sector. Whilst there are a number of
Development Opportunities gateways to the city centre, the Lower Falls road can be regarded
Arterial Route Study
Views & Prospects
as the principal point of access to the city centre.
Mountain Tops
Green Belt It is estimated that the population of the 13 electoral wards that
Greenways comprises the west city-sector have grown by 12% between 1991-
Access to the Hills 1999 to just under 85,000. The population distribution throughout the
Shatter Zones sector is relatively unbalanced with higher concentrations in the mid
Retail
and outer areas than the inner areas.
10 Springvale/Mackies However, high levels of multiple deprivation are recorded throughout
the sector from the inner city to outer lying wards, with the west
11 Former St.Patrick Site,
Monagh By-Pass
within the top 30% of the most deprived wards in Northern Ireland.
There are high long-term unemployment levels with only 38% of
12 Glen Road Industrial employable persons in employment.
Estate, Hannahstown
This city-sector does contain a number of potential diverse
West Sector Map 13 Suffolk Rd, Former Mill economic, employment and neighbourhood development
opportunities dispersed throughout the sector including Springvale,
lands adjacent to Monagh By-pass, Glen Road and Kennedy Way
Industrial Estates.

Charactersed by a number of established and new (including

renewal) residential neighbourhoods throughout the area, the
density of residential development in these areas is consistently high
throughout this city-sector. These areas are supported by a diversity
of local and neighbourhood level services, retail and commercial
facilities that are concentrated particularly along the principle and

West Gateway Linkage with Shankill Springvale Business Park Murals within Environment

82

traditional movement corridor, that is the Falls and Andersonstown Road.
The quality of the urban environment is poor at local access points and
gateways, open spaces between residential areas and along a significant
proportion of the principal economic and movement corridor.
The several nodes of interconnectivity with the Shankill sector are
characterised by shatterzones. Neutral uses and functions of spaces
between these two sectors range from derelict and physically
separated spaces reinforced by highly visible peace walls and
indefensible spaces.
Actions:
Pursue Integrated Economic Promotion
A number of economic/enterprise development opportunities have
been identified throughout this area. These include the Springvale/
Mackies, the former St. Patricks site on Monagh By-pass, Kennedy
Way and Glen Road Industrial Estates. In terms of promoting
balanced economic development and investment throughout this
sector as well as increasing economic opportunities throughout the
city, consideration should not be limited to the promotion of these sites
individually but also to the promotion of these opportunities
collectively as one single development opportunity.
Enhance Physical Presentation
The physical appearance throughout the west city-sector requires
improvement in order to enhance the appearance and character of
this city-sector. Specific renewal projects should concentrate on;
gateways to the city: (Upper Glen Rd, Stewartstown Rd, Upper
Springfield Rd), concentrations of mixed activity along the primary
economic and movement corridor: (Falls Rd/Springfield Rd, Falls Rd/
Whiterock Rd, Falls Rd/ Kennedy Way Industrial Estate, and the
Whiterock Rd/Springfield Rd), and substantial sections of the
Andersonstown Rd between Suffolk and Kennedy Way. Attention
should also be given to the appearance and streetscape (from
principal roads) of the Falls, Turf Lodge, Andersonstown, Ladybrook,
Suffolk and Ballymurphy residential areas, as well as the movement
corridors between these areas.
Improve Connections and Linkages
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
The poor urban environment of this sector is exacerbated by the break in
the urban form with the city-centre and the west city-sector. This is
particularly evident at local access and movement and gateway corridors
on the upper and lower Springfield Rd/West Circular Rd/Lanark Way,
and along the lower Falls Road/Divis Street, Broadway and Grosvenor
Road roundabouts where links with the city-centre are severed by the
Westlink. Development opportunities that recognise under-utilised land
along the lower Falls Road/Divis Street and the local movement and
gateway corridors with the Shankill city-sector should be identified. These
would serve to enable a more visually connected and accessible city-
sector with the city-centre and other parts north of the city.
Re-assess the route of the W-Way
Trip patterns do not appear to support the indicative route of the W-
Way in the emerging BMTP. Further investigation is required into the
designation of a route for rapid transit in the west of the city. This
investigation should review the requirement for orbital movement in
the west, particularly connecting key locations for economic
development such as the North Foreshore, Crumlin Road, Springvale,
and the Royal Victoria Hospital .
Open a Corridor to the Hills
The city needs to connect with its hills and an opportunity exists to open
an environmental corridor through the west sector connecting the centre
city with the mountains. This corridor can serve to improve community
access and movement across the sector and facilitate links with the
centre city and the network of public pathways and cycle paths that
serve the city. ( See sample project 'Releasing Environmental Assets',
page 72).
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Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

South city sector

The South city-sector is defined as that area between the Westlink/M1
motorway to the west and Ormeau/Rosetta area to the east. The
Lagan Valley Regional Park defines the southern extremity of this
sector. The local road network provides good linkages with the west
and east city sectors and the proximity of the M1 motorway enhances
linkages to all parts of the city.

Containing an estimated population of just over 59,000, the south city-

sector is considered the most affluent part of the city. Levels of multiple
deprivation are relatively low throughout the eleven wards from the
middle to the outer part of the sector although there are some
marginalised inner areas which do support significant deprivation.
Strategic Road Network
Movement Corridors
Strategic Rail Routes
The base of this sector is set within the relatively affluent suburban
City-Centre Gateway residential areas of Malone, Stranmilis and Lisburn Road. This city-
Linkages sector is unique as it hosts a number of functions that are utilised
Local Access/Gateways
Economic Drivers by the entire city.
Economic/Employment/Neighbourhood
Development Opportunities The inner area overlaps with the edge of the centre city,
Arterial Route Study
Mountain Tops
traditionally accommodating the city's evening activities, Queen's
Green Belt University and its associated education and research activities and
Greenways student accommodation. With the operations of the City hospital,
Access to the Hills
Landmark Features
these activities spill over into the surrounding residential areas.
Shatter Zones
Retail These uses, together with the booming commercial areas of Dublin
Evening Activity
Road, Lisburn Road, and Boucher Road, and activities provided by
University Area
the Ulster Museum, and Botanical Gardens, all contribute to the
unique economic and social diversity of this sector. However, this
South Sector Map diversity is not always compatible with the permanent residential
nature of this sector and has in some instances lead to the
14 Stockmans Lane
fragmentation of indigenous residential communities particularly
within inner areas.

The urban environment is generally of good quality with an almost

fluid unnoticed movement between this sector and the centre city
and other east and west city sectors.

Riverfront South Linkage ‘Gasworks’ Economic Queen’s University of Belfast

Development
84
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Substantial public and private sector investment is evident in the physical
environment with the redevelopment of the Gasworks, development of
Laganside and the banks of the River Lagan. However, it may be
considered that the economic, social and physical composition of this
sector is unbalanced.
Actions:
Create Sustainable Balanced Residential Communities
of the lower Ormeau Road. The Sandy Row and Donegall Pass are also
important in connecting with the city centre.
Develop University / Hospital employment opportunities
Maximise economic potential of surplus land holdings
associated with Healthcare Trusts.

While recognising the demand for the transient/student population,

neighbourhood renewal in the south city-sector should also recognise
and provide for existing indigenous residential communities. This will
require an appreciation of community needs in terms of housing
tenure types and provision of services, and should attempt to address
the pressures being experienced from the increasing private rental
sector and speculative residential development.

Identify Neighbourhood Development Opportunities

Identify specific land use and riverside opportunities that may provide
social, economic and recreational development opportunities
throughout the sector. Such opportunities would benefit local
residential neighbourhoods' enable/enhance community development,
support the requirements of the major economic drivers (the
university, city hospital and associated research activities), and
contribute to the physical character and appearance of the sector.

Improve connections with the centre city

The significance of the lower Ormeau Road must be realised as a

visual and functional gateway to the city centre. This area should
seek to capitalise from its location within the centre-city and proximity
with the city-centre and extend the diversity of existing unique uses
that include the Gasworks, media, public services and commercial
activities. Such uses should seek to develop a transitional space
between the traditional city-centre uses and the residential character

85
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

East city sector

East Belfast city-sector is defined as that area between the Braniel estate
and Belfast Lough, extending to Dundonald and the Castlereagh Hills in
the east.

This sector is well served by the local road network, which includes a
number of arterial routes to the city centre. The Newtownards Road,
which is the principal access to the city centre can be considered as
the central movement corridor traversing from the city centre to
Dundonald with most other primary movement corridors radiating off
Strategic Road Network this route. The outer-ring and M3 cross-harbour link enhance
Movement Corridors
Strategic Rail Routes accessibility with the other city-sectors.
City-Centre Gateway

In terms of multiple deprivation, two of the nineteen electoral wards

Linkages
Local Access/Gateways
Economic Drivers within this sector are recorded within the top ten most deprived wards
Economic/Employment/Neighbourhood
Development Opportunities in Northern Ireland. Multiple deprivation indicators are relatively low
Arterial Route Study outside the inner east area although this measurement does not
Views & Prospects
Mountain Tops adequately demonstrate small pockets of deprivation, which is evident
Green Belt
Greenways
throughout the sector.
Proposed E-Way
Landmark Features The decline of traditional industries has been paralleled with other
Shatter Zones
Retail developments in this sector, including the expansion and growth of
the City Airport, development of the Odyssey Arena, W5 and the
15 Titanic Quarter
16 Ravenhill Road
extensive mixed use development opportunities within Titanic Quarter
17 Ravenhill Rd, Ravenhill and significant retail developments including Knocknagoney and
Ave, London Road
18 Castlereagh Mill, Connswater shopping centre and retail park. Also taken into
consideration is the D5 retail development (under construction on
Creagh Road

adjacent land outside the city and east sector boundaries). Stormont
remains a major focus of public sector employment while traditional
retail activities are still very active along the Cregagh Road arterial
East Sector Map
route.

The quality of the environment is diverse between the lower and

upper Newtownards Road area. The outer east areas are
characterised by a diverse range of residential neighbourhoods that
are set within established and attractive 'leafy' suburban areas of
good environmental quality. Although there have been some
significant residential re-developments, the inner east area from the
Holywood Arches to the Albert Bridge is suffering from a reduction of
traditional retailing activities and the perception is of urban decay and
physical decline. This dereliction and the remains of now surplus road
infrastructure on the Sydenham by-pass has a negative impact on the
sector on its primary gateway, access & movement corridor from the
East Environment East Interface Development Opportunity East Renewal Opportunity

86
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

city. Poor urban form is also exacerbated by sectarian divisions Implement a Connswater Amenity Corridor Project
between different residential areas within the sector.
The development of a 'Connswater Amenity Corridor' would provide a
Actions: linear functional and recreational link through the sector from the
Castlereagh Road to Victoria Park. This corridor would negotiate through
Remove Barriers to Better Connections to the Centre City the Beersbridge and Newtownards Road along the embankments of the
River Connswater and inter-connect with existing community facilities
The significance of the lower Newtownards Road as an important visual
and nodes of community activitiy. This includes Elmgrove School,
and functional gateway from the east to the city-centre must be
Avoneil Leisure Centre, Connswater shopping centre, Holywood
recognised and enhanced in order to improve accessibility and
Arches, and Victoria Park. (See sample project 'Releasing
overcome perceptions of physical and social separation between the
Environmental Assets' )
inner east and the centre-city. Specific attention in terms of new
development, the public realm and assessment of current
Support the Holywood Arches Redevelopment Project
infrastructure, provision should focus on the assembly of a
comprehensive development opportunity on land at the intersection of The renewal project for the Holywood Arches offers an opportunity to
the lower Newtownards Road, Sydenham Pass, Sirocco Complex and increase the level of provision of locally focused services to the
River Lagan. (See sample project ' Energised Core' ). communities in this sector. The project should be viewed as a
positive initiative and designed to integrate with the Connswater
Initiate strategic Development Opportunities Amenity Corridor Project above.
The Sirocco, Tennents Textiles and Short Strand Translink bus depot
are three sites of considerable development opportunity at the
boundary of the east city-sector and the centre-city. The Sirocco and
Tennents Textile sites are strategically located adjoining Laganside
and could accommodate mixed-use riverside developments
(employment, research, residential, commercial and community) that
contribute to the physical and visual renewal of the riverside and the
inner-east city sector and offer greater interconnection with the city-
centre. The Translink depot adjacent to the Sirocco site is an ideal
location for additional new residential development adjoining the Short
Strand residential neighbourhood and its relocation would help to
ease a housing and community issue in that area.

Re-assess the E-way Transit Corridor

Land adjacent to the proposed 'e-way' transit corridor should be

examined in order to identify maximum opportunities for physical
regeneration and renewal, economic and neighbourhood
development, and increased residential densities. The precise route
and location of stops on the 'e-way' corridor between the Hollywood
Arches and the River Lagan should be carefully considered to
maximise the regeneration benefit to this area (potentially creating
new opportunities to land assemble, clear derelict sites and introduce
new activities and uses to the area).

87
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
Realising Regeneration Opportunities
Realising opportunities for economic, social, physical and environmental
regeneration in each sector, within the city wide context and linking the
sectors effectively to the centre city requires top down and bottom up
integration at all levels. This means positive linkage between regional,
city and local initiatives including the existing Partnership Boards, BCC
and BRO. Without it, inefficient and ineffective competition will occur,
only serving to shift economic activity from one local area to another. A
corporate approach which bridges inter-departmental rivalries and an
organisational culture that values partnership and community participation,
working with regional forums and assemblies and linking local
government, business, the Partnership Boards and the voluntary sector
is required.
Birmingham City Pride continues a history of regeneration partnership
between the Council and the Chamber of Commerce, with a senior
business person chairing the Board and a Management Group which
meets monthly as an executive. It consists of representatives of five
core partner organisations: Council, Chamber of Commerce,
Voluntary Services Council and Birmingham 2000, which fosters
economic development. In Manchester, the Council established an
Urban and Social Strategy Sub-Committee for fast tracking decision
making for regeneration initiatives, which ensures co-ordination and
extends ownership of projects to service committees.
These arrangements are supported within the Chief Executive's
department and the Deputy and Assistant Chief Executives chair,
manage and co-ordinate all regeneration initiatives. The city-wide
regeneration strategy in Glasgow, which was devised by Glasgow
Regeneration Alliance, is supported by the Unitary Plan and other
initiatives include Glasgow Works to help the long-term unemployed
into the labour market and the Regeneration Fund to loan money to
small businesses in poor neighbourhoods.
Based on a number of case studies in Birmingham, Manchester and
Glasgow a regional framework to support city and neighbourhood
regeneration, linking key policies such as the location of inward
88
investment, new housing, transport and education, to derive maximum
benefit to regeneration should be established.
The Single Development Agency
The single development agency for Belfast should probably be an
organisation which is separately incorporated, has a structured,
strategic and accountable relationship with both Belfast City Council
and the Department for Social Development and which incorporates
the current functions of Belfast City Council's four arms-length
organisations and those which are currently carried out by the
Laganside Corporation. It could also provide for BCC and DSD
services on an agency basis, which are currently carried out in-house
by those two organisations. The single development agency for
Belfast could also help to build a stronger and continuing relationship
between Belfast City Council and the private, community and
voluntary sectors in the City. The established body should be based
on the following principles:
Active involvement of Health Trusts, Employment
Services; Benefits Agency and the Police;
A concerted effort to involve business through the
Chamber of Commerce;
A clear corporate approach in the Belfast City Council, to
promote local democracy and neighbourhood initiatives
within a council decentralisation programme;
Strong, competent leadership by the chair of the
Partnership Boards, working closely with the Director of
the Council and BRO. This would include strengthening
the ability of the Partnership Boards to participate in
strategy development and long-term community
governance, rather than paid professionals representing
institutional stakeholders;
Long-term perspective and a common vision on which to
build consensus and guide policy over a 10-25
year horizon;
A needs based approach - individual area plans with
medium term objectives, set within the city-wide context
and empowered by individual communities to meet the
complex needs of development on the ground, backed up
by commitments to finance, human resources, targets and
monitoring;
A one-stop participation process to give local people the
opportunity to establish priorities for local development and
monitoring of service provision;
Active and purposeful community involvement.
In the meantime, there are actions which Belfast City Council can take
within its own areas of responsibility to reduce the duplication and
confusion arising from the current plethora of organisations with a
development role in the city. In particular it can:
Avoid establishing any further new organisations, and
Promote integration of work and merging of the existing
four arms length organisations which report to Belfast
City Council.
In its Local Economic Development Strategy 2002 - 2006 Belfast City
Council announced that it had acquired a license to establish a World
Trade Centre in Belfast. Co-location of the 4 arms-length
organisations in the World Trade Centre would provide a valuable
start to this process, leading to the progressive merging of the
organisations and the resulting merged organisations could form the
nucleus of the single development agency for Belfast when its wider
form and structure has been determined.
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Released Environmental Assets

Why?

Belfast benefits from a hugely attractive natural setting. The

juxtaposition of urban development, hills, Lough and rivers are
unique to the city and give it a sense of place. However, the city
does little to take advantage of its unique setting, and in some
cases even jeopardises its relationship with the surrounding
landscape through insensitive development. The quality of life and
'experience' of the city could be dramatically enhanced for visitors
and residents alike, through the utilisation of its natural assets.

Where?

Project areas would include the city's most prominent natural

assets, as well as a number of hidden or forgotten ones, such as:

The hills to the west;

The foreshore of Belfast Lough

Lagan riverside;

Connswater river corridor;

Blackstaff river corridor; and

Colin Glen.

How?

A wide range of measures should be considered, subject to the

projects (such as Waterfront Hall), redevelopment projects enhance the interaction between urban development and
character and existing condition of the natural feature. These
include: (for example introducing a public use in Custom House), the natural landscape. This would include protecting views
educational and art projects (river trail), or temporary/ and prospects from the hills and across the river;
Projects that improve accessibility (to the hill, foreshore,
seasonal projects (an urban beach, river cafés, volleyball specification of development forms and land uses in
riverside);
tournament etc.); sensitive locations, such as the waterfront and
The Cutty Sark Tall Ships Race (2008) will be a unique specification of hard and soft landscaping in river
Projects that serve to market the natural assets as a
chance to 'showoff' the Belfast waterfront to hundreds of corridors etc;
destination. This may include the designation of the
thousands of visitors
Belfast Hills (or section thereof) as a Country Park; Projects that serve to restore the natural habitat and visual
Projects that increase activity / introduce a destination on attraction of hidden, or neglected rivers, and seek to
Projects and design guidelines that serve to protect and
the riverfront / foreshore / hills. This may include building integrate these in the existing urban fabric.

89
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

River-to-Hills
The development of a Green Chain Link from the River Lagan is the heart of the city centre

To the hills in the West. This will serve to provide(pedestrian and cycle) access to a series of

Environmental assets and provide a new green space resource from communities surrounding

Corridor (see also ‘regenerated Neighbourhoods’). The Green Chain Link will include existing

Green spaces that are made publicly accessible; new linear parks; and boulevard planting along

Existing roads.
River-to Hills Green Chain Link

Sketch proposals of Millfield Dell Area The Concept

Development of disused quaries Viewing platform in the hills Creating linkages within constrained
into a major visitor attraction (The overlooking the city (Barcelona) sites (Edinburgh)
Eden Project, Cornwall)
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 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

The Concept -
Improved access to
and landscaping of
the riverfront

Improved access to the water surface would facilitate a range of new activities in the river corridor

Connswater
The Connswater is a potential attractive resource which could be the
focal point for new and existing communities in the river corridor. The
introduction of a weir will serve to facilitate impoundment and control
water level. The in turn would facilitate easy access to the river and
the introduction of a range of activities and interventions in the
corridor.

Sketch proposal for the introdcution of an Ecology Centre in the

Connswater Corridor

The Connswater Shopping Centre could greatly benefit from a waterfront setting (Bristol, Freiburg)

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Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

The Urban Waterfront

Belfast City Centre benefits from a riverside setting with high quality
landscaping, particularly the section between Waterfront Hall and Custom
House. However, the area lacks activity and is often desolate. The
introduction of new uses and destinations will serve to attract people to
the waterfront.

The Lagan is identified as a key element of the city and would benefit
from such an approach.

A summer’s day in Copenhagen -

the harbour is transformed into an
‘urban beach’. In Paris similar
seasonal projects are introdcued to
promote use of the riverfront.

A pocket park on the waterfront Shops and cafes on the waterfront Access to the water surface (Malmo and
(Copenhagen) (Freemantle, Australia) Stockholm)

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 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Enhanced presentation of the city

Why?

How a visitor to Belfast perceives the city can materially affect its
economy. Fist impressions are likely to affect key decisions:

Will I stay here or travel on?

Would I like to study / live / work in this city?

Shall I advise my company to invest in this city?

Would I / my company like to (re) locate here?

What quality of life may I expect?

To attract tourism, investment, the best students and a high quality

workforce to Belfast, the city has to able to convince the visitor it is a
place they would like to spend time in. Giving an overall good first
impression is essential in achieving this.

In 2008 Belfast will host the Cutty Sark Tail Ship race, this is likely to
attract hundreds of thousands to the city, it is therefore essential that
by this time a number of key improvements are made.

Where?

Projects should be concentrated in areas and on sites that are most

visible to visitors to the city. These include:

Main road corridors, including M1 / Westlink, M2 and M3;

Major road junctions such as Broadway Roundabout

(Junction 1), Grosvenor Road, York Street/Nelson Street
and Bridge End; Characterless street furniture
First impressions of the city Over-designed road space
Bus and railway stations, such as Great Victoria Street,
Laganside bus station and in particular Central Station;

Car parks throughout the city centre;

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City Airport and surrounds; Public realm improvements around, and cleaning of major
landmark buildings;
Shoreline of Belfast Lough (in particular adjacent ferry
terminals); Introduction of eye-catching and memorable buildings and
civil structures;
Key orientation points and landmark sites, in particular
Donegall Square. Redevelopment of derelict sites and eyesores.

What?

A wide variety of projects should be considered, subject to the Translink Depot, Short Strand
constraints and opportunities of each site. Projects may include:

Soft landscaping of / tree planting in major road corridors

and road junctions - in particular to screen poor quality
developments;

Introduction of public art;

Strategic lighting of landmark buildings;

Landscaping and lighting of car parks and the route

between car parks and key destinations;

Improving legibility / way finding upon arrival through

signing strategy as well as rationalising of road junctions;

Attention to detailing of civic structures (i.e. bridge railings,

lighting columns, soft landscaping, highway signs etc of
major road corridors); Broadway Roundabout

Lagan Waterfront Bridge Street

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Central Station
Central Station is an important arrival point, yet the quality of the
environment is very poor. Passengers who would like to continue their
journey by bus or on foot, are deposited on a narrow pavement on a
busy road.

This sample project illustrates how the derelict site to the west of the
station could be developed as a 'station square' and transport
interchange, with good pedestrian links to the city centre.

Recreational zone in the Lighting / art project to
sun riverfront and new
activities introduced
Walking distances
New entrance and
activities on western
facade
Creating a welcoming station environment with improved
interchange facilities and pedestrian link to the city centre and
Sirocco site.

Utilising one of the arches as a route to the city centre and An attractive Station Square to New activities attached to ‘dead’ Residential development ‘wrapped’ around
introducing shops and cafes under the arches (Paris) welcome visitors to the city frontages (Paris) existing parking garage (before and after,
(Barcelona) Stockholm)

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The arrival experience

Public art, iconic architecture and dramatic lighting of landmark buildings
all contribute to an enhanced 'arrival experience'.

Buildings and structures at key arrival points act as the city's 'business
card'. The quality of new development in those areas should be carefully
considered and the potential of existing structures to act as gateway
features reviewed and enhanced.

View of Cathedral makes for a dramatic gateway to

city. This could be strengthened by lighting to
buildings at night

The Angel of the North; Sydney Opera House; and the

communication tower, Barcelona are all iconic structures
which are strongly associated with the city / region.

Lighting of landmark building (London)

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M3/ bridge end junction

The M3/ Bridge End junction is over-engineered with a profusion of one
way roads, links and junctions. As well as being extremely wasteful of
land, it is very confusing for drivers, especially those who have just
arrived in the city. A new design for the junction will serve to
accomodate existing traffic movement, improve connectivity, release
new developable land and make the road layout easier to understand
for visitors to Belfast (see also ' A Connected Middle City').

Outline design of how the M3 / Bridge End junction could look

The M3 / Bridge End junction: confusing

for visitors

A legible road network, as well as high quality

detailed design gives the visitor a favourable
impression of a city. Above an example of a
well-designed and maintained motorway, with
attractive soft landscaping and co-ordinated
street lighting, railing and traffic sign post
design (Barcelona)
A simplified and legible alternative

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The broadway roundabout

Many drivers enter Belfast at the Broadway Roundabout, yet the quality
of the environment is very poor. This sample project illustrates how the
junction may be transformed into an attractive gateway into the city, while
improving links between communities

The core elements of the proposal includes:

1938: Connected streets before the introduction Grade-separated junction;

of the Westlink
New threshold development on either side of the
Westlink;

Landscaping of Blackstaff river corridor served to raise

profile of natural environment (see also 'Released
Environmental Assets') and screen unattractive shopping
centre development.
Indicative layout

The concept: developing an edge or

‘threshold’ to the neighbourhoods and
utilising the river corridor as a
landscape theme

Introduction of high quality commercial development in the river / Westlink corridor and ‘living above the shops’ on the edges of
the existing neighbourhoods
Sections and sketch of indicative scheme

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Footnotes

1
Brownfield sites include surface car parks and large under-utilised
tracts of land.
2
Magnetically guided passenger pods on a multi destination rapid
transit system

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PROGRAMME FOR ACTION

1. Priorities for Change - 5 Core Objectives

2. Spatial Priorities

3. Organisational Priorities

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Chapter 7
Programme for Action

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PROGRAMME FOR ACTION

Introduction
This programme outlines the action required to deliver the
development framework/masterplan as set out in the preceding
chapters. We have identified three levels on which to summarise the
action points.

These are as follows :

1. Priorities for Change - Identification of 5 Core Strategic

Objectives

2. Spatial Priorities – A detailed translation of the “Priorities

for Change” into action on the ground

3. Organisational Priorities - The organisational changes

required to deliver the Masterplan and inform the debate
on way ahead

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1. Priorities for Change

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Priorities for Change: Consider opportunities to further develop public/private agencies and other components of the social
5 Core Strategic Objectives partnerships similar to the concept of Business economy to identify ways of meeting the needs
Improvement Districts (BIDS) approach to city-centre of local businesses;
Grow the City development
- ensure planning policies that emerge from the
Reverse the spiral of decline:
Develop the New Industries BMAP and other processes provide sufficient
Increase the city’s population from 277,000 in 2001 to priority for local and smaller businesses;
Encourage new Knowledge Based Industries - creative
400,000 in 2025
industry ‘hubs’ across the city - lobby BRO and INI to ensure sufficient land is
(Average rate of growth of less than 1.8% per annum over
developed for local businesses;
the period 2004-2025) Commission a comprehensive strategy for the Knowledge
based Industries to integrate business, urban planning and - ensure that smaller businesses are catered for
Monitor the rate of growth as a primary indicator of urban
academic policies. These industries should be promoted and are affordable on sites developed by BCC.
health of the city
within the ‘centre-city’ corridor Commission a study of these issues combined with an
examination of the City Centre area examining alternative
Promote a sustainable, balanced, compact, and dense Develop Land for Employment
uses for the surplus of office space. The study should
development model
Create new employment zones around the city-centre and include an assessment of the property needs of knowledge
(Higher densities of living and working in the city, residential use within middle-city to accommodate manufacturing and other based businesses in the City.
Titanic Quarter, use of strategic city-centre brownfield and derelict/ traditional industries
semi-derelict sites) Simplify City Governance
Assemble employment land around the City-Centre to
Promote the creation of a Single Development Agency for
Develop the City Centre maximise physical regeneration opportunities along arterial
Belfast by 2006/2007 for the City region.
Raise awareness and promote the Belfast city-centre as a routes and within disadvantaged communities

regional asset Promote neutral workspaces effectively linking the City-

Centre with the Middle City
(Attract and promote new knowledge based and cultural industries)

Increase the supply of land for business and employment

Promote high quality office provision, increase diversity of
housing tenure, and better quality open space opportunities through direct BCC intervention;

Enhance the wider retail offering of the City and to improve - review landholding and assess suitability for
non BCC business activities;
its tourism, leisure and cultural attractions
- encourage land assembly for business use
Diversify the economic and social mix of the city centre
through the conversion of surplus office accommodation to through BCC powers;

residential or mixed-use developments - work with the private sector, local enterprise

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2. Spatial Priorities

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Spatial Priorities
The seven quarters
Energised Core

The promotion of an attractive and easily accessible

energised core will depend on a wide variety of projects
including:

- Improving and widening the cultural, residential,

commercial, retail offering;

- Redevelopment of city quarters with strong

urban design frameworks;

- Introduction of new uses in vacant historic

properties;

- Introduction of high quality architecture on

landmark sites;

- Introduction of hard and soft landscaping

throughout the city-centre;

- Reclamation of road space to create an

improved urban environment;

- Introduction of high quality public transport

system throughout the Centre-City zone;

- Creating the right conditions for an animated

public realm to develop.

Action recommended within the seven urban quarters is

detailed as follows:

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Quarter 1 – Retail Core
- Extension to existing pedestrian priority zone
with introduction of new street surfaces and
furnishing;
- Integration of public transport to avoid
compromising the pedestrian environment;
- Promotion of car parks located on the edge
of the retail core area with high quality
pedestrian links to the shopping streets;
- New developments should aim to increase
the connectivity and permeability of the area;
- Careful consideration of the introduction of
new developments to ensure an interesting
and varied streetscape;
- Removal of buses from Donegall Square
and the development of a ‘world class
square’;
- A pedestrianised High Street and the Victoria
Square development will provide a link
between retail area and the Waterfront;
- Bridge Street and north Castlecourt will form
an important link to Cathedral Quarter.
Quarter 2- Cathedral Quarter
- Promotion of vibrant night-time economy
with high proportion of cafes and restaurants
and workspace to facilitate creative
industries;
Colin Buchanan and Partners
- Establishment of urban structure and form
more sympathetic to the original pattern of
streets;
- Realignment of the Dunbar Link between
Nelson Street and Corporation Street which
will also release development land and improve
pedestrian connectivity between the Quarter
and the Old Harbour (Quarter 3);
- The Cathedral will form the heart
of the new quarter with a new
square created around the building.
Quarter 3 - Historic Port
- Consideration of tourism related ‘discovery
trials’ between these significant historic sites;
- Introduction of a series of night-time
activities on route between Cathedral
Quarter and Odyssey arena;
- New development should be introduced in
a traditional block structure along the
Waterfront;
- Consider uses for spaces below motorway
viaducts;
- Area in front of Harbour Office should be
developed as a public square linking with
Cathedral Quarter;
- Consideration of new suspended pedestrian
foot-way from the M3 across the river to
Odyssey Arena.
Belfast Masterplan
Quarter 4 - Urban Waterfront
- Creation of world class Waterfront;
- Development of the Public Realm 5
associated scheme;
- Consideration of seasonal /temporary uses
to increase public activity and provide
additional destinations and/or attractions;
- Dramatic reduction/rationalisation of road
infrastructure on the East Bank;
- Inclusion of landmark public waterfront
building for development of the Sirocco site;
- Integrated new residential, office and leisure
developments on the Maysfield site;
- New riverside developments shall provide
pedestrian routes linking with the Retail and
Titanic Quarter and East Belfast.
Quarter 5 - Northern Gateway
- Development of the area north of Cathedral
Quarter as a prime office and residential
quarter;
- High quality architecture and a consolidated
urban form to present an attractive gateway
into the city centre. To include safe and well
overlooked street frontage at ground floor
level;
- Revisions to the alignment, width, pedestrian
crossing facilities, urban form and quality of
the Dunbar Link shall serve to ‘knit’ and
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reconnect this area with the urban structure
of the city.
Quarter 6 – Titanic Quarter
- Provision of high quality, high density,
affordable housing and associated services
on surplus land within the traditional harbour
in a neutral location close to the city centre;
- Provision of visitor attractions around the
Titanic slip-way;
- Integral part of development will include a
public walkway along the River Lagan and
the docks;
- A Landmark/gateway feature should be
introduced on the northern extremity of East
Twin Island that will contribute to the
‘presentation’ of the city;
- Enhanced transportation links with the city-
centre through use of ULTRA or similar
transportation model;
- Development of a boulevard to provide a
strong physical relationship between Titanic
Quarter and the rest of the city core.
Quarter 7 – Golden Mile
- Reinforce the Golden Mile as Belfast’s
leisure and night-life strip linking the city
centre with the University area with use of
public art, lighting, hard and soft
landscaping;
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- Transformation of Shaftesbury Square/
Bradbury Place to a focal point of pedestrian
and people activity with the Golden Mile.
Preliminary Transport Strategy Within The Energised Core
- Limitation on use of private car within the
Centre-City, and infrastructure that gives priority
to use of private car;
- Consideration of implementation of ULTRA or
similar point-to-point public transportation
system connecting major activity nodes within
the Centre-City
Traffic Circulation within the Energised Core
- Address the current imbalance of dominance of
private car in the City-Centre;
- Channel City-Centre through traffic, providing
relief to traffic sensitive streets;
- Significantly reduce severance between City-
Centre and Waterfront;
- Permit pedestrianisation of Donegall Place,
Donegall Sq. North and Chichester Street;
- Allow traffic calming on Donegall Square,
Wellington Place, Linenhall Street, Castle
Street/Castle Place/High Street;
- Improve pedestrian linkage to and through
Shaftesbury Square;
- Improve pedestrian/cycle crossing facilities to
minimise severance by the main traffic route
(Great Victoria St, College Square [east],
Carrick Hill, Fredrick Street and Cromac Street;
- Remove traffic from ‘Cathedral Quarter’ and
‘Press Quarter’;
Additional road engineering improvements to the City-Centre road
network, subject to network capacity tests.
Dunbar Link and Surrounds
- Redevelopment of the Dunbar Link and
Surrounds would result in a positive effect on
the promotion and redevelopment of the
Cathedral Quarter, Historic Harbour and
Northern Gateway.
Maysfield/Albert Bridge and Sirocco
- Redevelopment of the Maysfield/Albert Bridge
and Sirocco area would serve to strengthen/
establish the south-eastern section of the Urban
Waterfront. Recommend the use of high-
density, mixed-use developments with strong
urban form.
Shaftesbury Square
- Currently considered a ‘barrier’ between the
northern and southern sections of the Golden
Mile, the City-Centre and the University.
Recommend transformation from busy traffic
junction to focus on public life and gateway to
the City-Centre through the use of traffic
engineering and urban design.

Connected Middle City
Two broad types of projects identified:
- Transportation projects focusing on
improvement of public transport network in
areas where travel pattern analysis indicates
demand;
- Environmental improvement projects focusing
on the creation of an attractive, easy and
welcoming journey experience from residential
neighbourhood to arrival in the Energised Core.
East Bank/Bridge-end
- Restructure the highway network and release
development potential of land to improve
physical links to East Belfast communities,
strengthens the link between the City-Centre
and Titanic Quarter, while improving the quality
of this important arrival point.
Westlink/Divis Street
- Development of adjacent lands, consolidation of
the urban form, and introduction of art project
along the Westlink in order to overcome the
physical barrier and separation caused by the
Westlink road infrastructure between the
Centre-City and the West City Sector.
Colin Buchanan and Partners
Neighbourhood Renewal
Implementation of a co-ordinated and targeted community
approach to neighbourhood renewal within the five
identified city sectors examining opportunities for
economic, social, physical and environmental
regeneration. Neighbourhood renewal/regeneration plans
should include a series of prioritised strategic actions in
order to address multiple disadvantage and social
exclusion.
North city-sector
- Re-establish physical and visual connection
with the city centre;
- Link development opportunities;
- Build on Port and infrastructure advantages;
- Address diversity.
Shankill city-sector
- Overcome barriers to employment
opportunities;
- Create new economic and social development
opportunities;
- Uplift urban quality and mend linkages.
West city-sector
- Pursue integrated economic promotion;
- Enhance physical presentation;
- Improve connections and linkages;
Belfast Masterplan
- Re-assess the route of the W-Way;
- Open a corridor to the Hills.
South city-sector
- Create balanced residential communities;
- Identify neighbourhood development
opportunities;
- Improve connections with the City-Centre;
- Develop University/Hospital area for further
employment opportunities;
- Maximise economic potential of surplus land
holdings associated with Health Care Trusts.
East city-sector
- Remove barriers to release better connections
to the City-centre;
- Initiate strategic development opportunities;
- Re-assess the E-way transit corridor;
- Implement a Connswater Amenity Corridor
project;
- Support the Holywood Arches redevelopment
project.
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Released Environmental Assets

- City Airport and surrounds;
Enhance the City’s most prominent natural assets in order
- Shoreline of Belfast Lough (in particular
to; improve accessibility; increase activity; contribute to the
redevelopment of areas; market the natural asset; restore adjacent to ferry terminals);

the natural habitat and visual attraction, and enhance the - Key orientation points and landmark sites (in
interaction between urban development and the natural particular Donegall Square).
asset. Specific projects include:

- The Hills to the West;

- The foreshore of Belfast Lough;

- Lagan riverside;

- Connswater river corridor;

- Blackstaff river corridor;

- Colin Glen park.

Enhanced Presentation of the City

A variety of site specific projects (including landscaping,

public art, lighting, improved legibility, and public realm)
should be considered in order to enhance the presentation
of the city on sites that are most visible to visitors to the
city including;

- Major road corridors (M1/Westlink/M2 & M3);

- Major road junctions (Grosvenor Rd, York St/

Nelson St, Bridge End);

- Bus and railway stations (Central Station, Great

Victoria St, Laganside Bus Station);

- Car parks throughout the city-centre;

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3. Organisational Priorities

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Organisational Priorities
Belfast City Council through this masterplan is seeking to initiate
a debate on the fundamental approaches and principles that underlie
the planning and regeneration of this city and the promotion of its
economic development. To date the land use planning and economic
development functions have been separate strategies pursued by
separate bodies with little integration or joint purpose. These divergent
strategies and functions have presided over and contributed to the
steady decline of the city as a major city and investment location.
The timing is now right for a thorough and meaningful debate on the
city's future before the statutory planning framework for the next 12
years (BMAP), is put in place. This debate is necessary in order to
build consensus amongst the lead agencies and the community on a
shared single strategy for the renaissance of Belfast. As prime agent
for change and the democratic voice of its citizens, BCC must
champion the debate to promote an increased appreciation of the
city's mediocre economic performance and the need for an
aggressive growth strategy to reverse its fortunes and to increase
Belfast's contribution to Northern Ireland wide growth processes.
Arising out of the masterplan are a series of key actions, relating to
relevant instruments of public policy that can contribute to the
effective and efficient development of the city. In addition, these
aspects of the masterplan’s implementation must address the issue of
the capacity of existing and future organisations to deliver change on
the ground. Steps necessary to secure timely and efficient
implementation, of the masterplan are detailed below.
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1. Establish a Single Development Agency
Output Expected:
Creation of a single development agency for Belfast to replace the
Laganside Corporation but acting for the City as a whole.
Timescale:
To be in place by June 2005. The need for such a body must be
accepted in the short term and discussion initiated on the format and
structure that such an organisation would have.
Key Themes:
Delivery of a sustained approach to urban regeneration for the city of
Belfast through the implementation of a single shared strategy, uniting
statutory power with political constituency. Roles and responsibilities
within the agency will be clear and accountable.
Lead agencies: Belfast City Council and DSD.
2. Unite Belfast City Council's Promotional
Agencies
Output Expected:
Merger of the existing four arms length organisations, which report to
Belfast City Council, (Belfast First Stop Business Shop Ltd, Invest
Belfast Ltd, Belfast City Centre Management Ltd and Belfast Visitor
and Convention Bureau) into one single, integrated promotional
agency.
Timescale:
Completion by December 2004, ready for merger into the single
development agency by June 2005.
Key Themes:
Improved joined up working within City Hall, providing an overall
agreed economic strategy for the city and establishing a first step in
forming the nucleus of the single development agency above, co-
ordinating business support, tourism promotion and economic
development in the city with a structured link to Invest Northern
Ireland. Lead agency Belfast City Council in consultation with INI.
Lead agency: Belfast City Council.
3. Establish the Office of City Architect
Output Expected:
City Architects Office located within the single development agency,
providing urban design, conservation, public art procurement and
ultimately development control expertise.
Timescale:
Established by December 2004 within the Belfast City Council, with
transfer to the single development agency by June 2005.
Key Themes:
A design champion, charged with raising the quality of the built
environment throughout the city and to co-ordinate and monitor
quality in urban design, architecture, building conservation and public
realm commissions. To establish fast track planning procedures and
Compulsory Purchase Orders for major investment opportunities. To
possess the authority to assume development control functions for
strategic and landmark developments in the city (similar to the
Architecture & Urbanism Unit of the GLA).
Lead agencies: Belfast City Council, Belfast Regeneration Office
(DSD), and the Department of the Environment in consultation
with the Arts Council.
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

4. Initiate a Review of Regeneration Spending Key Themes: Timescale:

Output Expected:
Transparent assessment of funding programmes and the
effectiveness of current policies.
Timescale:
Immediate
Key Themes:
Greater understanding of the effectiveness of cross agency
programmes, national and international best practice, evaluation of
spending priorities, and the calculation of private sector leverage. To
include a review of strategic priorities and integrated programmes. A
senior civil servant and the office of the Chief Executive of Belfast City
Council should conduct review jointly. A clear steer to the Single
Development Agency on its regeneration priorities and activities.
Lead agencies: Belfast City Council, DSD, and NIHE.
5. Establish a Regeneration Loan Fund
Output Expected:
A regeneration fund to support SME's and social economy
organisations to implement projects which would contribute to the
regeneration strategy for Belfast. The proposed £20-30 million loan
fund would draw contributions from the EU, Belfast City Council and
the private sector and would be eligible for companies Northern
Ireland wide.
Timescale:
Belfast Local Strategy Partnership (BLSP) recommended that the
proposal be carried forward within the context of the Peace II
Programme, to take effect from January 2005 at a Northern Ireland
level. BLSP have commenced preparatory and capacity building
support work to ensure that organisations will be ready to take
advantage of the fund.
The promotion of the regeneration loan fund will facilitate SME's and
social economy organisations to deliver projects in line with the
regeneration of Belfast and the rest of Northern Ireland.
Lead agency: Belfast Local Strategy Partnership in association
with BCC, BRO, INI and DETI.
6. Align Belfast City Council Economic
Development Policies
Output Expected:
Alignment of economic policy initiatives of the city council with
masterplan strategy and spatial plan.
Timescale:
Complete review by June 2004.
Key Themes:
Focused and agreed suite of economic and promotion policies and
programmes linked to a shared physical regeneration and
neighbourhood renewal strategy for the city.
Lead agency: Belfast City Council.
7. Review and Influence Strategies
Output Expected:
Influence key strategic national, regional and local documents as
detailed in Appendix one, leading to the preparation of the most
effective land-use and regeneration frameworks to facilitate the urban
renewal/renaissance process.
Ongoing
Key Themes:
Assert the pre-eminence of Belfast as the Capital City and prime
regional economic driver, whilst linking regeneration strategies with
BMAP and other key policies such as the location of inward
investment, new housing, transport and education, to derive
maximum benefit to regeneration
Lead Agencies: DOE, DRD, DSD and BCC.
8. Promote Quality of Life Agenda Through
Raising Standards Of Service Provision
Output Expected:
Gain acceptance by all service deliverers that standards in e.g.
cleansing, public realm maintenance and policing, must be set higher
in order to improve the image/presentation of the city. This will also
help engender civic pride.
Timescale:
Review complete by June 2004 and Charter in place to mark a new
approach towards the delivery of higher standards.
Key Themes:
The assessment of less strategic but highly visible daily service
provision towards the improvement of higher quality service provision
could have a combined effect on the Quality of life for all through the
improved presentation/image of the city.
Lead Agencies: BCC/BCCM and PSNI.

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9. Achieve Consensus and Build Capacity
Output Expected:
Enhanced and comprehensive knowledge of key strategic issues
affecting Belfast City with practical experience of best practice
solutions and measures from other countries.
Timescale:
June 2004 with continuous development
Key Themes:
A summit or conference to which all key stakeholders will be invited to
take ownership through a participative process. This will begin a
process, which will lead to agreement on a shared vision of the city's
future over the next 20 years. Themes to be explored should include
Belfast's economic positioning and competitive profile; the City's
economic relationship within its region; drivers of economic change;
the city's capacity to grow and repopulate and streamlined governance
and delivery.
Lead Agency: Belfast City Council.
A study tour to examine urban renaissance best practice leading to
successful delivery within the UK and abroad.
Lead Agencies: Belfast City Council and DSD.
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Implementation Programme 7. Review Regeneration Spending
(BCC/BRO Complete by June 2004)
The schedule below is indicative of the chronological order of the
principal recommendations of the Masterplan. However whilst all
steps are considered essential, they are not necessarily sequential 8. Establish a Single Development Agency
and pending agreement some steps can be advanced in line with
(BCC/DSD/DRD/DOE Complete by June 2005)
others.
9. Formulate Project Implementation
1. Achieve Consensus & Build Capacity
Programme
(City Conference April 2004)
(Key Centre and Middle City projects complete by the hosting of the
Cutty Sarks Tall Ships Race 2008)
2. Review and Influence Strategies
(BMAP, BMTP and BRO Regeneration Strategies Spring 2004)
3. Establishment of Regeneration Loan Fund
(BLSP/EU/BCC/BRO/INI/DETI January 2005)
4. Promote Quality of Life Agenda Through
Raising Standards Of Service Provision
(BCC/BCCM/PSNI June 2004)
5. Align BCC Economic Development Policies
(BCC In-house June 2004)
6. Merger of BCC Promotional Agencies &
Establish the Office of City Architect
(BCC & BRO December 2004)
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Careful consideration will need to be given to the role of the Laganside

Corporation in the process of evolving the new single development
agency. Laganside Corporation, (a statutory body with skills,
knowledge and experience capacity) is a valuable asset to the city and
should find a place in the creation of a new development agency for
the city. Although the statutory framework set for winding up the
Corporation is set for 2006/2007, there is merit in considering
advancing this timetable to meet with the formation of the new agency
by June 2005. The assembly of this capacity within the new structure
from its inception would have obvious benefits.

Alternatively the option exists for Laganside to co-exist until its full term
is completed and its functions and area are subsumed into the single
umbrella agency.

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Review of Strategic Documents

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Appendix 1
Review of Strategic Documents

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Review of Strategic Documents
A number of national, regional and local strategic documents
influence the path of Belfast city and impact on its current and future
economic positioning within the wider region. These documents must
recognise Belfast as a Capital City and prime economic driver.
Successful long-term implementation of the masterplan can only be
achieved if Belfast's prime importance is recognised from the
top down.
Framework for Action - European Union
This guidance aims to reinforce sustainable urban development by
strengthening economic prosperity and employment in towns and
cities, promoting equality and social inclusion, protecting and
improving the urban environment and contributing to good urban
governance and local empowerment.
Regional Development Strategy
Influence the 2005/6 RDS review by asserting the pre-eminence of
Belfast as the Capital City and prime regional economic driver.
Acknowledgement of the decline of the city and its impact on regional
economic performance. Need to prioritise the growth of the city to
reverse this decline Assert the pre-eminence of Belfast's Centre City
zone as the first location for strategic investment including retail and
office development.
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BUAP and the emerging Belfast Metropolitan
Area Plan
Acknowledge the centre city as a land use concept at the core of the
BMAP area. Develop a strong and focused phasing and
implementation strategy for the consolidation of the centre city zone,
building on the development of the zone in identifiable quarters,
strengthening the retail core, directing the office market, targeting
renewal areas and investment opportunities, assisting new business
development, activating the waterfront and targeting infrastructure
investment.
Adopt a mixed and integrated land use policy approach to the centre
city zone - car free development areas, better quality urban space,
higher densities, integrated community, health and education facilities
Revitalise and prioritise the heart of the centre city as a 'pedestrian
retail area' and the core location in the region for prime retail and
office space.
Recognise the defined centre city (and supporting retail core) as the
prime investment location in Northern Ireland.
Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan
Performance of BMTP :
A 3% to 4% reduction in private car based trips compared to the do-
minimum seems a modest goal and a minimal benefit from such a
considerable investment in infrastructure. Compared to other
Edinburgh for example the target is to reduce traffic levels by 30% by
the year 2010.
Rapid transit:
Our preliminary demand analysis suggests that the proposed rapid
transit routes require further scrutiny. Existing travel demand would
appear to support EWAY (east) and Super Route (south) but not
WWAY (west). While there is a considerable demand for travel
between North Belfast and the City Centre no rapid transit route is
proposed on this corridor.
Buses & P&R :
Further analysis must be undertaken to review potential of proposed
and alternative P&R sites based on analysis of trip patterns.
There is significant demand for a cross city public transport route
linking North Belfast and South Belfast and other cross routes (there
is very little existing cross route public transport demand due to
services terminating in the city centre).
There appears to be considerable demand for an orbital public
transport route linking South Belfast - South West Belfast - North
Belfast - East Belfast.
Need for Inner Relief Road:
With four bridges already crossing the river north of the central railway
station, the case for a fifth, proposed as part of the Inner Ring Road,
must be questioned. This particularly the case when BMTP forecasts
show that the existing crossings will still operate within capacity by the
year 2020.
Titanic Quarter:
Preliminary analysis suggests that the Titanic Quarter will generate
considerable travel demand. In the absence of attractive alternatives
4,000 additional car trips could travel to and from the site during the
AM peak hour. A suitable public transport alternative must be
provided.
Centre City Travel Demand:
With the development of the Titanic Quarter it is estimated that the
number of car trips existing with both the origin and destination in the
"Centre City" would exceed 2,600 during the AM peak if no attractive
alternative were provided. This is equal to twice the number of on-
street car parking spaces in Belfast City Centre.
The expansion of the city centre towards the Titanic Quarter and the
University ("Centre City") reinforces the case for a new flexible
distribution system. A preliminary feasibility study to establish the
potential for an "Ultra" type system should be progressed. A review of
city centre parking should be undertaken and measures identified by
the BMTP should be progressed.
The Rail Network:
Access to Central Station must be improved if it is to remain the main
gateway for tourists and the business community for those arriving in
Belfast by public transport. The potential for providing passenger
access at track level should be investigated including the potential of

passenger, and possibly vehicular access, under the arches of East
Bridge Street.
A new station at Gamble Street would complement the proposals to
open up the Cathedral Quarter, while a new station at the City Airport
would clearly improve access to the city centre.
Consideration should be given to reviewing service frequencies, in
particular to increasing the frequency between Belfast and Dublin to
twice hourly.
Conversion to light rail and the potential of new rail technology:
Consideration should be given to converting the suburban routes
(Larne, Bangor and Portadown) to light rail at the end of the life of the
existing rolling stock.
The potential for new rail technology :
New developments in relation to the conversion and automation of
whole networks to operation by shuttles able to operate on existing
tracks and provide fast non-stop travel between off-line stations may
be applicable to Belfast given the extent of the disused railway
network.
Reclaiming roadspace from the car and reducing the severance
of major roads:
There is considerable potential to reclaim roadspace from the private
car to provide priority for public transport, better conditions for
pedestrians and cyclists, and an improved city centre environment.
The consultants support the proposals set out in the Belfast
Regeneration Office's Public Realm Strategy centre city.
The existing highway network just to the east of the River Lagan is
confusing, over designed, and wasteful and requires rationalising.
Organisation of Public Transport in NI:
Greater Belfast would be better served if public transport in the city
were the responsibility of a separate organisation responsible to the
City Council itself.
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
Urban Regeneration in Northern Ireland: A
Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal 2003
Understand Belfast's unique history and religious dimension.
Achieve a better co-ordinated and targeted community approach
Meaningfully engage communities at all levels of the regeneration
process.
Ensure that regeneration of the centre city is linked to the city sectors
in the middle city, through employment provision and physical
enhancement.
Link regeneration strategies with BMAP and other key policies such the city Stipulate that the BMAP area must accommodate a brownfield
as the location of inward investment, new housing, transport and target of 90-100%.
education, to derive maximum benefit to regeneration.
Consider mechanisms that need to be put in place to ensure that
Clarify and strengthen roles of the Five Partnership Boards and the urban regeneration is not prevented or delayed as a result of site
Belfast Local Strategy Partnership in the regeneration delivery assembly problems.
process.
PPS5 Review: Retailing and Town Centres
Establish a body to co-ordinate the effective and timely delivery of
regeneration initiatives and site assembly. Ensure that Belfast's retail core remains the primary focus for
economic and social vitality in the region.
BRO City Centre Regeneration Strategy (DSD Recognise that the health of the city directly reflects on the prosperity
through Grimley GVA) of the region.
It is vital that there is alignment between the strategy and the Promote Belfast as the primary retail location in the region.
Masterplan.
Ensure that policies are in line with UK policy.
The proposed retail led approach must be placed within the context of
wider regeneration drivers. Integrate the need for retail vitality and area regeneration within the
context of sustainable development, including integration of transport
PPS12 Review: Housing In Settlements and landuse.
Recognise a potential future population target of 400,000 people in Address the severe imbalance between the city centre and out of
Belfast. centre shopping.
Acknowledge that Belfast is unique in that it has substantial Revise policy to address the over provision of retail warehousing.
brownfield land available within the centre city.
Recognise and acknowledge that successful regeneration and
renaissance of the city is dependent on development occurring within
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Approach to the Transport Aspects of the Masterplan

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 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Appendix 2
Transport Commentary

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Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
Appendix two: Transport Commentary
The transportation issues associated with the masterplan are complex
and inter-related. This commentary is designed to inform the debate
surrounding the movement issues, particularly in respect of public
transport, that lie outside the control of the City Council but which
influence heavily the development of the city. The commentary is
designed to influence the preparation of the BMTP and BMAP, and to
contribute to the next review of the City Council’s own Transport
Policy. The themes addressed in the commentary have been
incorporated where possible in the masterplans spatial plan as set out
in Chapter Six.
Existing City Movement Analysis
An assessment of the BMTP 2001 base year trip matrices was
undertaken based on the sector system adopted throughout this
report in order to assist in identifying the transport needs of Belfast
City. Trip patterns are shown for private (vehicles) and public
transport (person trips) in the figures on page 34, for trips both
originating and terminating in Belfast City only. The public transport
trips include those made by black taxis.
Of the 30,000 car trips taking place within Belfast City during the AM
peak hour, the main o-d pairs were found to be between:
· South Belfast and South City Centre (13% or 3,900 2-way
trips)
· East Belfast and East Belfast (i.e. internal to East Belfast,
12% or 3,700 2-way trips)
· North Belfast and South West Belfast (8% or 2,200 2-way
trips)
· North Belfast and South Belfast (7% or 2,100 2-way trips)
122
Similarly, of the 6,300 public transport trips (buses and black taxis)
undertaken during the AM peak hour, the major trip patterns were
found to be between:
· North Belfast and the City Centre (12% or 800 2-way trips)
· East Belfast and the City Centre (10% or 600 2-way trips)
· South City Centre and East Belfast (10% or 600 2-way
trips)
· South West Belfast and South West Belfast (i.e. or internal
to South West Belfast, 8% or 500 2-way trips)
The above simple analysis of base 2001 travel patterns indicates the
following:
· There is demand for a quality public transport provision
between South Belfast and the South City Centre (Super
Route) and between East Belfast and the South City
Centre (EWAY)
· There is little demand for travel between West/South West
Belfast and the City Centre, the public transport trips that
are currently made between South West Belfast and the
City Centre are made by black taxi. Based on 2001 travel
patterns the numbers suggest that WWAY would be
difficult to justify
· There is a reasonable demand for travel between North
Belfast and the City Centre (no Rapid Transit Route is
proposed on this corridor)
· There is significant demand for a cross city public transport
route linking North Belfast and South Belfast and other
cross routes (there is very little existing cross route public
transport demand due to services terminating in the city
centre)
· There appears to be considerable demand for an orbital
public transport route linking South Belfast – South West
Belfast – North Belfast – East Belfast (again there is no
existing orbital public transport demand due to lack of
service)
Potential demand resulting from the development of the Titanic
Quarter
A crude estimate of the number of new trips that may be generated by
the Titanic Quarter during the AM peak hour has been made based on
observed trip rates and initial estimates of the likely development
content. The existing level of public transport provision and therefore
modal split is assumed. The figures suggest that a high quality of
public transport provision serving the Titanic Quarter will be essential
in order to prevent an additional 4,100 2 way car trips spilling onto the
network during the AM peak hour.
In order to make a preliminary estimate of the number of person trips
that may be attracted onto a suitable public transport, average
occupancy and mode split assumptions were made. In the absence
of average car occupancy data specific to Belfast an average figure of
1.5 persons per vehicle was assumed. This figure was extracted from
data from other Irish Cities. Mode shares of 77% and 88% for
“Centre City” trips, and elsewhere respectively were extracted from
the BMTP problem statement. Based on these assumptions it is
estimated that over 7,000 2-way person trips will require
transportation to/from the Titanic Quarter during the AM peak hour, of
which 2,000 will take place entirely within the “Centre City”.
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Preliminary Titanic Quarter Trip Generation, AM

peak hour
Trip patterns to and from the Titanic quarter were then forecast based
on observed trip ends. As shown in Figure 2, the forecast trip
patterns are dispersed and will require a flexible form of public
transport to compete with the private car.
The Rail Network
As would be expected given the extent of the Belfast City network, the
existing rail network does not provide a particularly attractive
alternative to the private car for short trips undertaken within the City
of Belfast. In fact travel information received from the BMTP team
To/from Centre City To/from rest Total suggests that only 120 such trips are made in the morning peak hour,
of which a quarter appear to be between East Belfast (Bridge End and
Sydenham) and Botanic. Having said that, the function of the heavy
Arrivals Departures Arrivals Departures Arrivals Departures rail network is to provide for the suburban and intercity market, with
the intra city travel demand better served by other forms of public
Car trips 650 375 1,950 1,125 2,600 1,500 transport.

Average occupancy 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 Access to Central Station must be improved if it is to remain the main
gateway for tourists and the business community for those arriving in
Person trips by car 975 563 2,925 1,688 3,900 2,250 Belfast by public transport. The potential for providing passenger
access at track level should be investigated including the potential of
Car mode share 77% 77% 88% 88% 85% 85% passenger, and possibly vehicular access, under the arches of East
Bridge Street. This would then open up the waterfront and Chichester
Total person trips 1,266 731 3,324 1,918 4,590 2,648 Street as the main pedestrian route to the city centre.

Additional ideas raised in the BMTP included the provision of

Preliminary Titanic Quarter Trip Generation, AM additional stations at Gamble Street and at the City Airport. A station
peak hour at Gamble Street would complement the proposals to open up the
Cathedral Quarter, as set out in the main text of this report, while a
new station at the City Airport would clearly improve access to the city
Analysis of the BMTP trips matrices revealed that in 2001 there were centre.
1,600 car trips taking place during the AM peak hour, with both the
origin and destination in the “Centre City”. Added to the number of As previously indicated, the major strengths of rail are in providing an
car trips forecast to be generated by the Titanic Quarter, the total alternative to the car in the long distance travel market, in
number of car trips that would likely take place within the “Centre City” encouraging tourism and strengthening Belfast’s role as a regional
will exceed 2,600 cars during the AM peak alone, if no attractive centre. External destinations to the north (Derry, Coleraine and
alternative were provided. To place this number of cars in context this Portrush) are served by an approximately hourly service while the
is equal to almost twice the number of on-street car parking spaces in suburban routes serving Larne, Bangor and Portadown operate
Belfast City centre. approximately 2 trains an hour.

The flagship Enterprise Service operates between Belfast and Dublin

and is jointly operated by NI Railways and Iarnrod Eireann. It runs

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Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
every hour which is the least that would be expected by those
travelling between the two major cities. A rough equivalent in terms of
population and distance apart is Edinburgh to Newcastle which has 2
trains per hour. This could be achieved with the provision of two
additional trains to operate alongside the existing three.
In the long term the potential for extending this service through Belfast
northwards to Derry, and southwards through Dublin to Cork or
Wexford should be investigated. It may however be the case that
Derry would be too small to sustain such a service and a direct
Connolly-Houston link would be required before a link could be made
to Cork. It is also worth considering whether the private sector may
be better placed to provide a more attractive service on existing state
owned routes.
Conversion to Light Rail and the Potential of
New Rail Technology
The BMTP contains an interesting but undeveloped proposal for joint
operation by heavy and light rail on the three main rail corridors and
such joint operations are now being achieved elsewhere in the UK.
However the proposal is not developed. Consideration should be
given to converting the suburban routes (Larne, Bangor and
Portadown) to light rail at the end of the life of the existing rolling
stock.
The Potential for New Rail Technology
With the second industrial revolution now affecting almost every walk
of life and many forms of transport, major decisions on rail and further
major investments in nineteenth century technology should perhaps
be deferred until the potential for automation is better understood. Of
particular interest are the new developments in Germany concerned
not with high-speed trains but rather with the conversion and
automation of whole networks to operation by shuttles able to operate
on existing tracks and provide fast non-stop travel between off-line
stations. If they can achieve what they promise such technical
developments could breathe new life into both the existing rail
network and the network of abandoned lines.
124
The LRT/E-Way Proposals
The BMTP contains an interesting if somewhat speculative proposal
for four new radial LRT lines serving 4 corridors, although the existing
travel patterns would indicate that some appear more feasible than
others. One of these, the EWAY has already been worked up in some
detail although a comprehensive feasibility study has yet to be
undertaken. The system is proposed as either a guided busway or a
tram and makes use of a disused railway formation.
The case for a busway, which brings back into service a disused
transport reservation, seems sensible provided it could be made
accessible to passengers. It is accepted that new development in the
corridor may imply that there is today far more demand than was the
case when the line was closed.
However, the value of a guidance system, which relieves the driver of
the need to steer but still requires him or her to sit at the wheel,
seems dubious and even gimmicky. It perhaps reflects a time when,
elsewhere in the UK, bus operators were desperate to make the case
for bus priority as an alternative to large public investments in new
trams. Such a proposal also seems to be too much a railway on
rubber tyres. One strength of a busway compared to a railway is the
potential for services to join or leave the busway and divert to serve
other areas.
Ultra
Belfast’s Centre City is just a little too large to walk everywhere but
not quite large enough to make buses a reasonable form of transport.
Many of the key transport nodes such as the city airport, the main
station, the two bus stations and the new and existing black taxi
terminals and many of the city centre car parks are also on the edge
of the centre leaving long walks to key destinations. The expansion of
the city centre towards on the one hand the new Titanic Quarter, and
on the other hand, towards the University also reinforce the case for a
new distribution system able to link all the nodes of entry to the key
destinations.
It is possible that the bus network could be adjusted to perform this
function more efficiently than it does today but this is likely to require
higher frequencies, the cross connection of services through the
centre rather than to it, and the concentration of the network on to
particular roads. A promising alternative, and one which could
additionally give the city centre a new image, is to look forward at the
new public transport technologies now becoming available. The most
promising of these is a system of the Ultra type, (see page 67),
offering point to point travel and capable of penetrating new and old
developments and of having stations located within such
developments as well as on street. Ultra has already been proposed
for Cardiff city centre but in many ways Belfast could be a better and
larger application. A promising and attractive feature of Ultra is that,
unlike the increasingly fashionable trams, it appears to be capable of
covering both its operating and capital costs from the fare box. Ultra
is automated and offers point-to-point travel at a relatively modest
journey speed of 40 kilometres/h but without the delays of traffic,
signals or stops. Despite its relatively slow speed it is therefore
considerably faster than conventional public transport or the car
operating in urban traffic conditions. Although Ultra has already
gained its Railway Inspectorate approval, and although a test track is
now operational, there is as yet no fully working system in service. It
may also prove to be the case that new systems will rapidly be
developed along the lines of Ultra and so at this point the concept is
perhaps of more importance than the Ultra system in particular. The
system is nevertheless referred to as Ultra in the descriptions of the
base and extended networks which are discussed on page 67.
A preliminary analysis of the city centre trip patterns was undertaken
based on year 2001 trip patterns provided by the BMTP team.
Forecasts were also made regarding the likely trip patterns generated
by the proposed Titanic Quarter. Preliminary findings indicate that
sufficient travel demand may be generated to support the Ultra
networks shown on page 67. The network aims to connect all of the
major activity nodes within the centre city, with the first phase linking
the existing city core to:
· The Titanic Quarter and Belfast City Airport east of the
River Lagan
· Queens University and Belfast City Hospital in the south of
Belfast
· Belfast Institute of Further Education

· The Cathedral Quarter and Clarendon Dock in the north of
the city centre
The base network also encompasses all existing and proposed public
transport nodes including:
· Existing Central and Great Victoria Street Rail Stations
· Proposed Gamble Street Rail Station
· Great Victoria Street and Laganside Bus Stations
· Black Taxi stands at Castle Street, Peters Hill and the High
Street
It is suggested that further expansion of the system should be
considered in order to provide access to Laganside in the east and
the “Press Quarter” and the north city centre.
The practicalities of introducing such a system would clearly need to
be the subject of a detailed feasibility assessment and would require
careful design in order to minimise the impact on other users and on
the built environment of the city. It may be appropriate for example to
have the entire system, including stations, elevated in the city centre
to minimise severance and visual intrusion to pedestrians.
QBCs and the Bus Network
The ownership and regulation of the bus operations of Translink are
currently the subject of a review being conducted by consultants on
behalf of the DRD. The outcome may serve to address some of the
more obvious hallmarks of a large and centralised nationalised bus
operation including:
Poor Financial Performance:
It seems that Route and Sector Costing is a discipline practised less
now than in pre-Translink days - perhaps out of nervousness of
possible findings of massive cross-subsidy from bus to rail1. But
surprisingly, it is suggested that financial performance at Ulsterbus
has always been better than at Citybus, despite the former’s mainly
rural operation2. (It does of course include some town networks,
although only Derry’s is of any size.) Of late, the Goldliner express
Colin Buchanan and Partners
network has contributed significant profits, but it seems that Ulsterbus
has always been more actively (and perhaps better) managed than
Citybus. The latter still supports many of the more inefficient practices
well-known in the British bus industry before privatisation.
Having said this, it must be pointed out that overall support for public
transport (as quoted by Translink’s MD) is low in NI as compared with
Britain - £16.75 per head per annum compared with £47.90 in GB.
Spending per passenger-mile is also lower. This would need to be
investigated to see what it really means - it may simply be a reflection
of the much smaller rail network in NI, even in comparison with
population.
In the interests of transport policy it would be better to spend more on
public transport to procure better services. However, there seems to
be no-one fighting for this - the prime measure of Translink’s success
is seen as being a low subsidy requirement, rather than good services
which attract choice users.
Rising Fares and Declining Patronage:
In the early 1990s patronage was apparently increasing; although this
was probably on Ulsterbus rather than on Citybus, which later
suffered from the declining Belfast population. On the other hand,
Ulsterbus’s initiatives on Goldliner and minibus networks served to
improve patronage. Since Translink, however, it appears that pressure
on Ulsterbus to withdraw marginal services has resulted in a fall in
patronage.
Some inappropriate frequencies:
Frequencies are generally poor for a major city, and while combined
frequencies are better on some common corridors scheduled
headways tend to be irregular. Evening frequencies are a particular
problem, for example a headway of 45 minutes in the later evening on
the Malone Road compared with four buses each hour (a 20-min
service plus an hourly one) during the off-peak. Even worse are
Sunday services, when the whole Citybus network of over 60 routes
is replaced by just nine loops operating every two hours each way.
Such services can only be seen as subsistence-level for captive users
- no-one with a choice would opt for the bus at this service level.
Belfast Masterplan
An aged fleet:
There are far too many older buses (up to 20 years at least, in all-day
service), and these older buses are in a different livery to the newer
ones. It appears that the fleet replacement programme may have
been sacrificed in the interests of rail spending.
A lack of bus priority compared with Dublin or Edinburgh:
There is some bus priority, but it tends to be, mainly non-restraining
bus lanes on inbound corridors. They are however absent where they
are really needed, for example on Great Victoria Street northbound
and other approaches to the central core. On the Ormeau Road
corridor, the first and only real attempt at a Quality Bus Corridor, there
is no outbound priority whatsoever. Most bus lanes stop too soon
while many start too late, there is also no signal pre-emption for
buses. Having said all this, observance by motorists of bus lanes
seems good. The is perhaps because they know they will not suffer
noticeably by doing so due to lack of enforcement.
The city centre being used as one large bus station little cross-town
operation (nearly as bad as Dublin but in contrast to Edinburgh):
On the face of it (i.e. from timetables and bus maps), it appears
worse than Dublin, where there are some cross-town services while
there are none advertised at all in Belfast. The reality is however
different, there is unofficial cross-city operation, perhaps amounting to
at least 33%, and possibly 50%, of Citybus’s all-day operations. What
happens is as in the following example.
Route 71 (Malone, south Belfast) cross-works with 73 (Springmartin,
West Belfast). Inbound buses on route 71 show on their headsign “73
Springmartin”, while inbound buses on 73 show “71 Malone”. What
this means is that -
Many intending passengers must be unaware that there is cross-town
working , and in particular which trips actually run across, and
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Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
Inbound passengers are confused because the bus headsign does
not match the timetable and route map.
Not surprisingly, this facility seems little used - just a handful of
passengers on those trips were observed at City Hall. In addition
there is still the phenomenon of empty (and driver-less) buses
standing on the street in busy city-centre locations, particularly at
“peak shoulder” times. The reasons behind the lack of provision of
“proper” cross-town services are apparently -
A very compact city-centre, meaning that few people want
to travel beyond the city centre terminus of routes. (Apart
from on the N-S axis, which is provided for).
What cross-town demand there is may be diffused, and
therefore difficult to serve.
There have in the past been “community” issues
preventing the establishment of some links.
Our preliminary view is that the existing cross-working should be
advertised, but there is possibly no call for more - except to improve
operational efficiency. A much more serious shortcoming is the almost
total lack of peripheral services (again community issues are blamed
to some extent). For instance, to get from Ormeau Road to Malone
Road and Queens University requires a trip into the city and out
again, though they are very close to each other.
Little branding or marketing of services:
Again, it seems that things have got worse since Translink was
created. The branding of buses is confusing - they carry both
“Translink” and Ulsterbus/Citybus. Some also carry the “Go” brand-
name that is supposed to apply to QBC services, but many vehicles
on the latter do not carry the “Go” brand-name while many buses that
do are found on non-QBC services. In fact, as some of the Ormeau
Road QBC services cross-work with non-QBC services this is
inevitable. (The “Go” branding consists of a logo only, applied to
buses in the “new” Citybus livery.)
126
The “1” group of services (Newtownabbey via M2 and M5 motor-
ways), formerly “City Express”, were rebranded as “Go” services in
May 2002 - although without, apparently, any change in services or
infrastructure. However (assuming the current timetable is accurate),
the services only run until about 18:00; after that alternative services
(9, 10, 11) do not use the motorway and therefore take longer. Only
one of these routes runs after 21:00. Buses on the service are
variously branded “City Express”, “Go” or both.
It is doubtful that many regular bus users - let alone non-users - are
aware of the significance of the “Go” branding.
Passenger information:
There is a free complete timetable although this suffers from a lack of
corridor summaries and must be very expensive as a give-away, a
pocket bus map, and information on the internet. There is also fairly
comprehensive roadside publicity although this could be improved
with the provision of more detail of central area routes and stops on
the bus map.
With the review of ownership and regulation being instructed by the
DRD to formulate its recommendations within very tight guidelines
including a single, publicly owned bus company (Transport Northern
Ireland) it is difficult to see how the situation is likely to change for the
better in the near future.
Several options may therefore be worth proposing and canvassing in
the forthcoming DRD consultations. These include:
the establishment of a PTE style organisation for the
Belfast area (i.e. as in Glasgow)
the establishment of a municipal operation as in Edinburgh
(i.e. the ownership to be transferred to Belfast City
Council)
Privatisation and the introduction of one or more of the
major UK operating groups
The City Council certainly needs to take a view of these issues and to
put it forcibly in the forthcoming consultations. The DRD’s proposals
for the continuation of a single large operator seem likely to
perpetuate the existing, unsatisfactory situation.
It is worth noting that regular independent monitoring (quantitative and
qualitative) of Translink services is carried out by Price Waterhouse
and MVA. The results (Spring and Autumn 2002) show public
perception of Citybus services to be worse than that of Ulsterbus on
nine out of eleven factors - though for each operation there seems to
be a positive trend in perception.
Parking Policy and Highway Capacity
Many citizens of Belfast are proud to boast that the city is a
convenient place both to drive and park. There is truth in this view,
but if it is to remain true, and if the city centre is to grow and prosper,
then limits will have to be imposed on the use of the car for travel to
and within the city centre or the wider “centre city”. The reasons for
this are very simple: roads have a very limited capacity for moving
people even if devoted wholly to the car. As city centres grow and
more and more people require access to them it becomes far more
economic to meet as much of the demand as possible by public
transport rather than to attempt to do so by expanding the highway
network. Belfast has to plan for the future, and if the future is to be
more prosperous, with more business and more people, together with
a vibrant and attractive city centre, then the future has to be built
around public transport.
The implication of this is that limits have to be placed on the use of
the car for journeys that could easily be made by public transport.
Such limits can be imposed by making public transport so attractive
that it becomes the preferred mode of travel for a sufficient number of
people, or by imposing controls on the amount of terminating traffic by
means of parking control, road closures or road user charging. All of
these possibilities need to be kept open and all of them may in due
course need to be used.

Early priorities, however, must be to reclaim roadspace from the
private car wherever this could make a significant improvement to the
centre city environment, to control on-street parking more rigorously,
and to limit the provision of off-street parking space. The will help
ensure that valuable commercial development space is not wasted on
parked vehicles whose occupants could easily have come by other
means.
A review of parking policy is therefore central both to the expansion of
the city centre and to the control of traffic, and should include the
components being considered by the BMTP team, including: reduction
in availability of commuter spaces, introduction of decriminalisation
(increases enforcement, decreases infringement), limit the number of
private non-residential spaces. In addition, it is recommended that all
future centre city developments adhere to stringent parking standards.
Reclaiming Road Space from the Car and Reducing the
Severance of Major Roads
The over provision of roadspace in Belfast is clearly demonstrated in
the BMTP problem statement, which suggests that the majority of the
existing road network within the M1 Westlink is forecast to operate
well within capacity during the AM peak hour, even by the year 2020.
It is therefore the consultants’ view that there is considerable potential
to switch roadspace from use by private vehicles to provide priority for
public transport, better conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, and an
improved city centre environment.
All roads form a barrier to pedestrian movements and the previous
discussions of how roadspace may be reclaimed from the car
demonstrate one way in which some barriers can be reduced.
Pavement widening on a road such as Victoria Street would, for
example, make it much easier for pedestrians to cross without
necessarily reducing its capacity for moving vehicles. In other cases,
however, it is the road structures themselves rather than the traffic
which create the barrier.
Obvious examples of this are Westlink and the Sydenham by-pass
with the latter forming a very considerable barrier between the city
centre and the Titanic Quarter. Ways of reducing such barriers
without destroying the function of the road as a means both of access
Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan
to the city centre and a by-pass around it, therefore need to be
explored. The following paragraphs describe some examples as to
how this might be achieved.
City Centre Circulation
In terms of the city centre traffic circulation the consultants support the
proposals set out in the Belfast Regeneration Office’s Public Realm The periphery of the city centre is severed from the core by
Strategy and have adopted this as a starting point in developing a
over designed highway (Millfield/ Carrick Hill/ Fredrick
potential highway strategy for the Centre City.
Street/ Dunbar Link
Movement for all modes of transport, including that of pedestrians and
cyclists, suffer in Belfast city Centre due to: The City Centre being cut off from the waterfront by major
highways (Donegall Quay and Dunbar Link/ Victoria Street
Over provision of space allocated to the private car
Circuitous one way systems resulting in confusion for
unfamiliar drivers: At Shaftesbury Square the Following Issues Need to
be Addressed:
- Dublin Road/Great Victoria Street/Bruce Street
Over designed junction
- Wellington Place/Donegall Square (n)/
Disjointed and multiple pedestrian crossings for
Chichester Street/May Street/ Donegall Square
pedestrians, particularly walking on the north/south axis
(s)/ Howard Street
Mixture of Pelican and zebra crossings adds to confusion
- Victoria Street/Queen Square/Oxford Street
The proposed improvements to the city centre, to be the subject
The City Hall on Donegall Square and the Custom House network capacity tests, include:
on Custom House Square both currently form traffic
Creation of 2-way “inner circular route” to provide for cross
islands surrounded by up to 4 lanes of traffic (the former is
river trips travelling through Belfast
the busiest pedestrian meeting place in Belfast)
Provision of 2-way “calmed” streets on Howard Street/
Donegall Square currently being used as bus layover for
South Donegall Square/May Street and Victoria Street to
city services – not the optimum use for Belfast’s most
provide for necessary east-west and north-south trips
prestigious square
respectively
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The re-routing of the Dunbar Link to Great Patrick Street/
Removal of all private vehicles (except service vehicles)
from Donegall Place, north side of Donegall Square,
Chichester Street, and Oxford Street
Removal of bus layover from the west side of Donegall
Square
Improved pedestrian facilities, particularly on the main
inner circular route to minimise severance
Redesign of Shaftesbury Square to rationalise pedestrian
movements
The primary goals of the proposed strategy are:
1. To address the current imbalance with respect to the
existing dominance of the private car in Belfast City Centre
2. To channel traffic passing through the city onto designated
routes, providing relief to traffic sensitive streets
3. To significantly reduce severance between the city centre
and the waterfront
4. To permit pedestrianisation of Donegall Place, Donegall
Square (N) and Chichester Street
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5. To allow traffic calming of Donegall Square, Wellington
Place, Linenhall Street, Castle Street/Castle Place/High
Street
6. To improve pedestrian linkage to, and through,
Shaftesbury Square
7. To improve pedestrian/cycle crossing facilities to minimise
severance created by the “Main traffic Route” (Great
Victoria Street, College Square (E), Carrick Hill, Fredrick
Street and Cromac Street)
8. To remove traffic from the “Press Quarter” and the
“Cathedral Quarter”
Laganside and Short Strand Highway Networks
The existing highway network just to the east of the River Lagan is
both confusing, over designed, and extremely wasteful of prime
development land. In summary
Redundant flyovers (Sydenham Flyover and Station Street
Flyover) add to severance between River Lagan and East
Belfast. These flyovers should be removed or put to an
alternative use
Lands between Middlepath Street and Bridge End are
unusable (except for parking) due to severance
Access to the Titanic Quarter is confusing and will become
inadequate given its development potential
Short Strand/ East Bridge Street junction – has recently
been redesigned and relocated east to allow increased
capacity for eastbound traffic but old alignment has not
been reclaimed
Page 97 shows a preliminary potential layout for the area. It includes
a new grade-separated roundabout to provide for the main north –
east through route (as existing) a new signalised junction linking the
roundabout to Bridge End. It is also proposed to simplify the existing
Sydenham Gyratory and flyover to an at-grade signalised junction.
The proposed layout simplifies and improves links between the M1,
the city, Laganside and Short Strand and significantly improves
access to the Titanic Quarter. The proposal would also open up
significant pockets of development land.
Expanding the Highway Network?
Given the limits that will have to be imposed both on the amount of
city centre parking and the amount of land devoted to private vehicles,
the idea that the highway network may need to be expanded will
clearly be contentious. It therefore needs to be approached in a
rational way making use of the transport and traffic models developed
for that purpose.
A particularly difficult choice will arise over the proposal to “complete”
the inner ring road. Completion is perhaps a euphemism in this case
since there does not really appear to be a ring road to complete.
Instead the city centre as it lies bounded between the two motorways,
the railway and the river, is essentially a grid. It is of course possible
to argue that extending Ormeau Avenue across the river to link with
Ormeau Embankment might provide a southern complement to the
two motorways which bound the city centre to the north. On the other
hand, there are a number of city centres, notably Glasgow and
Durham which have similar “central by-passes” but have dropped the
idea of converting them into “rings”. Moreover with four bridges
already crossing the river north of the central railway station, the case
for a fifth is not obvious.
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

This particularly the case when BMTP forecasts appear to show that
the existing crossings will still operate within capacity by the year
2020. The proposal clearly needs to be assessed in relation to the
views already expressed and with regards to future public transport
and parking policy. Only then is it likely to be possible to form a sound
view of the case for and against this idea.

The Black Taxis

Belfast’s black taxis were judged by the UK government to be such an
innovative development that the 1985 Transport Act was deliberately
framed to encourage taxi operators on the mainland to follow suit. In
the event none has done so and the current government interest is in
using taxis as buses to serve remote rural communities rather than to
replace conventional high capacity urban services. Given the
investment in the new black taxi terminal off Castle street, they will
remain fundamentally at the core of the public transport system
serving the west and north of the city and attempts should be made to
integrate them into the rest of the public transport system by means of
proposals sush as the ultra.

Park-and-Ride
The proposals for park-and-ride suggest that the strategic plan has
recognised the need to impose limits on city centre parking and thus
to provide an alternative for those who have no choice but to start
their journeys to the city centre by car.

The proposed locations of park-and-ride sites look sensible but will

require careful scrutiny. The consultant’s experience is that on the
one hand large cities cannot sustain park-and-ride on the edges of the
built up area, but, on the other hand, fast roads such as the M1
Westlink do mean that many car commuters could be switched to bus
relatively far out.

The existence of the considerable amount of car sharing from

motorway interchanges right outside Belfast confirm this view. The
location of the park-and-ride sites therefore needs to be re-examined
in the light of the traffic patterns on the existing road network. If park-
and-ride sites need to be located closer to the city centre then they
might be served by Ultra. If they have to be further away then bus,
the new LRT proposals and rail are the obvious solutions.

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Appendix 3
Manchester Case Study

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Manchester Best Practice Case Study
Within the last ten years Manchester has led the way in building a
knowledge based economy. Manchester first formed a city-wide
consortium to promote the City as the UK's knowledge capital. Its
called the new initiative "Knowledge Capital - Manchester".
Manchester's vision strives:
"to create an internationally acclaimed "Knowledge Capital" within the
Greater Manchester conurbation, which will position Manchester,
branded as the Knowledge Capital, at the heart of the Knowledge
Economy, significantly contributing to the economic growth of the
nation and the Northwest region leading to a healthier city/region with
a vibrant, safe and attractive environment in which to live, work and
play, for people of all ages, social and cultural backgrounds".
'Manchester's burgeoning city heart would be the physically
identifiable epicentre of the Knowledge Capital. Advanced connectivity
and knowledge management would then enable this epicentre to be
inclusive of its region in a unique way not possible for most capitals.'
It is proposed that Manchester's 10 year vision will be achieved
through the 8 objectives set out.1
Manchester's Knowledge Capital Strategy
Infrastructure
To create an epicentre, a regional knowledge environment, by:-
New leisure, living, working, and studying facilities close to
the commercial/academic core of the conurbation
Iconic buildings
New green spaces
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Business Development
To nurture and grow nationally recognised, dynamic knowledge-led
clusters, by:
Major investment in modern office accommodation and
science parks,
New incubators and workspace
Enhanced spin-in and spin-out activity
Key sector growth strategies - creative, digital, cultural,
biotechnology
Social Inclusion
To utilise knowledge-rich organisations to deliver wealth, skills, and
jobs to deprived communities, by:
Jobs and skills agreements by major employers with local
communities
New community / school / university / business
partnerships
Integration and delivery of local and regional skills and
employment plans to support the Knowledge Capital
Culture
To deliver a unique integrated urban cultural experience, by:
Refurbish nationally renowned galleries and public art
spaces
Improve the built environment through public art (visual
and performing)
Support for new creative talent through workspace and
galleries
Make Manchester the premier destination for students and
national and international visitors through our impressive
sporting, leisure, street café and club scenes
Academic
To increase the economic and social exploitation of higher and further
education, by:
Partnership of all the higher and further education
institutions to develop a central resource for wealth
generation and social change
Direction of national and regional R&D funds to support
knowledge transfer in the conurbation core
Reinforcement of existing world class centres of
excellence and development of new ones to produce
tomorrow's knowledge
Improve the quality and number of undergraduate and
postgraduate students
Increase graduate retention in the region
Support for the FE sector to provide vocational skills
needed for the growth of the new economies.
Connections
To achieve the maximum connectivity locally, nationally, and
internationally, by:
The development of a coherent hub policy to maximise the
economic impact (internationally) of Manchester Airport
Completion of the Metrolink system expansion to ensure
access of local people to jobs
Enhancement of broadband capacity within the region and
between the region and global markets
 Colin Buchanan and Partners Belfast Masterplan

Image Belfast lacks a comprehensive strategy for the knowledge-based

To unify behind the "Knowledge Capital - Manchester" brand as the
symbol of our vision for the next decade, by:
Implementation of a national and international marketing
strategy
Achievement of buy-in by all sections of the local
community, enhancing community pride and well being
Attraction of inward investment of the highest quality
Creatives
To create and retain knowledge entrepreneurs - our next generation of
"talented creatives", by:
industries which, like that in Manchester, integrates business, urban
planning and academic policies. Belfast City Council, in association
with Invest Northern Ireland, the Universities, the Northern Ireland
Science Park Foundation and other interested organisations and
agencies should consider commissioning such a strategy. The focus
of the development of these industries should be based in the
'centre-city corridor' (which stretches from Queen's University,
Belfast City Hospital and the Royal Victoria Hospital, through the
Footnotes
traditional retail, office and cultural core of the City to the North
Foreshore, Titanic Quarter and the City Airport) should be developed
explicitly to meet the distinctive requirements of these sectors. 1
In the table the list of individual actions has been edited to remove
those which are highly specific to Manchester.The full list and other
information is available from www.thecontactpartnership.ac.uk

Encourage brilliant individuals who use our knowledge and

technologies in creative new ways by employing new ways
of communicating, new ways of managing information and
modern work methodologies.

Empower others, in adopting these winning ways of

working with our knowledge and technologies.

Manchester is already highly regarded as a centre for knowledge-

based and creative industries. The Demos Think-tank recently ranked
Manchester as the UK's most creative city (followed by Leicester,
London, Nottingham and Bristol) after applying a rating scale
developed by Professor Richard Florida for application in the United
States to 40 UK cities. The rating scale ranks cities in terms of their
Technology, Talent,Tolerance.

Demos used a simplified approach to apply the broad concept to UK

cities. It measured technology by assessing the number of patent
applications relative to the population of each city and tolerance by
assessing the racial and sexual diversity of the cities. The results
showed Belfast as ranking 26th equal out of 40 cities for overall
creativity, ranking most highly in terms of patent applications for which
it was 14th of the 40 cities considered.

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Appendix 4
Acknowledgements

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The authors would like to thank the following for

their contribution to this project:

Belfast City Council Masterplan Steering Group,

who were responsible for the commissioning and strategic direction of
this project, for their dedicated involvement.

Peter Mc Naney – Chief Executive

Marie-Therese Mc Givern – Director of Development

Gerry Miller – Head of Urban Development The Consultant Project Team,

for their professionalism and ongoing commitment
Keith Sutherland – Planning and Transport Manager to this project.
Claire Linney – Economic Development Manager
Colin Buchanan and Partners
Kevin Heaney - Policy Officer
Kevin Mc Govern – Masterplan Project Director (Planning)
Patricia Elliot – Policy and Research Manager
Michelle Henry – Masterplan Project Manager/Associate (Planning)
Shirley Mc Cay – Head of Economic Initiatives

Malcolm Buchanan – Director (Transport)

Belfast City Council Councillors, Paul Mc Ternan – Associate Director (Planning)

for their valuable input and direction throughout all stages.
Alan Lipscombe – Associate (Transport)

Gary Rowan – Senior Consultant (Planning)

Annemarie De Boom – Associate (Urban Design)

Lida Botha – Senior Graphic Designer

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Colin Stutt Consulting

Colin Stutt - Economist

Gehl Architects

Jan Gehl – Urban Designer

Lars Gemzo –Urban Designer

The Paul Hogarth Company Donaldsons

Andrew Haley – Landscape Architect Graeme Tulley – Property Consultant

Marcus Shields – Landscape Architect
Ken Crothers

Ken Crothers – Chartered Surveyor and Property Consultant

The authors express their gratitude to all those who kindly

permitted the use of photographic and illustrative material and
to all those who volunteered their time in the making of this
document.

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