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Benefits of restoring the Lagan Canal

As the Lagan Corridor is opened up, there will be increasing benefits for all the people of Belfast, and indeed Northern Ireland.

Maximising use of the river will help boost the tourism potential of the city, creating revenue and jobs. Local communities will enjoy a wider range of leisure and sports activities and the beautiful riverside environment will be significantly enhanced.

Community ownership

The re-opening of the Lagan Corridor will help the communities of the area restore their traditional link with the Lagan and take ownership of the magnificent resource at their doorstep.

Full consultation will ensure their needs, aspirations and concerns are at the heart of the development of the waterway.

Tourism

As Belfast competes in the international tourism market, the rejuvenation of the Lagan offers many opportunities to enhance the visitor experience.

Along with opportunities for increased boat cruises and tours, numerous special events and river festivals, there will be potential for the expansion of the hospitality and accommodation sector in the area.

Sports, recreation and leisure

As the Lagan is opened up, we can expect to see an increasingly vibrant river life, with a wide range of water sports and activities, such as canoeing, dragon boat racing and sailing, available.

Improved facilities and cleaner waters will also significantly increase fish stocks to create world-class angling.

Enhancing the environment

Protecting and enhancing the river environment, which includes vital wetlands, moorland and parkland, and some of the most important fauna and flora in Northern Ireland, will be a priority of the Lagan Corridor Project. Greater control, ensured by new weir facilities, will also help in the stabilisation of water levels.

Educational profile

An important dimension of the Lagan Corridor Project will be to provide increased access to the Lagan and its immediate environment to schools. It will also boost awareness and understanding of the unique heritage, marine life and wildlife of the area, while providing an important example of sensitive urban regeneration in action.

Titanic link

has played a crucial role in Belfast's illustrious maritime history, not least in its connection to the famous Harland and Wolff shipyard. With the construction of the fabulous Titanic Quarter development and the building of its new marina, there are new opportunities to link the Lagan with the symbolic heart of Belfast's shipbuilding glory.

Events

A rejuvenated Lagan will provide an ideal location for numerous events, both high profile and local community based. There will be great potential for all kinds of river and canal-focused festivals, special sports competitions and tourist-related festivities.