HomeEnvironmental Resource Recovery Park
Belfast's North Foreshore is a hugely exciting opportunity for the citizens of Belfast. These 340 acres of land, which have been reclaimed from the Belfast Lough over the past thirty years, represent a precious and unique asset.At a time when growth in many western cities is being restricted because of a lack space, Belfast has been presented with a parcel of land that lies only two miles from the city.
The North Foreshore lies next to some of the most deprived neighbourhoods in Northern Ireland and it is one of our central aims that any plans for the land will be to engage with the local community.
Being a former landfill site the issues of environmental sustainability and waste management fit naturally into any discourse about its future.
Consultation
We launched 'The Future of the North Foreshore - a consultation' on 19 October 2005. The document presented proposals for an environmental business park, waste management, open space and supporting facilities and invited comments on the emerging proposals. Feedback was very positive.A key element of the consultation process was the development on a portion of the site for industrial use. The area has the potential to host an innovative and internationally recognised Environmental Resource Recovery Park constructed using only sustainable build principles.
Environmental industries
We recognise the need to promote the environmental industries as an emerging sector and we have worked alongside the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment, Questor, Full Circle, Bryson House, WRAP, Invest NI and University of Ulster in discussing plans for the park.In 2006 we, in conjunction with Arena Network, launched our Waste Minimisation Club in Belfast. The project is to run over a number of years, linking companies and identifying waste minimisation opportunities to bring real financial benefits to the businesses concerned.
In Northern Ireland, the environmental goods and services industry is diverse, dynamic and continuously evolving.
Traditionally, it has been based on conventional sectors such as waste water treatment and solid waste management, however due to the plethora of environmental regulation, legislation and social and corporate responsibility, the traditional boundaries of the 'environmental sector' have diversified vastly to the point where there is no exact boundary.
Design and content
The Environmental Resource Recovery Park would challenge conventional thinking and transform the image and identity of North Foreshore from a former landfill site into an internationally recognised location that promotes integrated sustainable development and tangible employment opportunities.It will be a collection of high specification and quality buildings, incorporating eco design principles. Buildings will be as environmentally friendly as possible. Recycled materials will be used in the construction of the site and a low energy strategy will make best use of solar gain, daylight and natural ventilation.
Unique to Northern Ireland is the collection and management of landfill gas to generate electricity for export to the national grid.
