Executive summary
Between 19 November 2024 and 9 March 2025, Belfast City Council carried out a 16-week public consultation on Belfast Stories, a new visitor attraction due to open in the city centre in 2030, and its accompanying equality impact assessment (EQIA).
This EQIA final decision report sets out:
- the initial findings from the draft EQIA report
- the results of the consultation process
- conclusions
- recommendations for monitoring any adverse impacts.
About Belfast Stories
Funded by the Belfast Region City Deal and Belfast City Council, Belfast Stories will open at the former Bank of Ireland buildings, 92 Royal Avenue (where North Street and Royal Avenue meet) by 2030. It aims to attract both tourists and locals while helping to regenerate the city and surrounding areas.
Belfast Stories is now at RIBA stage 2. This means architects and designers have been appointed and have produced initial architectural and curatorial concepts.
Initial architectural concept
The initial architectural concept aims to present a building that is welcoming and accessible with four entrances that can be approached from different sides of the building. The former Bank of Ireland art deco building will be a focal point, and the total building will cover over 5,000m2.
In the middle, there is a public space. Visitors can then follow a gentle sloping path to a rooftop where people can walk, relax, play and interact. These spaces will be free to enter.
Initial curatorial concept
The exhibition
There will be an exhibition of stories about Belfast that visitors will have to pay to experience. Stories will be arranged by “two simple, universal frames that let people draw their own conclusions about the city”:
- time – for example, stories about people getting up, going to work or going out
- space – for example, stories about Royal Avenue, the Belfast Hills, peace walls, pubs or kitchen tables
The stories will be told in many different ways, such as in print, audio, video, music and more.
There will also be an ongoing programme of story-themed events and activities in public parts of the building.
Story gathering
There will be an ongoing programme of story-gathering activities. This will take place both inside Belfast Stories and off-site, helping to ensure that both stories and process are relevant and accessible to a wide range of people.
Stories will be collected in many different ways, such as in writing, film, verse, recording, song and more, allowing storytellers a choice of medium to suit their tastes, comfort and access requirements.
About the engagement process
The public consultation
The 16-week public consultation aimed to:
- continue to promote the project, raise awareness and gain buy-in
- make sure that Belfast Stories is for everyone including equality impact assessment and rural needs impact assessment
- gain feedback on current design thinking to inform the next phase of the project.
An online consultation hub was created on Belfast City Council’s Your Say platform. It included copies of the consultation document in a range of formats including HTML, Easy Read, British Sign Language (BSL) and Irish Sign Language (ISL), and 514 responses were received to the online survey including 97 responses to questions on the draft EQIA.
The council’s Equality Scheme consultees were notified of the public consultation and draft EQIA and invited to comment. The Belfast Stories equality consultative forum, comprising 16 experts by experience (including people of different religion and political opinion; of different genders; older and younger people; people from minoritized ethnic community backgrounds; people from the LGBTQ+ community; D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people; and people with caring responsibilities) met four times. Over 2,500 consultation documents were distributed across the city, and 63 consultation sessions engaged over 838 participants across a range of stakeholder groups.
Consideration of available data and research
This section provides an overview of the data and research that was considered in the draft EQIA report.
Demographic make-up of Belfast’s resident population
The draft EQIA provided a breakdown of Belfast’s resident population drawn from the 2021 Census and 2023 local council elections.
Council policies and strategies
The draft EQIA provided an overview of relevant Belfast City Council policies and strategies (link opens in new window). This included its:
- Belfast Agenda
- Corporate Plan
- City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy
- A City Imagining (culture strategy)
- Make Yourself at Home (tourism strategy)
- Equality Scheme
- Good Relations Strategy
- Language Strategy
- Draft Irish Language Strategy
- Draft Changing Places Policy
- Consultation and Engagement Framework
Belfast Stories strategies and research
The draft EQIA provided an overview of key existing research commissioned by Belfast Stories including its Equality Framework and Equality Screening.
Findings from consultation to date
Early consultation
Engagement around the concept of a Belfast Stories has been ongoing since 2014 when the need for a second major visitor attraction in the city was identified. Belfast Stories has subsequently been formally consulted on during a range of public consultations.
In 2021, in preparation for the Belfast Region City Deal bid, Belfast Stories engaged over 50 stakeholder organisations at over 160 meetings and presentations.
RIBA stage 1 public consultation
Between August and November 2022, a 14-week public consultation was carried out on the outline concept of Belfast Stories and its draft EQIA. This public consultation focused on gathering ideas and evidence to help shape the design brief to make sure that the building is welcoming and accessible and everyone can see themselves reflected in its stories.
Over 4,000 people engaged in the consultation. Its findings were used to shape the initial architectural and curatorial concepts for RIBA stage 2 and informed the RIBA stage 2 draft EQIA.
Other relevant research
The draft EQIA drew on existing relevant research to considers the extent to which different people and groups across the different equality categories may engage with culture.
Draft assessment of impacts
In accordance with the EQIA process, having gathered information on the policy and those affected, Belfast City Council then assessed:
- whether there is likely to be a differential impact on one or more of the equality groups;
- the extent of differential impact; and
- whether that impact is adverse.
In the draft EQIA report, Belfast City Council considered the following potential impacts.
Barriers that particular groups face to activity that is similar in nature to Belfast Stories include emotional barriers (such as anxiety or discomfort); interest barriers (not relevant, don’t know what’s available); practical barriers (cost, transport); and societal barriers (racism, ableism).
The Belfast Stories’ Equality Framework established the broad parameters to help ensure that barriers are removed and equality, diversity and inclusion remain at the heart of the project’s development.
Accordingly, the first EQIA and public consultation took place in 2022. There was extensive engagement that found exceptionally high levels of support including across all Section 75 equality categories. Many consultees also reflected on the potential positive impact on equality of opportunity and good relations.
Nevertheless, there were concerns that Belfast Stories could present a partisan, binary or narrow perspective of Belfast that would exclude the stories or identities of particular groups. Consultees, often those with lived experience of missing out or being less heard, simultaneously provided insight and offered tactics to support equality of opportunity, particularly for older people, younger people, people from minoritized ethnic communities, disabled people and carers, and promote good relations, particularly in relation to minoritized ethnic communities and the Irish language.
The final RIBA 1 EQIA decision report recommended that the council should “continue to embed equality, diversity and inclusion in the development of Belfast Stories, ensuring that early potential for positive impact can be realised”.
Findings from the first consultation helped to develop the initial architectural and curatorial concepts. This includes a building with welcoming and accessible public space; a simplified narrative structure that organises stories by time and space, rather than theme; and an open approach to story gathering, allowing storytellers a choice of medium to suit their tastes, comfort and access requirements.
RIBA stage 2 consultation documents recognise the quality and value of previous consultation responses in shaping Belfast Stories so far. Building on this strong foundation, the RIBA 2 consultation programme identifies groups who are less likely to access, experience or feel represented in Belfast Stories and sets down a range of tactics to uncover further evidence and mitigate potential differential impact.
Central to this is the experts by experience consultation forum, which will bring together representatives from key equality groups, helping make Belfast Stories accessible, welcoming and representative.
The final RIBA 1 EQIA decision report further recognised the potential for Belfast Stories to promote good relations by affording respect and recognition to native minority language in keeping with local and international policy and best practice. It recommended that Belfast City Council should continue to consult closely with Irish language and Ulster Scots stakeholders and any resulting language policy or practice should be subject to equality screening.
It is likely that the nature and extent of any language policy or practice will be a further “natural outworking” of the draft Irish Language Policy, which is currently also being consulted on. Findings in response to both the Belfast Stories draft EQIA and draft Irish Language Strategy EQIA should further illuminate the nature and extent of any differential impacts.
The draft assessment of impacts concluded by noting that the public consultation welcomed further evidence of any impacts on Section 75 groups, which would be collated and analysed to produce this final EQIA decision report.
Summary of consultation responses
Survey responses in relation to the draft EQIA
We received 514 responses to the survey on Belfast City Council’s Your Say Belfast consultation website. Of those, 97 people (18.9 per cent) answered questions specifically on the draft EQIA.
Agreement with the assessment of impacts
Over three quarters of respondents (77.3 per cent) agreed with the assessment of impacts. 11.3 per cent disagreed.
One person disagreed but noted they did not read the draft EQIA.
One person noted that it was a “strong document”, and another considered “Actually the answer isn’t yes or no but sort of”.
Other reasons given by those who disagreed with the assessment of impacts were:
- too much focus on “people born and raised here”
- not enough recognition or regard for language rights including Irish and Ulster Scots
- not enough focus on class and poverty
- objection to the categorisation of stories by Section 75 dimension
- “it reads as very passive, and reactive, rather than proactive and change-orientated”
- “it's not about equality. It's about political correctness. Only one view will be tolerated, that if the government left wing views. No critical sound on the negative siides of immigration and the Muslim crimes will be allowed. There will be no freedom of speech”
Additional impacts
There were 45 substantive responses to the question “Are you aware of any other impacts that we haven't identified?” including 36 responses stating that they could not identify additional impacts.
One response gave “marital status” as an additional impact. Another noted potential to improve equality of opportunity through extended opening hours. Other responses were less relevant to good relations or equality of opportunity across Section 75 protected characteristics.
Additional evidence
There were 45 responses to the question “Are you aware of any other evidence or research that may be relevant to Belfast Stories impact assessment?”. Of these, 37 were unaware of additional evidence.
One respondent signposted to six reports on arts and crafts which include some evidence of inequalities within these sectors. Another respondent referred to stories including the Troubles and industry. The remaining respondents provided suggestions (rather than evidence) including in relation to car parking, pedestrianisation, environmental impact and story gathering.
Opportunities to promote equality of opportunity and good relations
There were 38 substantive responses to the question “What else could we do to promote equality of opportunity and good relations?”. Three respondents stated that they felt plans for the development were already achieving this. Among other relevant responses:
- 10 responses made general points such as “Set the standard” and “Make everyone feel welcome”
- 9 responses referred to consultation including with young people, students, community organisations, the disability and age sectors and disabled people
- 8 responses referred to programming including, for example, free programming, Autism-friendly events, promoting good relations and diversity
- 7 responses referred to story gathering and curation including the need for a Troubles Museum; to “keep religion out of it” or give a “stronger voice” to people who identify as neither Catholic nor Protestant; and to have an ethics panel
- 4 responses referred to recruitment including a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled people, recruiting people from the LGBTQ+ community and using disabled consultants
- 3 responses referred to communications including communications targeted at disabled visitors and use of assistive technology including social narrative videos
- 2 responses referred to the architecture, specifically: in favour of not erecting gates; and need for child- and Autism-friendly spaces
Relevant findings from the overall survey
The survey asked, “On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is very positive and 5 is very negative, [Footnote one] how do you feel about the development of Belfast Stories and the impact it will have on the area?”
The average score was 2.5. People and groups who may feel less favourable about Belfast Stories’ concept and impact include:
- people who identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or in another way
- disabled people
- people from neither a Protestant nor Catholic community background
- people from minoritized ethnic community backgrounds
- younger people aged 18 to 24.
Relevant findings across all engagement
The following findings are drawn from 514 survey responses, 63 consultation sessions with 838 participants and written responses from three organisations.
Accessibility
Consultees emphasised that best practice or universal access should be designed in to Belfast Stories at this stage. This should include consideration of:
- physical accessibility
- evacuation planning
- sensory requirements
- assistive technology
- sign language interpretation
- transport and parking
- age-friendly design
- dementia-friendly design
- neurodivergence
- key facilities including restrooms, Changing Places, quiet areas and help points
- diverse storytelling representing different Section 75 dimensions.
Consultees also emphasised that access should be embedded in Belfast Stories’ operation, when the knowledge and skills of staff in particular will be critical.
Building design
Consultees identified key aspects of the building design that would make them feel welcome. This included the open, permeable architectural design; wide, step-free entrances; and access to free, high-quality public space.
Aspects of the building that people felt might present barrier included the building’s façade and frontage, which some felt was unwelcoming.
Consultees would further welcome:
- signage at entrances and regularly throughout the building
- consideration of how nuisance and anti-social behaviour will be managed
- consideration of acoustics
- consideration of interior design
- consideration of the location of key facilities
- quiet spaces.
Most people felt that the building should be neutral with no flags or emblems displayed.
Facilities mix
Consultees broadly welcomed the facilities mix with particularly strong support for the roof garden and courtyard.
Consultees suggested additional provision including a sensory garden, play facilities for children, use of the Irish language, a range of food offerings to suit people with dietary restrictions or to celebrate the diversity of Belfast’s communities, and inclusive cafes.
Visitor experience
Consultees were generally enthusiastic about the visitor experience provided it is engaging and well balanced with a wide range of stories.
Minority and minoritized communities in particular tended to like the idea that they and their stories would not be labelled or added to the edges.
There were some isolated, though not insignificant concerns raised about the time–space curatorial framework, including that:
- it may cause confusion including for some people with learning disabilities
- stories should be searchable, so there is a practical need for labelling or tagging.
Troubles-related stories
A different approach to curating the Troubles was generally appreciated. Survey respondents in particular were more likely not to want the Troubles retold. In practice, most people considered it a backdrop to their lives.
Other topics
Consultees stressed that stories should not be sanitised, prioritising “unfiltered, sometimes challenging perspectives” over “polished narratives”. Generally, it was felt that language should be retained as told (including, for example, in sign or Irish).
Some consultees cautioned against “overly” curating stories, which risks making the overall experience either “too politically neutral” or “propaganda”.
Some suggested there should be advisory notices to help community groups and parents navigate sensitive topics and language.
Other stories people would like to experience at Belfast Stories that could support equality of opportunity and promote good relations include:
- history that educates, particularly young people, particularly locating Belfast in global narratives (for example, the slave trade, migration, world war)
- industrial and economic history including shipbuilding, linen, lesser-known industries and Belfast’s role in global trade and innovation
- family and intergenerational stories
- contemporary stories including reflections on modern Belfast, its regeneration and how young people are shaping its future
- diversity and representation: stories from communities including working-class histories, geographic communities, minority and minoritized voices, the D/deaf community, LGBTQ+ experiences, stories of migration (from rural areas of NI and from outside NI) and more
- stories offering hope and inspiration
- protestant cultures and traditions including Orange and Ulster Scots
- Irish language, culture and tradition
- major events, including relating to good relations and peacebuilding.
Exhibition
Consultees expected stories to be told in a wide variety of ways appreciating that these would appeal to a wide audience’s communication preferences and requirements. This included:
- interactive and immersive exhibits
- playful and gamified elements particularly, but not exclusively for children and young people
- multi-sensory experiences including sight, sounds, smell and touch
- multi-language and inclusive formats including Irish and Ulster Scots, sign languages, other world languages, Braille and other tactile communication
- reflection and quiet spaces
- community conversations including with locals and volunteer storytellers
- community spaces where communities and groups could exhibit their stories, archives or creativity.
Changing at least some of the exhibition frequently would encourage people to visit again. However, some consultees felt that at least some things should stay the same to “anchor” their visit. This was particularly important for Autistic people, parents and community groups who might feel assured by knowing what to expect from a visit.
Story collection
Nearly three out of five (59 per cent) of survey respondents would share their stories. In face-to-face engagements, this was substantially more.
People expect story gathering to be clear, including easy-to-understand guidance on the process and how their stories would (or would not) be used. Comfort and safety may be particularly important for people of different political opinion, people from the LGBTQ+ community and people from more socially conservative community backgrounds.
People may also be encouraged by:
- diverse ways to share as individuals and groups
- convenience. This includes being able to share their story at Belfast Stories, quickly or remotely (for example, by text message).
- outreach, particularly to those who face additional social or physical barriers to getting to Belfast Stories
- engagement through schools and parents
- collaboration with organisations that are trusted by their communities including to engage geographic communities, the LGBTQ+ community and people from minoritized ethnic communities
- encouragement or invitation. Some people are more reticent because they do not feel they have anything to contribute or are not natural storytellers.
People may be more hesitant to tell their story because of:
- concerns about judgment or ridicule, privacy and anonymity, incrimination, misinterpretation or misrepresentation. This mostly related to sensitive stories. People who felt less confident were also likely to be concerned about judgement or ridicule. It was also noted that what is considered sensitive or taboo changes over time (for example, health, disability, sexuality), which might particularly concern older people. Others may only feel ready or safe to share towards the end of their lives.
- concerns about safety. It was noted that Belfast is a small place. While steps could be taken to protect anonymity, this is not always possible.
- lack of trust. This includes in Belfast City Council, the motivations behind Belfast Stories and how stories would be collected, edited or displayed, including used for political purposes or as part of divisive narratives.
- lack of confidence or not feeling that a story is interesting or worth telling or that a person has a story at all. This may be more likely to affect younger people, women and people, particularly women, from minoritised ethnic communities.
- feeling that their story was not relevant. This includes people not born in Belfast.
- feelings of exclusion: that their story would not be welcomed, valued or used as it does not align with received narratives. Protestant communities were described (at an engagement session in a predominantly Protestant area) as “more sceptical”. It was also considered that Belfast Stories could redress a perceived bias that Protestant communities have fewer stories.
- consultees conveyed a strong sense of urgency not to delay gathering the rich and varied stories of older people.
Operating model
At this stage, the long-term operating model for Belfast Stories is still in development. While consultees were not asked for their opinion, there was a high level of interest. Suggestions pertinent to equality of opportunity and promotion of good relations in the long-term include:
- use of social clauses, employment academies, training programmes and apprenticeships targeting young people, disadvantaged groups and those seeking to upskill
- local community partnerships
- including community representatives and young people in the governance structure
- extended and flexible opening hours supporting people with sensory sensitivities or anxiety
- quiet hours
- free or discounted entrance fees, in particular for pensioners and young people
- free tickets for carers or companions of disabled visitors
- effective marketing considering different audiences including disabled people and older people.
City centre context
While respondents were pleased about investment in this part of Belfast, the main barrier identified to Belfast Stories was the wider city centre, which was considered to be rundown, unattractive and unsafe, particularly among younger people, older people, parents, carers and women.
Travel and transport
Another major barrier cited frequently by consultees was getting to Belfast Stories. Issues and concerns included parking; drop-off; public transport; pavements and pathways.
Conclusions
This information has been brought together in this report in order to ensure that Belfast City Council is in a position to take account of all issues when making a decision in relation to Belfast Stories. The following analysis of the key points arising from the EQIA and the consultation responses is provided to assist the council, but it is not exhaustive and is not meant to be a substitute for the detailed information presented in this report.
Support for the Belfast Stories concept
During the public consultation, Belfast City Council gathered feedback across a range of equality groups, and there was broad support for its concept and potential impact.
Support was generally strongest at face-to-face engagements such as workshops and focus groups. However, survey results indicate people from some Section 75 categories may be less supportive. This may include young people; people from minoritized ethnic communities; disabled people; people from the LGBTQ+ community; and people from neither a Protestant nor Catholic community background.
Architectural concept
Across both RIBA stage 1 and 2 public consultations, consultees generously shared their lived experience and advice to help make Belfast Stories inclusive and welcoming. Some of this feedback has already been used to inform the initial architectural concept, including multiple, broad entrances; a wide, open courtyard; and accessible public space.
The design team should now further consider new evidence and review architectural plans to maximise the sense of welcome and inclusion, particularly in relation to egress, signage, public space and accessibility.
Curatorial framework
Compared to the RIBA stage 1 public consultation, when stories were to be curated by theme, the time–space curatorial framework has been well received, and there appears to be fewer concerns that it will present a partisan, binary or narrow perspective of Belfast.
Nevertheless, residual concerns are likely to be a barrier to equitable story collection and curation. Such concerns may reduce further over time with ongoing, targeted engagement and mitigation, such as targeted outreach, embedded in story collection processes.
Language strategy
Belfast Stories is an opportunity to promote access to and awareness and inclusion of Irish, Ulster Scots, BSL and ISL. This may in turn enhance good relations by affording respect and recognition to native minority language in keeping with local and international policy and best practice.
Belfast City Council should continue to consult closely the city’s language communities, including in relation to the development of the building, story collection, exhibition and overall experience. Resulting language policy or practice should support the council’s Language Strategy and draft Irish Language Strategy and be subject to an equality screening.
Travel and transport
Consultees have identified that travel and transport may be a major barrier for some Section 75 groups including disabled people, older people, younger people, carers and parents. There should be ongoing collaboration with Translink and city planners in relation to accessible parking, public transport, drop-off and streetscaping.
Safety
Another major barrier identified across the population and that may affect some Section 75 groups in particular is perceptions of safety in the immediate vicinity of Belfast Stories and the city centre in general.
There should be ongoing collaboration with city planners, other developers and stakeholders to maximise regeneration and reduce concerns around blight, safety and anti-social behaviour.
Ongoing engagement
Survey responses may point to underlying systemic issues of trust and representation which reinforce Belfast Stories’ intent to continue to target engagement at people and groups most likely to feel excluded.
The next stage of engagement is an opportunity to continue to build on messages of welcome and inclusion while gathering evidence as to how this can be achieved, practically and ideologically, from those key equality groups. This is particularly important as concepts and ideas become plans for structures and layouts during RIBA stage 3.
At this stage, Belfast Stories engagement plan and stakeholder mapping should be reviewed and revised in light of lessons learned and additional evidence uncovered during this public consultation. Ongoing engagement should prioritise those stakeholders and groups that may be most at risk of missing out but also have most to offer in terms of how inclusion can be designed in. This includes:
- young people
- older people
- people from minoritized ethnic communities
- disabled people
- parents
- carers
- people from the LGBTQ+ community
- people from neither a Protestant nor Catholic community background
- different language communities including Irish, Ulster Scots and sign language.
Operations
There were high levels of interest among stakeholders as to how Belfast Stories will be run after its opens in 2030. This included in relation to its operating model, staff, pricing policy, opening hours and marketing and communications.
Belfast Stories should give consideration to further engagement to ensure that it creates a welcoming and inclusive operating environment in the long term.
Equality consultative forum
The equality consultative forum proved a valuable tool for engagement throughout the RIBA 2 public consultation. Many of its participants had been involved in the RIBA 1 public consultation and now couple lived experience with expertise in the development of Belfast Stories.
Belfast Stories should consider having a standing equality consultative forum to provide continuity and advice between and throughout public consultation.
Story collection
Belfast City Council should prioritise testing story collection processes and tools with groups that are less likely to share stories, in particular older people and the very elderly whose stories are otherwise at risk of being lost.
Monitoring for adverse impact
Schedule 9 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 requires that a system be established to monitor the impact of the final policy in order to find out its effect on the relevant groups within the equality categories.
Belfast City Council plans to continue to monitor impact throughout the development of Belfast Stories and review it at least annually including:
- at the end of this public consultation period, when the draft EQIA report will be revised, taking into account comments received during the consultation, and a final EQIA report will be prepared for Belfast City Council. The results of the EQIA will be published on the council’s website and intranet and in its annual report to the Equality Commission.
- in summer 2025 when a report on this stage of the RIBA stage 2 public consultation will be prepared and published on the council’s website
- in 2026 when a further equality screening will be carried out as part of the planning permission and public consultation process.
The results of monitoring will be included in Belfast City Council’s annual review on progress to the Equality Commission and in line with the council’s Equality Scheme. If the monitoring and analysis over a two-year period show a greater adverse impact than predicted or if opportunities arose which would allow for greater equality of opportunity to be promoted, Belfast City Council will take measures to achieve better outcomes for the relevant equality groups.
Footnotes
Footnote one: There is some mismatch between comments and scores indicating that some people interpreted 1 to be negative and 5 to be positive.
