Belfast Stories equality impact assessment

Between 10 August and 20 November 2022, Belfast City Council carried out a 14-week public consultation on Belfast Stories, a planned new visitor attraction due to open in the city centre in 2028, and its accompanying equality impact assessment (EQIA). The public consultation focused on:

1. raising awareness of Belfast Stories so that people are excited and want to continue to be engaged in its development and
2. 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.

During the consultation period, the draft EQIA report was available on Belfast City Council’s Your Say consultation website. This included a survey inviting feedback on the Belfast Stories proposal and draft EQIA. The council’s Equality Scheme consultees (appendix 1) were notified of the draft EQIA and invited to comment. Leaflets and information were distributed across the city including pop-ups and display boards exhibited at Clifton House, Girdwood Community Hub, Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre, Crescent Arts Centre, Ulster University, the Spectrum Centre, EastSide Visitor Centre and the James Connolly Visitor Centre. There were also 65 consultation workshops and meetings with a range of stakeholders (see appendix 2).

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