Neighbourhood Regeneration Fund

What is the fund?

The Neighbourhood Regeneration Fund (NRF) is a new £10 million capital fund.

Its aim is to help groups deliver capital projects in their communities which help develop neighbourhood tourism, improve environmental sustainability and support the city’s social economy.

Following an open call for applicants in early 2022, 21 projects have now been shortlisted to progress to stage two of the three stage application process.

Delivering outcomes

NRF is our fresh approach to physical regeneration across the city. Its themes are directly linked to these strategies:

• The Belfast Agenda – the city’s overarching framework
• Belfast: Our Recovery
• Neighbourhood tourism – Make Yourself at Home tourism strategy
• Environmental sustainability – Resilience Strategy – A Climate Plan for Belfast
• Social economy - Inclusive Growth Strategy

We will use an Outcomes Based Accountability approach, or OBA, to monitor the impact of the fund. It measures effectiveness and impact by answering three questions: How much did we do? How well did we do it? Is anyone any better off?

Shortlisted projects

The projects that have been selected to progress to the second stage of the three-stage process are listed below.

East Belfast

• EastSide Container Hotel project (applicant EastSide Property Belfast Ltd) - development of 10 unique serviced tourist apartments overlooking CS Lewis Square.
• Portview Exchange project (applicant Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre) – development of artist studio space and retail unit.
• Nevin Spence Centre Visitor Experience project (applicant Ulster Rugby) - upgrade to Ulster Rugby’s museum and heritage centre.
• Impact Hub project (applicant Impact Belfast) - redevelopment of a former church into a state-of-the-art hub for social impact organisations.

West Belfast (including Shankill)

• The Mountainview Hotel (applicant Fáilte Feirste Thiar) - a socially owned, environmentally friendly 65-bedroom hotel.
• Michael Davitt’s Community Heritage Centre (applicant Michael Davitt’s GAC) - museum and exhibition space, plus a new multi-purpose hall.
• Croí na Carraige - ‘The Heart of the Rock’ (applicant Glór na Móna) - multi-purpose Irish language youth, community, family and heritage hub.
• ACT Initiative Community Hub and Visitors’ Centre (applicant Action for Community Transformation Initiative) - new community hub, offices, visitor centre and exhibition space.
• The Road (applicant Lower Shankill Community Association) – an interpretive centre focusing on the history of the Shankill Road.
• Glencairn Community Project Hub (applicant Glencairn Community Project) - purpose-built community and youth facility.

North Belfast

• Cliftonville Community Enterprise project (applicant Cliftonville Community Regeneration Forum) – two-storey childcare facility and eight enterprise units.
• AYE Youth and Community Hub (applicant Ardoyne Youth Enterprise) – shared youth hub, creative learning centre and office space.
• Green Growth and The Circular Economy project (applicant Ulster Supported Employment Ltd) - extension of premises to add a 600sq metre, purpose-built processing unit with storage.
• Belfast Orange Hall refurbishment project (applicant Belfast Orange Hall) – refurbishment of Grade B-listed building.
• St Joseph’s restoration project (applicant Sailortown Regeneration Group) – restoration of Grade B+ church and parochial house.

South Belfast

• Sólás new build project (applicant Sólás) – development of three-storey building and outdoor space for the special needs charity.
• Branching Out project (applicant Greater Village Regeneration Trust) - refurbishment and extension of existing premises.
• Lagan Water Access Activity Hub (applicant Lower Ormeau Residents’ Action Group) – water activity hub on the River Lagan including floating pontoon and footbridge.
• Redevelopment of Riddel’s Warehouse (applicant Hearth Historic Buildings Trust) – improvements to disused listed building including creation of an arts centre, co-working space and visitor attraction.
• Redevelopment of former School of Music (applicant Fitzroy Presbyterian Church) – transformation of a derelict listed building into artist studios, a gallery, a rehearsal, dance and event space.
• Regeneration of the former St Malachy’s Convent School and warehouse at Sussex Place (applicant Market Development Association) - a vibrant new community heritage hub and visitor attraction.

Timescales for delivery

It is anticipated that projects chosen to progress to the third and final stage of the application process will be confirmed in spring 2023. This final stage includes a range of activities including contractor procurement to establish detailed project costs. Once this information has been received and carefully considered, councillors will make a final decision on which projects will go ahead under the fund.

Construction is likely to begin on the successful projects from 2024 onwards.