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Date: 4 June 2025
Category: City centre
Plans to boost Belfast city centre regeneration have stepped up a gear, thanks to council securing investment from the Department for Infrastructure and Department for Communities.
The Department for Infrastructure has invested £600k in the Council’s Under the Bridges project and Sailortown Bridge, as well as £500k to support the roll out of e-bikes in the Belfast Bikes network through Greenways and Active Travel Enabling funding.
The Council’s ‘Under The Bridges’ project in partnership with Belfast Harbour is set to enhance connectivity between the city centre and the Sailortown / City Quays area; introducing new public realm, active travel infrastructure and developing underutilised spaces under the M3 bridges for innovative outdoor leisure uses, following consultation with community representatives and local stakeholders.
The funding will also develop the planned Sailortown-Queen’s Island Bridge to RIBA Stage 2 – the Concept Design phase where the architectural team develops initial ideas and concepts for the project. Subject to capital funding being secured, an iconic cross harbour cycle and walking swing bridge will complete the Harbour Loop and provide important connections between Sailortown and north Belfast to Queen’s Island, as well as an active travel connection to the newly completed Yorkgate Train Station.
These projects will help to achieve the Belfast Waterfront Framework’s vision of a connected, vibrant corridor linking to and with key destinations, neighbourhood communities and the city centre by offering safe and green public spaces to socialise, infrastructure for active travel and exercise, improved connectivity and easier access to jobs and services.
New Belfast Lord Mayor, Councillor Tracy Kelly said: “It’s one of my objectives during my Mayoral term to better connect the communities surrounding the city centre, so that they can enjoy and benefit from all it has to offer. A Bolder Vision for Belfast is an ambitious blueprint to explore a shared approach to creating a more attractive, accessible, safe and vibrant city that council has developed with the Department for Communities and the Department for Infrastructure. It’s all about enhancing connectivity and placemaking to make the city centre more attractive, more vibrant and more accessible – a place where people want to be and spend time. Securing funding from these departments will really accelerate our work to encourage connectivity and healthier, more active living.
“City centre regeneration remains a key priority for us – so we’re pleased to have also granted approval for a new monthly craft, music and food market ‘HALT’ in the former Europa bus station building, breathing new life into this space and encouraging visitors to explore the area. And the success stories from our recently closed Vacant to Vibrant city centre funding scheme just keep coming. It’s fantastic to see EDO restaurant opening sister venue ‘Beau’ on Warehouse Lane in Cathedral Quarter and ArtsEkta’s new venue at Olive Tree House on Fountain Street now hosting a live event space, dance and wellbeing studios, artist workshops, co-working space, exhibition gallery and global cookery academy – initiatives like these bring real heart and soul to our city centre.”
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins said: “I am delighted that my Department has been able to contribute £1.1million to Belfast City Council to help implement active travel initiatives in the city. Supporting cleaner and greener transport is one of my department’s seven Foundations for a Better Future and projects such as these are a tangible way of delivering on that vision. Creating places that encourage more people to consider walking, wheeling and cycling as part of their daily routine is not just good for the environment, but is also beneficial for our physical and mental wellbeing. Once implemented the schemes will improve connectivity across the city and help make active travel a viable option for locals and visitors.”
Almost £1.3m in developer contributions is being invested in high quality public realm at Little York Street/Little Patrick Street, including the installation of planters with integrated seating, tree planting, rain gardens, lighting pillars, and surface improvements.
And Belfast City Council is also providing £1.38m in developer contributions to the Department for Communities to support public realm improvement schemes in Belfast city centre.
Communities Minster Gordon Lyons said: “I welcome this funding contribution from Belfast City Council towards two schemes my Department is taking forward in Belfast city centre. These projects will transform the appearance of the streetscape in College Court, College Street, Callender Street, sections of Upper Arthur Street and Montgomery Street and the area in and around Blackstaff Square. These improvements will create an environment that will encourage more visitors and tourists to the city centre providing a welcome boost to the local economy.”
The Council is also working to establish the feasibility of bringing underutilised upper floor spaces in the city centre back into use to provide much sought after accommodation.