3. Background to Belfast Stories
Initial development
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 while Belfast City Council was developing its then tourism strategy. Subsequently, it was included in public consultations on the council’s Belfast Agenda, Belfast City Centre Regeneration and Investment, A City Imagining and Make Yourself at Home strategies.Footnote three
In 2017 a conceptual framework was developed, including plans for co-locating a film centre, a landmark tourism attraction, digital skills programming, a cultural centre and leisure and public realm facilities.
Belfast Region City Deal
In 2021 in preparation for the Belfast City Region Deal bid, over 50 stakeholder organisations were engaged around the concept at over 160 meetings and presentations.
In December 2021 the Belfast Region City Deal was signed, providing £1 billion to Belfast City Council and its 11 partners, including investment in the £100 million destination hub now known as Belfast Stories.
Public Consultation At RIBA 1
Between August and November 2022, Belfast City Council carried out the first public consultation on Belfast Stories. The purpose of the public consultation was to gather ideas and evidence to help shape the design brief with a specific focus on “making sure that Belfast Stories is for everyone. This means making sure that the building is welcoming and accessible and everyone can see themselves reflected in its stories.” To do this, feedback was sought in relation to:
- the outline Belfast Stories concept
- story collection principles and themes
- the draft engagement plan
- the draft EQIA
Public consultation at RIBA 2
Between November 2024 and March 2025, Belfast City Council carried out a second public consultation on Belfast Stories. The purpose of this public consultation was to:
- promote the project, raise awareness and gain buy-in
- make sure that Belfast Stories is for everyone
- gain feedback on current design thinking and plans to inform the next stage of the project.
To do this, feedback was sought in relation to the draft architectural and curatorial concepts and the draft EQIA.
Initial architectural concept
Initial design concepts were included in public consultation documents. These aimed to present a “welcoming and accessible” building with four entrances that could be approached from different sides of the building. In the middle, there was public space. Visitors could follow a gentle sloping path to a rooftop where people can walk, relax, play and interact. These spaces would be free to enter.
Initial curatorial concept
This included outline proposals for:
- an exhibition of stories about Belfast that visitors will have to pay to experience.
- an ongoing programme of story-themed events and activities in public parts of the building
It proposed that stories will be told in many different ways, such as in print, audio, video, music and more. They would be arranged by:Footnote four
- time – for example, stories about people getting up, going to work or going out
- place – for example, stories about Royal Avenue, the Belfast Hills, peace walls, pubs or kitchen tables
Stories would be collected through an ongoing programme of story-gathering activities. This would take place inside Belfast Stories and off site and in many different ways (such as in writing, film, verse, recording, song), allowing storytellers a choice of medium to suit their tastes, comfort and access requirements.
Approach to current public consultation and ongoing engagement
During the current 12-week public consultation, Belfast Stories aims to:
- continue to promote the project, raise awareness and gain buy-in
- gain feedback on current spatial plans including views on matters relevant to planning permission and to inform the next stage of design and development
- make sure that Belfast Stories is inclusive and accessible for everyone including through equality impact assessment and rural needs impact assessment
Key audiences identified are:
- Special interest groups: specific groups that have an interest in the progress of Belfast Stories, including:
- Local communities that live adjacent to the Belfast Stories site
- Neighbouring businesses
- Priority groups as identified by the nine Section 75 equality dimensions
- Community stakeholders
- User groups such families and students
- Belfast City Council staff
- General public
Consultation activities will include:
- The Story Continues, a guide to accompany the public consultation available in a range of formats including easy read, Irish language, British Sign Language (BSL) and Irish Sign Language (ISL).
- An online consultation hub on Belfast City Council’s YourSay website.
- A short survey available online and in alternative formats.
- An experts-by-experience equality consultative forum.
- Focus groups, workshops and semi-structured interviews with equality stakeholders.
- A youth engagement network.
- Children and young person engagement including through secondary schools and further and higher education and workshop(s) targeted at primary-school aged children.
- Drop-in information sessions across the across the city (North, South, East, West, Shankill and city centre).
- Information sessions for neighbouring communities, neighbouring businesses, families, students and Belfast City Council staff.
- Belfast Stories Stakeholder Forum meeting.
- Site tours and walking consultations for the general public and stakeholder groups.
Experts-by-experience equality consultative forum
During the first and second public consultations, Belfast Stories engaged a forum of people who were experts by experience of being less heard or listened to due to their identity or circumstance including:
- People from different faith, political and cultural backgrounds.
- People from minoritized ethnic communities.
- Deaf/deaf, disabled and neurodiverse people.
- Older people.
- Children and young people.
- Women.
- Carers and people with dependants.
- LGBTQ+ people.
The group has now been reviewed and expanded. It will meet up to six times during RIBA stage 3, including during the public consultation to consider spatial plans. There may also be additional special meetings on specific topics.
Reporting
Findings from all consultation activities will be shared with the design team. This will enable the design team to consider feedback and review the plans before the final planning application is submitted.
Ongoing engagement
The draft Belfast Stories engagement plan sets out an initial approach to further engaging local communities and artists in the development, creation and subsequent day-to-day life of Belfast Stories up to 2030.
It includes a range of engagement strategies and tactics to shape considerations around social, cultural and physical accessibility and inform the curatorial approach. These include engagement-led design, co-design/curation, co-creation, commissioning, pitching, mentoring and training.
In parallel, those engaged will also have the opportunity to share their own stories and to shape the way that these are represented at Belfast Stories.
Ongoing engagement will continue to be based on principles of:
- Respect: for the priorities, processes and time of people engaging with Belfast Stories
- Recognition: for different experiences, pasts and presents people bring to their engagement
- Reflection: making time for conversations as often as necessary.
Footnotes
Footnote three: Variously referred to as a destination or creative hub
Footnote four: At the time of the first public consultation, it was proposed that stories would be collected and exhibited around seven broad themes (such as Home, Resilient, Innovative and Place). However, consultees did not want their stories constrained by themes and were concerned about binary or partisan narratives or that their stories could be misinterpreted. Taking onboard this feedback, it is now proposed that stories
