Regeneration in Belfast city centre

Regeneration in Belfast city centre

Looking Back to Look Forward

To mark 10 years since we published the Belfast City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy (BCCRIS), we commissioned a stocktake of progress to date:

• looking back at what has been achieved, and
• identifying areas of focus moving forward.

The stocktake found that Belfast city centre has exceeded expectations across several BCCRIS regeneration policy areas.

To drive catalytic change moving forward, the stocktake identified areas of focus:

• focusing on people and increasing city centre living,
• delivering ‘A Bolder Vision’ projects that encourage active, sustainable travel, alongside developing green, climate resilient public realm and open space,
• unlocking stalled major regeneration schemes; and
• a multi-agency approach to place keeping and city management.

We want to enhance the city centre’s existing offering and build on successful delivery to date. We will focus on:

• making sure there is support for existing retailers and businesses, and attracting new ones
• considering reuse of existing space including office space
• delivering Belfast Region City Deal projects.

We also recognise the critical role that strong, vibrant communities have played and should continue to play, in regenerating Belfast city centre.

The stocktake highlighted the need for innovative approaches to funding, new approaches to delivery and continued effective partnership working across public, private, third sectors and communities to leverage the city centre’s full potential. This will benefit both the city and wider region.

Delivering on these key areas of focus will be critical to driving the catalytic change needed to move Belfast forward in the next decade; fostering inclusive growth and better, more equitable access to opportunities - ensuring no one is left behind.

To receive a copy of the stocktake publication, email [email protected].

Watch

This 1-minute 24-second video shows a stocktake of ten years of ambition and progress Belfast City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy.

Belfast City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy

The Belfast City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy is published online.

Belfast City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy 

Expressions of interest: 2 Royal Avenue

In autumn 2021, we acquired the former Tesco Metro premises at 2 Royal Avenue.

We wanted to address the challenges impacting on the city centre  and find an appropriate way to use and preserve this listed heritage building to help regenerate Belfast city centre and support our local economy, aligned to our regeneration policy for this part of the city.  We recognised the changing nature of the city centre, our growth ambitions for people living in the city centre, and the need to diversify and attract more people the to visit, use and live in the city centre.

Since then, the ground floor of the building has been successfully used as a community and cultural space, on a temporary basis.

Building on this foundation, we are now carrying out soft market testing through an Expression of Interest, to inform the next stages of the process for the longer term sustainable use of this space, to complement Belfast’s existing offering; supporting the city centre’s diversification and enhancing Belfast’s attractiveness as a place to live, study, work, socialise in, or visit.

Frazer Kidd is managing the soft market testing exercise on our behalf and inviting Expressions of Interest to help inform the next stage of the selection process.

We recognise that a diverse mix of retail and non-retail uses, as well as experience-led and community-based offers, are essential in creating a vibrant and sustainable city centre.   

That means Expressions of Interest to inform the stages of the process are welcome from a wide range of cultural, community, social, retail, hospitality and leisure users, or a mix of such uses to ensure the longer term sustainability of the building. 

The deadline for receipt of Expressions of Interest was 4pm, Friday 28 June 2024.

If you’re interested in finding out more, email [email protected].