The 5Cs Public Realm Project

Contents

Section 1 - Defining the activity subject to Section 1(1) of the Rural Needs Act (NI) 2016

1A. Name of Public Authority

Belfast City Council

1B. Please provide a short title, which describes the activity being undertaken by the Public Authority that is subject to the Section 1(1) of the Rural Needs Act (NI) 2016.

The Five Cs Public Realm Project

1C. Please indicate which category the activity specified in Section 1B above relates to.

1D. Please provide the official title (if any) of the Policy, Strategy, Plan for Public Service document or initiative relating to the category indicated in Section 1C above.

The Five C’s Public Realm Project

1E. Please provide details of the aims and/or objectives of the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service.

The Developers Contribution Framework has been developed to provide advice and guidance on Belfast City Council’s approach to securing developer contributions as part of the planning application process.  The Council has routinely used planning agreements to secure developer contributions since the transfer of planning powers to local government in 2015. Their use is supported by legislation and planning policy. This Framework has been produced for use by developers, elected members, and the general public and by planning officers in the assessment of planning applications within the Belfast area.

The Five Cs Project is the first project to come forward from the Developers Contributions Framework and is a public realm scheme which aims to enhance several areas within Belfast city centre which have recently seen, or will soon see, significant private sector investment in surrounding buildings, but where the streetscape is poor and in need of upgrading. The streets included in this project are adjacent to previous Public Realm improvement works such as Belfast Streets Ahead Phase 1 and in effect the proximity to these improvements has accentuated their current poor condition. The Five Cs project area comprises College Court, College Avenue (from King Street to College Street), College Street (from College Avenue to Queen Street), Callender Street and Chichester Street (south side from Victoria Street to Donegall Square East and the north side from Arthur Street to Callender Street).

The project aims to create a high quality, sustainable public realm with improved paving, street lighting, soft landscaping, street furniture and public artwork such as feature lighting. The intended outcome is that it will contribute positively to the economic, environmental and social vitality of the project area; that it will encourage businesses into these areas; that it will create more attractive civic spaces to entice users into; that it will create or improve upon a sense of safety within these areas that will encourage people to visit, work, shop and live therein.

The aims/objectives/outcomes of the Five C’s Project have been devised based on the Public Realm Strategy principles, the Belfast City Centre Public Realm Masterplan (and update) and are as follows:

• To have improved the physical appearance of College Court, College Street and College Avenue by investing in improvements to pavements, carriageway and street lighting;
• To have improved the physical appearance of Chichester Street by investing in improvements to pavements, carriageway, soft landscaping and street lighting;
• To have improved the physical appearance of Callender Street by investing in improvements to pavements, carriageway and street lighting.

In developing the design for The Five Cs, the project team will focus on achieving the following aspirations:

• To contribute to establishing Belfast as a place where people want to visit, live, work and play
• A place that local population are proud of and visitors want to return to
• Design streets to be inclusive
• Foster economic growth by providing a pleasant environment stimulating inward investment
• Enhance pedestrian safety
• Improve space for active travel (walking and cycling)
• “Greening” the city
• Providing infrastructure that contributes to air quality improvements
• Creating sustainable urban drainage systems where feasible.

Section 2 – Understanding the impact of the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service

2A. Is the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service likely to impact on people in rural areas?
(If the response is NO GO TO Section 2E.)

No

2B. Please explain how the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service is likely to impact on people in rural areas.

N/A

2C. If the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service is likely to impact on people in rural areas differently from people in urban areas, please explain how it is likely to impact on people in rural areas differently.

N/A

2D. Please indicate which of the following rural policy areas the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service is likely to primarily impact on.

(If the response to Section 2A was YES GO TO Section 3A)

2E. Please explain why the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service is NOT likely to impact on people in rural areas.

The project is based in Belfast City Centre, the public realm works will not affect those living in rural locations.

Section 3 – Identifying the Social and Economic Needs of Persons in Rural Areas

3A. Has the Public Authority taken steps to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas that are relevant to the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service?
(If the response is NO GO TO Section 3E.)

No

3B. Please indicate which of the following methods or information sources were used by the Public Authority to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas.

3C. Please provide details of the methods and information sources used to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas including relevant dates, names of organisations, titles of publications, website references, details of surveys or consultations undertaken etc. 

N/A

3D. Please provide details of the social and economic needs of people in rural areas which have been identified by the Public Authority

N/A

If the response to Section 3A was YES GO TO Section 4A.

3E. Please explain why no steps were taken by the Public Authority to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas?

This project has considered the impacts on a range of existing and potential stakeholders.  We do not consider this policy to have relevance to the social and economic needs of persons in rural areas.

Section 4 – Considering the Social and Economic Needs of Persons in Rural Areas

4A. Please provide details of the issues considered in relation to the social and economic needs of people in rural areas.

This project has considered the impacts on a range of existing and potential stakeholders.  We do not consider this policy to have relevance to the social and economic needs of persons in rural areas.

Section 5 – Influencing the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service

5A. Has the development, adoption, implementation or revising of the Policy, Strategy or Plan, or the design or delivery of the Public Service, been influenced by the rural needs identified?
(If the response is NO GO TO Section 5C.)

N/A

5B. Please explain how the development, adoption, implementation or revising of the Policy, Strategy or Plan, or the design or delivery of the Public Service, has been influenced by the rural needs identified?
(If the response to Section 5A was YES GO TO Section 6A)

N/A

5C. Please explain why the development, adoption, implementation or revising of the Policy, Strategy or Plan, or the design or the delivery of the Public Service, has NOT been influenced by the rural needs identified.

N/A

Section 6 – Documenting and Recording

6A. Please tick below to confirm that the RNIA Template will be retained by the Public Authority and relevant information on the Section 1 activity compiled in accordance with paragraph 6.7 of the guidance.