The BUG (Belfast’s Urban Garden) and Grey to Green

The BUG (Belfast’s Urban Garden)

The Conservation Volunteers (link opens in new window) used our Grey to Green funding (through the Department for Infrastructure Blue Green Infrastructure fund) to transform a section of the Belfast Stories (link opens in new window) site on Royal Avenue and Kent Street into ‘The BUG’ – Belfast’s Urban Garden, incorporating polytunnels, raised planters and vegetable beds. They engaged with diverse minority groups, including people facing mental health challenges.

The BUG was one of the key actions to come out of the Belfast Healthy Cities ‘Greening the City’ workshop in August 2022.

Making the city centre greener

A Bolder Vision for Belfast identifies the importance of transforming critical parts of Belfast to create a safer, greener, and more accessible city.

We invited City Centre Greening Fund expressions of interest from businesses and organisations to deliver greening projects in the city centre.

Maritime Belfast Trust – Queen’s Quay Planter

We supported the Queen’s Quay Greening Project, transforming a tarmacked vacant area of land on Queen’s Quay into an attractive public seating space through planting. It’s also contributing to the Maritime Belfast Trust’s Maritime Mile Connectivity Project, improving connectivity and wayfinding.

Belfast South Community Resources – Sandy Glade

We’ve funded the transformation of this derelict site on the corner of Sandy Row and Wellwood Street into a temporary community garden. The site has been cleared of rubble and weeds and landscaped with a glade of trees and native species and pollinator shrubs, interspersed with ornamental sand and gravel areas. A living green wall will also be created with climbing plants.

Killultagh Estates – green wall on Linenhall Street

A green wall on 32-38 Linenhall Street was introduced to encourage biodiversity in the city centre.

Giant bees at 2 Royal Avenue and Bank Square

We funded BID One (link opens in new window) to install two giant bee structures to signify our shared commitment to creating ‘lively, safe, and green streets’ – a core principle of A Bolder Vision for Belfast.

Read about the re-greening of City Quays Gardens

More information

For more information on our Grey to Green initiative, email [email protected]