Lagan Gateway

The Lagan Gateway

The first phase of the Lagan Gateway project was completed in 2021. It included structural improvements and development works at Stranmillis including:

• development of a navigation lock
• construction of an iconic foot and cycle bridge
• refurbishment of the existing weir, and
• high quality landscaping and new path connections.

The total investment in phase one of the project was approximately £5 million, with almost 50 percent of this coming from our Belfast Investment Fund. 

Other funders included Ulster Garden Villages, Department for Communities, Department for Infrastructure and the Lagan Navigation Trust. 

Phase two – connecting the greenway to Belvoir Forest Park

Designs have been finalised and plans submitted for phase two of the project which will involve a greenway connection from Lagan Lands East to Belvoir Forest Park. This will be part of the Department for Infrastructure’s Belfast Cycling Network.

Key features include:

• gravel paths that will wind through the landscape, providing an accessible route for users
• an 85-metre-long elevated timber boardwalk which will be installed four to five metres above the ground, and
• additional tree planting and landscaping to complement the natural surroundings and improve levels of biodiversity throughout. 

A planning application was submitted in 2024, and construction is expected to start by summer 2026.

Watch

This video captures a 39-metre-long section of the new foot and cycle bridge being installed as part of the first phase of the project. The bridge connects Lagan Towpath at Stranmillis to Annadale Embankment. The video plays for one minute and 25 seconds.