A Bolder Vision for Belfast - reimagining our city centre

A Bolder Vision

Developed jointly by Department for Communities, Department for Infrastructure and Belfast City Council the vision is built on the principles of:

• promoting wellbeing for all
• prioritising walking, cycling and public transport
• creating lively, safe and green streets
• removing barriers to movement between the city centre and surrounding communities

A 12-week public consultation is currently running until Thursday 23 December. The consultation gives members of the public the opportunity to have their say on the future use of the city centre based on emerging infrastructure projects and balancing the requirements of all city stakeholders and users.

There are several areas where there are an opportunity to intervene to transform critical parts of the city to create a green, people focused, connected city centre for current and future users. These are known as Key Moves and are as follows:

• Create a Civic Spine with a focus on people – establish a clearly defined and recognisable strategic north-south Civic Spine, connecting the Ulster University and York Street Interchange through the heart of the city to Queens University via Botanic Avenue. The Civic Spine would be reconfigured to prioritise space for people and support effective access by public transport while enabling the introduction of green spaces for a diverse, inclusive, future-proofed and vibrant city centre.
• Reimagine the Inner Ring Road and end Car Dominance - Transform the Inner Ring Road to reduce physical severance for surrounding communities and become a sustainable mobility corridor. To do this, the Inner Ring should be reconfigured to accommodate high priority public transport services (such as BRT2) as well as fully segregated and green infrastructure for walking, wheeling and cycling.
• Promote City Centre Living - Encourage city centre living by providing greater quality, choice and affordability of accommodation, to create a shared and inclusive environment. Establish a city-wide network of people friendly routes, community focus streets, incorporating city parks and connections to opportunities for play, interaction, rest and leisure.
• Embrace the River Lagan and Waterfront - Capitalise on one of the city’s most defining, but underused assets, the River Lagan, by strengthening connections from the city centre to the east and its surrounding communities – enhancing connectivity across and around the River Lagan.

You can take part in the consultation through the online consultation hub.