The Bullring Environmental Improvement Scheme consultation

This consultation is seeking comments/views from interested parties, including community groups, local residents, local businesses, and members of the public, on design proposals for a potential public realm improvements project on the area known locally as The Bullring.  The Bullring is located parallel to the Westlink motorway and adjacent Denmark Street/California Close between the Shankill Road and Crumlin Road, Belfast.  The proposals acknowledge previous consultation undertaken in 2017 / 2018 and seek to ensure the project meets the needs of the local community.

The proposed Public Park scheme will upgrade the area and achieve several key objectives listed in the first round of Public Consultation.

The overarching aim of the project is to improve the quality of local public open space.

1. Providing a safe, accessible, attractive and well-connected place for people to live in, work and visit;
2. Reducing potential for anti-social behaviour;
3. Improving access to leisure facilities for play and recreation;
4. Widening footways to enhance the pedestrian experience;
5. Providing Cycleways that connect to the Belfast Cycle Network;
6. Using robust good quality materials, lighting and street furniture.

The project will deliver improvement works combining landscaping and civil engineering improvements including the following:

• Regrading of the landscape to remove the highest banks and improve visibility for passive surveillance of the park
• New footpaths and cycleway through the park
• Removal of overgrown scrubland and replacement with semi mature street trees and ornamental trees
• New park lighting
• New fenced playgrounds for local community
• Fenced MUGA and outdoor gym equipment
• Relocation of the Community Garden with new shed and polytunnel
• Incorporation of street furniture
• Open even space and low maintenance bulbs and wildflowers

The project will be taken forward in a two-step approach with the first part being design of the scheme and the second phase being construction of the new public realm.

An open house event will take place on Thursday 16 May 2019 (10am-8pm) at Denmark Street Community Centre, 1 Denmark Street Belfast BT13 1AN.

During the consultation period the design proposals will be on display at Denmark Street Community Centre from Thursday 16 May 2019 to 8 August 2019 and at Shankill Leisure Centre from 17 May 2019 to 8 August 2019.  Feedback forms are available to provide comments on the proposals. The feedback received during this period will be considered in the final design and submitted with the planning application..

The implementation and delivery of the project will be subject to funding, economic appraisal and the availability of public resources.

Hardcopies of any of the attached documents can be requested by email from:

bullring@aecom.com;

or by post from:

Bullring Public Consultation, AECOM, 2 Clarence Street West, Belfast, BT2 7GP