Agenda and minutes

            An apology for inability to attend was reported from the Chairman, Councillor Stalford.

            No declarations of interest were reported.

            The Chief Executive submitted for the Committee’s consideration the undernoted report:

“1        Relevant Background Information

1.1       Members will aware that as part of the Local Government Reform programme a range of new powers will transfer to the Council on 1 April 2015 including the Statutory Planning Function, Community Planning and Local Economic Development powers. In addition the Regeneration powers currently held by DSD will be extended to the Council on 1 April 2016.

1.2       In preparation for the transfer of the Planning and Regeneration functions the Council agreed in December 2013 to commission the development of a City Centre Regeneration and Investment Plan following which a consortium led by the Toronto based Urban Strategies Inc. was appointed to undertake this work. Urban Strategies, an internationally renowned urban planning, design and regeneration consultancy practice were supported by Deloitte’s Economic and Property teams with Arup providing expertise in the areas of Transport and Connectivity.

1.3       The primary objectives of the Regeneration and Investment Plan were:-

·        To provide an integrated strategic policy framework which will inform the City Centre element of the Local Development Plan;

·        Promote the sustainable physical regeneration of the city centre and linkages to the city neighbourhoods;

·        Drive economic growth and increase sustainable employment levels;

·        Grow the City’s Rate Base to increase the resources available for redistribution into the city’s neighbourhoods.

·        Enhance the city’s performance as the economic driver for the region.

1.4       The consultancy team conducted an intensive stakeholder engagement process in the initial phases of the commission. An Initial Directions Paper was presented by Joe Berridge to members and a broad range of city stakeholders at the Future City Conference at the Waterfront Hall on 20 June 2014. The presentation was well received by those present and was the subject of positive comment in the local media.

1.5       Between July and October the Consultancy team have conducted a number of further visits to Belfast during which they have had further meetings with stakeholders. They have taken on many of the views expressed at the Future City Conference and subsequent feedback to both the council and directly to the consultants. These are reflected in the draft Belfast City Centre Regeneration Strategy and Investment Plan which is attached in Appendix 1 of this report.

2          Key Issues

2.1       The transfer of the Planning Function to the Council on 1 April 2015 places a statutory responsibility on the new Belfast City Council for the formulation of the City’s Development Plan. This will replace those parts of the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan which apply to the new Belfast City Council Area. Although only recently adopted much of the BMAP has become outdated as many of the social and economic circumstances facing the city and its residents have changed substantially since the plan was initiated in 2001.

2.2       Realistically the Council is unlikely to be in a position to adopt a new Statutory Development Plan until 2019 and as a result BMAP will remain the statutory plan until that point in time. It  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.