Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from Councillors Baker, Dorrian and O’Donnell.

            The minutes of the meetings of 13th and 27th June were taken as read and signed as correct.  It was reported that those minutes had been adopted by the Council at its meeting on 2nd July.

            Councillor O’Neill declared an interest in Item 3b, namely, City of Music Update, in that she was an employee of the Oh Yeah Music Centre, and she left the meeting whilst this item was under discussion.

            The Committee agreed to defer consideration of the motion until the draft masterplan was being considered by the Committee.

            The information contained in the reports associated with the following 2 items is restricted in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

      Resolved – That the Committee agrees to exclude the members of the Press and public from the Committee meeting during discussion of the items as, due to the nature of the items, there would be a disclosure of exempt information as described in Section 42(4) and Section 6 of the Local Government Act (NI) 2014.

            The Strategic Director of Place and Economy provided the Committee with an overview of the Council’s joint venture partnership with McAleer & Rushe (Bel Tel LLP) in relation to “The Sixth”, and advised the Members of the recent submission of a full planning application for the scheme.

            He informed the Members that the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, at its meeting on 22nd June, 2018, had agreed to increase the Council’s investment in Bel Tel LLP by £940k to part-fund enabling works to The Sixth.  The Committee was advised that the works would be funded through the City Centre Investment Fund.

            After discussion, the Committee:

1.      noted the approval from the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, and subsequent Council ratification, to increase the Council’s investment in Bel Tel LLP by £940k (from £3.75m to £4.69m) to part fund enabling works to ‘The Sixth’ (former Belfast Telegraph site, 124-144 Royal Ave); and

2.      noted the progress to date with the project and the intention of Bel Tel LLP to undertake enabling works.

            (Councillor O’Neill declared an interest in this item and left the meeting whilst it was under discussion.)

            The Director of Economic Development provided the Committee with an overview of the City of Music Programme 2018/19, which the Committee had agreed to at its meeting on 7th March, 2018.

            The Members were advised that the Programme had three key strands with associated activity, namely, Communications activity, Support for local artists and infrastructure and Long-term development.

            The Director explained to the Committee that an Open Call for proposals had been requested from those organisations producing music related events in the city between October, 2018, and March, 2019.  The proposals would form the Amplified project.

            He outlined to the Members the details of the assessment and eligibility process which was carried out to score each proposal and explained that, as a result, four projects were being recommended for funding.

            The Committee:

1.      noted the contents of the report and the progress which had been made to date; and

2.      agreed to recommend that funding of £57,900 be allocated from the existing City of Music 2018/2019 budget, to the four successful projects, as follows:

·        Beat Carnival - £15,000;

·        Belfast International Arts Festival - £15,000;

·        Duncairn Centre for Culture and Arts - £12,900; and

·        Oh Yeah - £15,000.

The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to provide an update on Council-led City for Investment support for indigenous businesses and new investors. An 18-month pilot of the City for Investment Service commenced in April 2018. The report covers progress to date and considers options for the future.

1.2       Future development of the service is dependent on demand, consideration of resource implications and value for money assessment. The pilot will review and assess performance of the service over the 18-month period to inform choices regarding the future approach.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

·        Note the work being progressed by the ‘City for Investment’ Service to date;

·        Note that future options concerning the strategic development of the service will be presented to a future meeting of the Committee based on the learning gained in the pilot project period (18 months from April 2018);  and

·        Note that any future approach to scaling the service may require additional finance or staff resources which will be referred to relevant Committees for consideration and will also be taken account of in the future rate-setting processes.

3.0       Main report

3.1       The Council currently delivers a range of business support activities focused on Starting a Business, Growing a Business and Investing in Belfast. It is one of a number of partners operating in this field.  In recognition of the challenges that local businesses and inward investors can face in navigating the current system, the City for Investment Service approach agreed by this Committee in March 2018 consolidates the Council’s business services available across the various departments with a view to making it easier to do business in Belfast and enhancing the investor experience.  It also links to the various support services provided by other partners. 

3.2       The development of the ‘Belfast: City for Investment’ Service does not preclude the Council undertaking investment attraction initiatives such as MIPIM and international relations business members. Lead prospecting for investment from cities such as Dublin and London will also continue as part of the Council’s core service offer to local businesses who are seeking to explore export markets for their products and services or diversification of their business model into Belfast. 

3.3       Following agreement by the Committee in March 2018, activity has started on the City for Investment Service.  Available support includes:

·        Soft landing Service: Working proactively with investors, providing the professional and personal connections to help businesses be successful in Belfast including advice on business accommodation;

·        Welcome Service and Accessing Networks: Assisting with an overview of the city and providing familiarisation visits of local businesses, housing, schools, colleges and universities, as well as providing an insight into Belfast’s social and cultural energy;

·        Planning: Co-ordinating and providing advice including pre-planning application discussions, planning performance agreements, local development plans and arranging access to development engagement managers where required;

·        Sector-specific support and skills academies: Guidance and direction on the availability of sector-specific support, citywide  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4a

The Director of Economic Development reminded the Members that the UK government had recently approved the expansion of Heathrow Airport, with the installation of a third runway, which he explained would be one of the largest infrastructure projects in the UK.

            He outlined to the Members that it was estimated that the development would create around 60,000 new jobs and generate around £70bn in total economic benefit by the 2050s.

            The Committee was advised that, in recognition of the scale of the investment, and the potential for all parts of the UK to benefit from supply chain and skills development opportunities, Heathrow had sought expressions of interest for up to four Logistics Hub locations.  The Director explained that the Hubs would be used as off-site centres for construction and manufacturing in order to help the airport to deliver its expansion plan within an agreed timeframe and with minimal on-site disruption.

            He reminded the Committee six of the 65 sites which had been shortlisted were located in Northern Ireland.  They included:

·        North Foreshore – Belfast;

·        Global Point Business Park – Antrim and Newtownabbey;

·        Belfast International Airport – Antrim and Newtownabbey;

·        Former Michelin Site – Mid and East Antrim;

·        Silverwood Businesss Park – Lurgan; and

·        Former Shackleton Barracks – Ballykelly.

            He outlined to the Committee that, following a visit to Northern Ireland in June 2018, senior representatives from Heathrow’s Procurement Team had met with representatives from all sites as well as with some potential first and second tier suppliers for the expansion works.   In order to improve the chances of making a successful bid, the Director explained that the partners had identified that a collaborative proposition involving all six NI sites was likely to be favoured over individual, stand-alone site solutions.  He advised the Committee that the Heathrow Team was expected to provide an update on the procurement timeframes by the end of August 2018.

            In relation to the North Foreshore site, he highlighted that, due to a range of development interests on the site, if it was to progress to the next stage of the process, consideration would need to be given as to how it could complement other planned development activity on the site. 

            The Director also pointed out that the Heathrow Procurement Team had committed to a series of ‘Meet the Buyer’ Events across the UK, in partnership with local business organisations.  He explained that the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce had arranged the first ever Northern Ireland-based Meet the Buyer event in the City Hall on 20th June, 2018.  The event had enabled local businesses to meet with key buyers from Heathrow, focusing on existing supplies and services requirements.

            He outlined that more than 160 local companies had had meetings with a number of procurement leads from Heathrow, 77 of which were from Belfast.  The Members were advised that an evaluation of the event was underway by the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce but that anecdotal feedback had suggested that the participating businesses had found the event very  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4b

            (Ms. C. Persic, Regeneration Project Officer, attended in connection with this item)

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to inform Members of the engagement activities undertaken during the Inner North West (INW) masterplan consultation, provide a summary of the consultation feedback (available on modern.gov), and set out the proposed next steps.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

·        note the recent INW consultation and initial summary findings and

·        note that a full consultation report and updated masterplan will be presented to committee for approval later this year.

3.0       Main report

3.1       Background

            The 12-week consultation for the Inner North West (INW) masterplan began on 13 February 2018 and concluded on 8 May 2018. As outlined previously to committee, the Masterplan seeks to provide a framework to help shape emerging opportunities in this part of the city and ensure a more comprehensive approach to development of both public and private sector owned land. 

3.2       The Inner North West Masterplan is underpinned by robust urban design principles that will help shape proposals coming forward and has at its heart, the intention to create a new city centre, mixed neighbourhood that:

·        incorporates a mix of uses, including residential, commercial, retail and leisure, all integrated through a strong and cohesive public realm;

·        takes into consideration the heritage of the area and the historic urban grain;

·        reinstates the historically vibrant economy of the Inner North West area;

·        promotes ‘city centre living’, with its social and environmental benefits;

·        strengthens the city centre’s urban fabric and streetscapes;

·        supports and strengthens pedestrian connections within the city centre and to/from adjoining neighbourhoods; and

·        delivers the ambitions of the Belfast Agenda, in line with the Local Development Plan.

3.3       Engagement and communication programme

            Targeted pre-consultation engagement took place in September 2017 with representatives from:

·        Greater Falls Neighbourhood Partnership

·        Lower Shankill

·        Brown Square

·        Carrick Hill

·        Castle Street traders

·        Smithfield & Union Traders

            Input from this pre-consultation, coupled with the feedback from the workshop with Members in November 2017, informed and shaped the final consultation document and council’s approach to engagement.

3.4       A focus on existing residents in the INW was an important feature of this consultation, and staff developed a new approach to support resident engagement.  An architect-led walkabout of the masterplan area took place, which enabled local residents and business owners to get an in-depth understanding of the proposals as well as highlight what they saw as key issues for the area.

3.5       To encourage participation from local residents, the consultation drop-in venues were located across the INW area. In total, 16 different engagement activities took place, including presentations, ‘drop-in’ sessions to walkabouts and these were attended by approximately 225 people.

3.6       Meetings and/or presentations also took place with a number of private sector developers operating in the area and with the following groups and organisations:

The Committee agreed to defer consideration of this item to enable Party Group Briefings to take place.

            The Members of the Committee were advised that they had been invited to attend a “soft opening” event at Swanston Hall, formerly known as the Athletic Stores Building, on Friday, 24th August, 2018 at 10.30a.m.

Noted.

            The Director of Economic Development advised the Committee that an application had been received for the ‘Taste of Northern Ireland Festival’ to be held in the Custom House Square, Belfast on 21st, 22nd and 23rd September, 2018. He advised that this would be the seventh year that the event had taken place in Belfast and that it was designed to showcase the range of food and drinks produced in Northern Ireland.

            He explained that, in line with the overall Council Markets’ Development Strategy, the Tesco market would help enhance that area of the city and, in doing so, would drive footfall into Custom House Square and the surrounding area. The Members were advised that the one-off, annual event would animate the city and support the other permanent market offer.

            The Committee was advised that, while some stallholders would have products for sale, most would offer free samples and use the event as an opportunity to demonstrate their product range.

            The Committee was reminded that anyone who wished to operate a market or car boot sale within Belfast must apply to the Council for a licence and that the organisers had supplied all relevant documentation for this event.  The Director explained that officers from the Markets Development Unit had engaged with the relevant officers across the Council in order to check and verify the documentation and confirmed that checks would also be carried out during the event, in line with the Markets Rights Policy guidelines.

            In response to a Member’s request, the Committee agreed that, given the high level of packaging used in supermarkets, designated staff from Belfast City Council should attend the event to encourage and provide education on the importance of recycling within the city.

            The Committee agreed to grant the licence for the “Taste of Northern Ireland Market” at Custom House Square on 21st, 22nd and 23rd September, 2018.

The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0       Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1         To provide an update on a number of Department for Infrastructure (DfI) consultations and outline a proposed response to the consultations.  The schemes for which details have been received are:  M1 and M2 busways; traffic calming scheme in Tennent Street; the Rathgar Street, proposed one way traffic; waiting restrictions on various streets in Belfast; and the extension of the bus lane on the Holywood Road.

2.0         Recommendations

2.1         The Committee is asked to:

·        Consider the draft response summarised in paragraphs 3.5 - 3.7 and if appropriate agree the submission to DfI of the draft response set out on modern.gov.

3.0         Main report

3.1         Key Issues

              M1 and M2 Busways – Proposed hard shoulder bus lanes

              The Department proposes to improve provision of public transport facilities on the M1 and M2 approaches by introducing new sections of hard shoulder bus lanes. The proposals will be an extension to the existing hard shoulder bus lanes on the M1 and M2.  It should be noted that the hard shoulder will remain available for use in an emergency.

3.2         The hard shoulder bus lanes will normally operate between 7am to 7pm, Monday to Friday and variable message signs will indicate when the bus lanes are open. Only buses and coaches with 28 or more seats will be legally permitted to use the hard shoulder bus lanes.

              Transport Scheme Consultations

3.3         Consultation on proposals for 2 traffic management schemes, 8 waiting restrictions and a bus lane extension have also been received.

3.4         The traffic management is proposed for parts of Tennent and Rathgar Streets.  The waiting restrictions are proposed for Apollo Road, Connswater Street, Stoneyford Street, Ballymacarrett Road (Frazer Pass), Ballymacarrett Road, Frazer Pass (Ballymacarrett Road), Carrick Street and Townsend Street.  The area of extended bus lane is located along the Holywood Road.  Details of the extent of the proposed changes are set out in the papers available on modern.gov.

              Proposed Consultation Responses

3.5         There is a high volume of travel by car into and out of Belfast, particularly by single occupancy private cars for commuting purposes. The development and use of the extended bus lanes during congested periods will improve journey time reliability for public transport users and should encourage a modal shift. The hard shoulder areas to be utilised will remain available for use in an emergency and Variable Message Signs will be highlight when the bus lanes cannot be accessed or are unavailable.  It is suggested that the Council welcome the proposals to extend bus lanes along the hard shoulders on the M1 and M2 as the proposals should promote and encourage the use of public transport for travel into Belfast. It is also proposed that the members encourage the department to continue to investigate and promote extended Park & Ride facilities, and the installation of continuous bus lanes on the M1 & M2 corridors

3.6         It should be noted that the waiting restrictions and other schemes have  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6b

(Mr. M. McBride, Head of Finance and Performance, attended in connection with this item)

            The Head of Finance and Performance presented the financial position of the City Growth and Regeneration Committee to the Members.  He advised them that the year-end position for the Committee was an underspend of £47,000 (0.3%), in an annual budget of £16.1m, which he explained was well within the acceptable tolerance of 3%.

            The Committee was advised that the main reasons for the underspend related to a reduced spend on employee costs as a result of vacant posts across a number of services and increased income which were offset by increased expenditure in relation to premises costs; supplies and services and through the creation of a Specified Reserve for Twilight Markets in 2018/2019 as agreed by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee at its meeting on 15th December, 2017. 

            The Committee noted the report and the associated financial reporting pack.

            The Chairperson advised the Committee of the recent death of the father of the European Manager, Ms. L Leonard, and, on behalf of the Committee, extended his condolences and deepest sympathy to Ms. Leonard and her family circle.

            The Director of Economic Development reminded the Committee that, at its meeting on 13th June, it had agreed the attendance of the Chairperson, or his nominee, and one officer to engage in an outward business visit to Nashville with key stakeholders and Belfast businesses, from 26th – 30th August, 2018. He advised the Members that the visit was subject to the confirmation of stakeholder commitment and that unfortunately none of the businesses had been able to commit to attend. 

            The Committee noted, therefore, that the visit would not take place.