Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from the Chairman (Councillor M. Browne) and Councillor Ekin.

            The minutes of the meeting of 14th May 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 June, subject to:

(i)     the amendment of the minute under the heading “Planning and Transport Issues – Residents Parking Consultation” to provide that the Council’s response indicate that any future parking schemes in residential areas be introduced on the basis that there would be no charge levied against residents; and

(ii)    the omission of the minute under the heading “Economic Development Update – Co-financing for European Social Fund Applications” which, at the request of Councillor Jones, had been taken back to the Committee for further consideration.

Ms. Siobhan Stevenson

            The Chairman informed the Committee that this would be the last meeting which would be attended by Ms. Siobhan Stevenson, Culture and Arts Manager, as she was leaving the Council to take up a new position.  He thanked Ms. Stevenson for the work she had undertaken on behalf of the Development Department and wished her well in her new appointment.

            Ms. Stevenson thanked the Chairman for his kind remarks.

To consider further the minute of the meeting of 27^th February under the heading “Renewing Communities Local Masterplans – West Belfast and Greater Shankill Enterprise Council” which, at the request of Councillor D.Dodds, was referred back to the Committee by the Council at its meeting on 1^st April and which the Committee deferred consideration of at its meetings on 9^th April and 14^th May.

            The Committee agreed to defer consideration of the above-mentioned matter to enable the organisation to make a presentation to Councillors from the Shankill area of the City.

To consider further the minute of the meeting of 14^th May under the heading “Economic Development Update – Co-financing for European Social Fund Applications” which, at the request of Councillor Jones, was referred back to the Committee by the Council at its meeting on 2^nd June (extract herewith)

            The Committee considered further the minute of the meeting of 14th May under the heading “Co-financing for European Social Fund Applications” which had been taken back by the Chairman at the Council meeting on 2nd June at the request of Councillor Jones.  An extract of the minute in this regard is set out hereunder:

      “The Head of Economic Initiatives reminded the Committee that the European Social Fund provided funding for training measures to assist people into employment and to enhance their career prospects.  The closing date for applications under this Programme had been November, 2007 and successful projects had been notified in December.  She advised the Committee that the Council had been successful in attracting funding for a project to support access to employment in the independent retail and hospitality sectors.  It had emerged subsequently that eight projects which had applied for funding had indicated that the Council would be co-financing their schemes.  However, at the time of submission, only two projects had advised the Council of this.  At its meeting on 21st February, the Committee had agreed to co-fund these two projects, together with a further initiative which had been submitted by Women in Business.

      The Head of Economic Initiatives advised the Committee that the Council had been requested recently to consider the undernoted additional three projects for co?financing over the next three year period:

(i)   ‘Advancement of Women Initiative’, submitted by the Training for Women Network which had requested co?financing of £54,068 per year;

(ii)  ‘Women Working for Themselves’, submitted by the East BelfastEnterprise which had requested co-financing of £26,237 per year;

(iii)‘Skills for Enterprise’, submitted by East Belfast Enterprise which had requested co-financing of £30,948 per year;

      She advised the Members that the other two projects which had named the Council as potential match funders had not yet formally approached the Council.

      She informed the Committee that no budget had been set aside for these three new schemes when the Economic Development Unit’s Business Plan had been prepared.  In addition, these projects could not be co-financed through any other European funding stream.  Therefore, the Department was not in a position to provide financial assistance to these projects.

      Following discussion, the Committee agreed not to support the three requests which had been received for co-financing under the European Social Fund’s, ‘Helping People Into Employment’ scheme.”

            Councillor Jones, who had requested that the item be taken back, informed the Committee that he was concerned at the decision not to provide funding to the Advancement of Women Initiative which had been submitted by the Training for Women Network.  He pointed out that the aim of this scheme was to assist unemployed women to gain employment and he believed that the Committee should support the application.  He requested that the Committee agree to financially assist the project.

            The Head of Economic Initiatives reminded the Members that the Council had not been consulted by the three organisations whose requests had been considered at the meeting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

            The Managing Director of the Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Halls informed the Committee that the Council was represented currently on the Forum for Local Government and the Arts by the Chairman of the former Arts Sub-Committee, the Culture and Arts Manager and a representative from one of the organisations which received multi-annual funding from the Council.

            He explained that the Forum, which aimed to ensure that the arts featured prominently in local politics and undertook an instrumental role in raising awareness of the value of the arts at a local community level, organised plenary meetings on a quarterly basis and an Annual Conference.  The organisation intended to hold its 2008 Conference in Ballymena on 4th November with the theme of “Growing Communities through the Arts” and that the cost of attending would be £80 per delegate.

            The Managing Director pointed out also that the Council’s fee for membership of the Forum was based on the City’s population and was now due for payment, in the sum of £3,324.

            During discussion, several Members expressed the view that, since the Council paid considerably more in membership fees to the Forum than other local authorities in Northern Ireland, the Council should be entitled to a larger representation on the Forum than was the case currently.

            Following further discussion, the Committee agreed:

(i)     to the payment of the Council’s membership fee for the 2008/2009 year to the Forum for Local Government and the Arts in the sum of £3324, subject to the Council obtaining additional seats on the Forum; and

(ii)    that any member of the Committee who so wished, together with no more than two officers, be authorised to attend the Forum’s Annual Conference on 4th November.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      The Environment and Heritage Service is the government agency with responsibility for advising on and the implementing environmental policy and strategy in Northern Ireland. Its aim is ‘To protect, conserve and promote our natural environment and built heritage for the benefit of present and future generations.’

      The Environment and Heritage Service currently offers financial assistance to owners of eligible buildings, through a Historic Buildings Grant Programme which provides financial aid for works of repair and maintenance to the historic fabric of a building. The scheme is designed to off set the additional costs related to historic buildings and to ensure that they are carried out to appropriate conservation standards which preserve the historic integrity of the buildings concerned.

Key Issues

      A consultation document has been issued to seek views on proposed changes to the existing policy for funding to non?governmental organisations. The principle change is to extend the assistance to cover the majority of listed building (of all levels) as currently only the limited number of building listed as grade A and B1 are included. There are also new proposals for funding to Building Preservation Trusts.

      The key changes to existing policy are:

-     To extend provision of grant aid to B2 grade listed buildings

-     Implement as single rate of 35% grant-aid on eligible costs

-     Ensure that professional agents are suitable qualified

-     That works resulting in removal of any original character will not be grant aided

-     To extend aid to preventative maintenance works

-     Maintain grant aid for thatch work at 75% of costs

-     Extend grant aid to other areas including setting elements and elements within the cartilage of a listed building (see proposal for a full list)

-     To provide access as a condition of funding

-     To retain the enhanced level of grant aid (90%) for owners in receipt of benefits

-     To retain the existing policy in relation to ecclesiastical building (due to exemption from listed building consent)

      Outline of recommended response to the changes

      It is recommended that the Council welcomes the above changes, however, that concerns are expressed regarding the resources available to support the recommended measures including the funding and the skills resources available. In relation to the inclusion of additional element to be funded it is suggested that the certain elements may be disproportionately expensive in terms of the benefit to historic fabric and that consideration should be given to specifying in the listing a wider range of elements that might be included. The justification for exemption regarding ecclesiastical buildings is also questioned.

      Key changes to the proposed funding for Building Preservation Trusts

-     To provide funding for Building Preservations Trusts

-     To provide up to £500,000 from the existing budget for this purpose

-     To provide funding through the same organisation relating to different projects

-     To manage funding through a third party; the Architectural Heritage Fund

-     To proposed specific conditions for funding

      Outline  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

            (Mr. M. Stanley, Project Manager, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee was advised that the Ulster Hall had been completed in 1862 in accordance with the plans which had been prepared by the architect, W. J. Barre.  In 1882 a glazed canopy had been added to the front of the porte cochere at the Bedford Street entrance which, in turn, had been replaced by the current canopy in 1994.

            The Managing Director of the Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Halls indicated that the refurbishment work being undertaken currently to the Hall included the repair and redecoration of the front façade and the provision of a glazed entrance porch to the South side which would permit level access to the building.  It was envisaged that the new porch, which would complement the original classical detailing, would become the principal point of entry, thus negating the need for the canopy at the front of the Hall.  He pointed out that a request to remove the original canopy had been submitted to both the Planning Service and the Environment and Heritage Service and neither organisation had raised any objection.  He indicated that there were a number of reasons why the canopy at the main entrance to the Ulster Hall should be removed, including:

(i)     it was not an original feature of the building;

(ii)    it cluttered the front elevation of the building;

(iii)   it encouraged loitering and anti-social behaviour at the front of the building; and

(iv)   it would enable the original classic proportions of the Hall to be seen and would provide a more welcoming and united frontage.

            During discussion in the matter, several Members expressed the view that the current canopy was in keeping with the building and, since one had been in situ for all but the first twenty years of the building’s existence, it should be retained.  Concern was expressed that applications had been made to both Planning Service and the Environment and Heritage Service to remove the canopy prior to the matter being discussed by the Committee.  Other Members indicated that the existing colour of the front of the Hall should be changed during the refurbishment and enquired as to whether the lamps at the front of the building would be retained and when the coat of arms at the top of the front elevation had been replaced with an Ulster badge.

            In response, the Project Manager indicated that the Environment and Heritage Service had been consulted regarding the possible removal of the canopy since it was providing considerable funding towards the refurbishment work.  In addition, guidance had been sought from it and the Planning Service to enable their views to be reported to the Committee so as to enable it to take an informed decision.  He assured the Committee that the lamps would remain at the front of the Ulster Hall.  He indicated that he would present a report to the August meeting of the Committee which would provide options regarding the colour  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Conference Subvention

            The Committee agreed, under the terms of the Council’s Subvention Policy, that £1,000 be allocated to assist with the costs of the Northern Ireland Gas Industry Conference to be held in September.

Hospitality and Retail Sectors Project

            The Head of Economic Initiatives reminded the Committee that, at its meeting on 16th January, it had been advised that financial assistance had been obtained from the European Social Fund to enable the Council to implement a training programme which would assist local unemployed people obtain work in the hospitality and retail sectors.

            She indicated that it would be necessary for a tendering exercise to be undertaken in order to select the company to deliver the programme.  In order to expedite the procurement process, she recommended that the Committee agree to delegate authority to the Director, in consultation with the Chairman, to accept the most advantageous tender received.

            In answer to questions from a Member, she indicated that it had been estimated that the project would cost in the region of £495,000 and that the Council’s contribution in the first year would be £30,000.  She undertook to circulate to the Committee further information regarding the project.

            Following further discussion, the Committee agreed to delegate authority to the Director, in consultation with the Chairman, to accept the most advantageous tender received in order to undertake the hospitality and retail sectors project.

Sister Cities International 2008 Annual Conference

            The Head of Economic Initiatives reminded the Members that the Sister Cities International Annual Conference would be taking place in Belfast in 2009.  This would be the first time that the event had been held outside the United States and had the potential to contribute at least £2.5 million to the local economy.

            She reported that the organisation’s 2008 Conference would be held in Kansas from 16th till 19th July and would provide the Council with an opportunity to promote and market the 2009 Conference.  She pointed out that the cost of each delegate attending the Conference would be approximately £2,200 if they travelled on economy class flights and £4,020 if business class flights were used.

            The Committee agreed that it be represented at the Sister Cities International 2008 Annual Conference by the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman and the Director (or their nominees).

            During discussion a Member indicated that he was of the view that some years previously the former Policy and Resources Committee had agreed that business class flights may be booked where Members or officers were undertaking flights of more than three hours in duration.  The Committee requested that the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee be requested to clarify this matter.

            Other Members expressed the view that, since the Committee needed to ensure that ratepayers’ money was spent wisely, the party should fly economy class.

            After further discussion, it was

Moved by Councillor Rodgers,

Seconded by Councillor Crozier,

      That the party travelling to the Sister Cities International 2008 Annual Conference in Kansas should fly business class.

Amendment

Moved by Councillor Kelly,

Seconded  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

            The Committee agreed to defer to its special meeting on 24th June, consideration of a report regarding the improving of the tourism product which was available in Belfast on Sunday.

            The Committee deferred consideration of a report regarding the Department for Social Development’s Retail Sequencing Policy to enable further information to be circulated to all Members of Council.

            Arising from discussion in this matter, the Committee agreed that it would receive, at a future meeting, representatives from a number of interested parties, including Westfield Shoppingtowns Limited and William Ewart Properties Limited, regarding their proposals. 

            The Committee noted the contents of a report specifying the work which was ongoing in the Council to support the independent retail sector in the City.  It was agreed that a presentation by the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association be received at a future meeting and that representatives of the independent retail sector in the City be invited to attend that meeting.

Smithfield Market Letting

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 22nd September, 1999, it has granted authority for the Director, in consultation with the Chairman, to approve the terms of future lettings at Smithfield Market, subject to those terms being reported retrospectively to the Committee.

            The Head of Economic Initiatives reported that Unit 20 had been let to Mr. Mark Webb, 1 Dillons Avenue, Newtownabbey, at a cost of £190 per month, for the purposes of hair styling, hair extensions, braiding and the sale of associated accessories.

Noted.

Redecorating the Exterior of Smithfield Market

            The Head of Economic Initiatives reminded the Committee that the interior of the Smithfield Market had been redecorated in 2007.  She indicated that, during recent meetings between the Chairman, officers and tenants, there had been discussions regarding the possibility of the exterior of Market being redecorated.  It had been estimated that this work would cost in the region of £8,000.

            Following discussion, the Committee agreed that the exterior of Smithfield Market be redecorated at a cost not exceeding £8,000.

St. George’s Market

            The Head of Economic Initiatives advised the Committee that in October, 2007 a lease had been granted to Messrs Philip McKee, Dean Irwin and Rachid Naji for Unit 5 in St. George’s Market.  However the lease had not been signed by all of the parties involved.  Accordingly, the Director, under delegated authority, had issued a new lease for the Unit in the names of Philip McKee, Dean Irwin and Rachid Naji.

            The Committee noted the information which had been provided regarding Unit 5 in St. George’s Market.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report;

“Relevant Background Information

      BelfastCity Council currently provides play services for children and young people through 22 community and 6 play centres. The play development service provides support to enhance these services, to organise central events and to provide support for the voluntary sector.

      The play centres are located in six specific areas which are historical and had been inherited from when that service was part of the Parks Section. The format in which the service has been run has remained the same, providing a pre-school playgroup, after school club and holiday playschemes.

      Changes within both the internal and external environment have impacted on the way play service provision should be delivered to meet the needs of children and young people in Belfast. In order to inform our response to these changes, a decision was made and ratified by BelfastCity Council at their meeting on 4th July 2005, to undertake a review of Council-owned Playcentres. An independent consultant, Venturei was appointed to undertake the review which involved looking at both the internal and external environments, relevant legislation and consulting with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

      The report, with the key recommendations, was presented to the Development Committee on 14 May 2008 where a decision was made to defer to allow further time to consider the report and recommendations.

Key Issues

      The Review considered both internal and external factors that have impacted on the delivery of the current service and the report concluded:

1.   There has been no City-wide approach taken in response to identified need;

2.   Duplication and gaps in service provision have not been considered;

3.   The nature of the service is resource intensive providing for a limited number of children;

4.   Changes in the demand for pre-school playgroups services have resulted in the closure of three out of the six centres and the remaining centres providing primarily for children outside the targeted age group;

5.   There is limited flexibility in developing the service; and

6.   The nature of the service does fit in with the Community Services ethos and the Community Support Plan.

      The Review of the Play Service made two key recommendations

1.   To exit from pre-school playgroups. This part of the service has been impacted on most by external factors including demographic changes and government funding. This has resulted in the closure of three out of the six playgroups resulting in a reduction from 104 available places to 48. Currently only 90% of the places in the remaining playgroups are filled with only 25% from the targeted age group. Appendix 1 indicates the current position within each of the Playcentre Pre-school Playgroups. Other concerns are that the service is most resource intensive and provides for a limited number of children. Pre-school services are the main responsibility of the Education and Social Services.

2.   The play service should become more strategically focused, with a needs-led approach that is more flexible in the delivery  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

            The Director pointed out that, as a result of the additional functions which had become the responsibility of the Development Department in the previous year, a major restructuring of the Department was being undertaken, which would have consequences for staffing levels.  Accordingly, she indicated that she would be arranging briefings for the various political groupings within the Council during the summer period to discuss these issues.

Noted.

            Councillor Crozier declared an interest in this matter in that an organisation of which he was the Director had been awarded grant-assistance under this scheme and he left the room while the matter was under discussion. 

            The Community Development Manager reminded the Committee that the Council was a major provider of funding to organisations which delivered advice and information services within Belfast and that this was arranged through the establishment of consortiums in the North, South, East, West and Centre of the City.  During the previous three years, the Department for Social Development and the Council had provided additional funding to enable these consortiums to provide outreach advice services in areas of the City which had little or no such provision. 

She indicated that the Department for Social Development would be prepared to provide in the current financial year the sum of £309,725 on the understanding that the Council would contribute the sum of £152,725 and to the supplementary funding being used to provide outreach advice services and to help prepare the groups and consortiums to meet the requirements of the Department’s planned Regional Advice and Information Strategy pilot scheme.

            The Community Development Manager advised the Members that the staff in the Community Services Unit were examining whether the Council should become involved in the Department for Social Development’s proposed Regional Advice and Information Strategy pilot scheme, which was scheduled to commence in April, 2009.

            She pointed out that an independent review of the advice services support provided by the Council had been completed recently.  A report regarding the review would be considered by the Committee at its monthly meeting in August as an integral part of the broader review of the various grants which were issued by the Development Department.

            During discussion in the matter, a Member pointed out that there was a disparity in the level of financial assistance provided by the Council for advice services across the City which did not reflect the fact that a considerable level of advice service was provided by organisations in areas which were not viewed as being deprived.  The Director indicated that the report which would be presented to the next monthly meeting, together with the Department for Social Development’s pilot Regional Advice and Information Strategy, would enable the Committee to reconsider the level of funding which it provided currently across the City.

            Following further discussion, the Committee agreed:

(i)      to accept the offer of funding from the Department for Social Development in the sum of £309,725 and to authorise expenditure of £152,725 in order to provide supplementary funding to organisations providing advice services in Belfast;

(ii)     that the Council should continue to administer the additional monies provided by the Department for Social Development;

(iii)    that the experience gained in managing the funding provided in the current financial year be used to inform the Council’s bid for funding from the Department for Social Development’s proposed Regional Advice and Information Strategy pilot scheme in 2009; and

(iv)    that the report  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

            (Mr. J. Nelson, Community Services Co-ordinator, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      The Grant Aid Policy ‘A Guide to Grant Aid for Community Organisations’ was agreed by Council in January 2004. Two of the six grant types contained within the Policy are Revenue Grant and Community Development Project Grant.

      1. Revenue Grants

      Awards are allocated under three categories or grades towards the running costs of community facilities. Precedence is given to neighbourhood groups demonstrating a broad based programme of activity. The grade of award is determined by the size of the building, programme content, throughput, and current running costs. When applications are received from organisations operating in the same geographical area, assessment is made in relation to potential duplication of programme and target groups including use of a digital mapping process.

      The Community & Leisure Services Sub-Committee of 11 May 2004 awarded 77 Revenue Grants for the period 2004-7. Due to the timescale for the Department's Grant Aid Review these awards were subsequently extended for the period 2007-8 and 2008-9 by the Community & Leisure Services Sub-Committees of 5 September 2006 and 8 May 2007 respectively.  In extending the contract period the Committee was aware of the potential risk of limiting equality of treatment and opportunity of those organisations which had not had the chance to apply for this grant previously. Subsequently, the Development Committee 12 December 2007 agreed a one off additional allocation to the Revenue Grant budget of £50,000 to allow new applications from groups who had established, or had acquired premises, since the 2003-4 open call.

      2. Community Development Project Grants

      Project grant awards of up to £500 are available for small scale community projects that contribute to the overarching aim of building the capacity of local people. Specifically projects which:

-     Develop the programme of a community building

-     Enable new community groups to become established

-     Contribute to the organisational costs of community projects

-     Support training courses for Committees/Volunteers

      An open call for applications is advertised each year in March and October.

Key Issues

      1. Revenue Grants

      A total of 10 Revenue Grants were received by the submission date of 1 March 2008.

      Applications have been assessed under the same due processes as applied to those received at the previous application date of October 2003. In addition to the general eligibility criteria for this grant, Groups have had to demonstrate that they meet the specific additional criteria as agreed by the Development Committee December 2007.  Four applications have been recommended for funding to the cumulative amount of £20,031.63. These are listed at Appendix 1.  Six applications have been recommended for rejection and these are listed and the reasons for rejection given at Appendix 1.

      Where an application for Revenue funding is rejected by Committee, the applicant Group is notified of its right of appeal in relation to this decision. Any appeals submitted will be considered by Committee at a subsequent meeting.

      2.  Project Grants

A  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

            The Community Development Manager informed the Committee that the Inquiry which had been established following the murder of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Soham, Cambridgeshire, had recommended that those persons who wished to work with children or vulnerable adults would require to be registered and would be subject to an enhanced system of disclosure.  In Northern Ireland these recommendations would be implemented and overseen by two new bodies, Access Northern Ireland and the Independent Safeguarding Authority.  The former would undertake the criminal checks which had been carried out previously by the Police, including details of convictions and information held by the Police which was relevant to a person’s suitability to work with children or young people.  The main focus of the latter would be to establish a register of persons who would be suitable for working with children or young people.

            She indicated that the Council’s Human Resources Section undertook currently checks regarding employees who had contact with children and young people.  Volunteers who worked in Community and Play Centres were checked by the Community Services Section, which also provided support for independent groups who used Council facilities to undertake such checks.  Under the new system, a charge of £30 for each check carried out for a volunteer involved in a statutory organisation, including Councils, would be levied.  However, volunteers involved with independent community groups would not be charged.

            She indicated that the Community Services Unit had registered with Access Northern Ireland to undertake checks of volunteers and to act as an umbrella body to administer the checks for the independent groups.  This would result in the Council only incurring the cost of paying for volunteers who would be working on projects directly managed by Council staff.  She pointed out that the Unit employed temporary staff throughout the year, particularly for the Summer Schemes, who were recruited through an agency which passed on the £30 fee to the candidate.  Given the short-term nature of these posts, this fee had the potential to restrict the number of candidates who applied for temporary posts.  Accordingly, the Community Services Unit would be meeting the costs of the £30 charge for candidates who worked in Summer Schemes during 2008 in order to enable a longer term policy to be agreed between the Human Resources Section and the Council’s Recruitment Agency.  The Community Development Manager indicated that it had been estimated that the cost in the current financial year of undertaking the Access Northern Ireland checks for volunteers and Summer Scheme staff would be £7,000.

            Following discussion in the matter, the Committee agreed to note the information which had been provided by the Community Development Manager regarding the vetting process.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      The Draft Regeneration Framework for North West Quarter Part 2 area of Belfast City Centre constitutes proposed supplementary guidance to the Department for Social Development’s (DSD) Regeneration Policy Statement for Belfast City Centre adopted by the Department in April 2004. It sets out further guidance on the proposed range of mix and location of uses for the North West Quarter Part 2 area of BelfastCity Centre to maximise the physical, social and economic regeneration of the area. The North West Quarter Part 2 comprises the neighbourhood of Brown Square, Carrick Hill and Press / Library Quarters.  Council responded comprehensively in January 2007 to the North West Quarter Part 2; Baseline Regeneration Issues Report.

Key Issues

      The report has addressed the issues within this area under three broad themes, Urban Design Analysis, Vision and Concept Plan and Urban Design and Land Use.

      Detailed below are the proposed comments from the Council relating to these themes.

      Urban Design Analysis

      - Background

      Draft BMAP designates the area as CC013 Scotch and Cathedral Quarters.

      Character Area and outlines urban design criteria for the area. The Council would request clarification on how the regeneration framework relates to the local area plan. The neighbourhoods of Brown Street and Carrick Hill are designated as Protected Housing Areas in City and Town Centres in BMAP which means the spread of commercial uses will be resisted.

      - Character

      The Council supports the recognition of the historic character, landmarks and views in the North West Quarter area. The incorporation of cultural heritage into revitalisation of the area should be seen as an asset and unique selling point.

      - Open Space

      An assessment of the need for open space within the city centre living areas is needed. The public space has to be created and managed in a sustainable way to ensure a well used public asset for the wider area.

      - Access Movement

      The Council considers that the high levels of community severance at Millfield and Carrick Hill due to the high capacity and over designed road system must be recognised and addressed as a priority. The framework should also consider the impact in the Belfast Metropolitan Transport plan such as the completion of the inner ring road and traffic management problems.

      - Strengths and Opportunities

1.      Draft BMAP identifies a number of Development Opportunity Sites contained in the area such as: CC 035 Castle Court and the lands to the north, CC 037 Little Donegall Street / Carrick Hill, CC 038 Stephen Street, CC 039 Library Street, CC 041 Kent Street, CC 040 Carrick Hill / North Street, CC 050 Clifton Street, CC 051 Gardiners Place / Peters Hill and CC 052 Millfield / Wilson Street. However Draft BMAP lacks information on the key site requirements for the development of these sites.

2.      The Council considers that the Regeneration Framework should identify development opportunity sites within the area and provide further key site requirements in order to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.