Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0  Purpose of Report

1.1    The purpose of this report is to update Members on the Department for Communities’ (DfC) Greater Clarendon (Sailortown) Masterplan and seek approval of the draft Council response to the consultation available on modern.gov.

         Background

1.2    The draft Greater Clarendon (Sailortown) Masterplan was originally commissioned by the Department for Social Development in 2008 but was put on hold in while the adjacent York Street Interchange proposals were developed. In 2015 the Masterplan work was re-initiated by DSD and subsequently a draft plan has been issued for consultation.

1.3    The Masterplan area can be viewed on modern.gov and the entire draft masterplan can be viewed here: https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/consultations/greater-clarendon-sailortown-draft-masterplan-consultation

         Key Issues

1.4    Belfast City Council provided detailed comments at various times through the development of the masterplan via the project board, however, there are still some important comments included in the draft Council response. The main issues include:

·        Encouraging  the continued joint working arrangements and partnership approach between Belfast City Council and the Department on future regeneration initiatives across the city centre

·        Ensuring alignment with the City Centre Regeneration & Investment Strategy and the importance of connecting with existing communities

·        Ensuring the Masterplan has due regard for emerging development activity and the council owned sites in the area

·        Providing clarity regarding the status of the Masterplan in the context of other statutory plans and polices used by Belfast City Council in making planning decisions.

·        Encouraging engagement with the existing communities before finalising the Masterplan

1.5    Key points from the draft response are included in section 3 of this report.

2.0   Recommendations

2.1    The Committee is asked to:

-       Consider the attached draft response on modern.gov and agree its submission to the Department for Communities

3.0    Main report

         Background

3.1    The Draft Masterplan has been created to provide an overarching framework for the future development of Sailortown. Although the work was originally initiated in 2008 it was delayed to allow the York Street Interchange proposal to become fully developed.

3.2    The aims of the masterplan include:

·        Provide an overarching framework for the development of the area;

·        Incorporate the on-going transport engineering and environmental work that has been undertaken in relation to the York Street Interchange;

·        Promote improved pedestrian and cycle links with the city centre and the Laganside area, by addressing poor physical connectivity;

·        Facilitate social and economic connections through the design of the environment and the improvement of key routes;

·        Encourage active ground floor uses to bring life and activity to key streets and spaces within the area;

·        Promote a scale and form of development that protects and strengthens the heritage and urban form within the area, with potential for statement buildings at the intersections, creating sense of place and assisting orientation within the area;

3.3    The draft council response is available on modern.gov for Members’ consideration, however, the key points include:

·        The Department recently adopted, in part, the CCRIS as its policy framework for the future regeneration of Belfast City Centre and over recent months both the Department and Council have worked closely together. The Council is looking forward to continuing this positive working relationship in order to capture investment and make a real difference to the lives of those who live and work in Belfast and as a result are generally supportive of the Masterplan and what it is seeking to achieve.

·        The draft masterplan and its key aims are broadly in line with the aspirations of the City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy, however, it would be beneficial to provide some more specific comments on the draft plan particularly since Council is responsible for a number of sites in this area

·        The Masterplan area encompasses a number of important areas within the city including the emerging City Quays development, Ulster University Campus, York Street Interchange and the numerous planned developments around York Street and Dunbar link. It is important that the planned developments in these areas integrate not only with the city centre but also with adjacent communities

·        The City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy identifies the Lagan Corridor as an important but underutilised part of the city and emphasises the need enhance connectivity to the river – it is important that the Masterplan recognises this.

·        The masterplan recommendations include a number of uses for sites throughout the study area. It should be made clear that these illustrations are indicative and development proposals must be in accordance with BMAP and other relevant statutory planning policies which are the primary tools for Belfast City Council in undertaking its role as the planning authority

·        The Key projects identified in the Masterplan are broadly in line with the aspirations of the Council’s City Centre Strategy including encouraging more people to live in the city centre, improving the Dunbar link, the potential impact of a rail halt in this area, encouraging activity under the motorway flyovers and creating attractive squares and spaces. It is important that residential developments aim to provide balanced neighbourhoods that are well connected to the city centre and have access to important amenities

·        The Council will welcome continued engagement with the department and other city stakeholders including involvement in the preparation of any future development framework or action plan for this area including consideration of how to best maximise the benefit of the high levels of development activity planned in this area.

·        The Council also encourages engagement with the local communities through the formal consultation exercise currently underway in order to shape the final document.”

            The Committee considered the draft response and agreed to its submission to the Department for Communities.