Agenda 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 update and seek approval from Members on the proposed way forward for detailed work to assess the development and regeneration potential of Council’s surface car parks and adjacent public sector land holdings within the city centre and note the relationship with other work streams.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       Members are asked to:

·        Agree that specialist advice is procured to ensure a detailed and comprehensive approach is taken to identifying development and regeneration opportunities arising from rationalisation of Council car parks and adjacent public sector land.

·        Note the relationship between the Strategic Site Assessment and other work streams underway across the council and also with partners.

3.0       Main report

3.1       The Belfast City Centre Regeneration & Investment Strategy (BCCRIS) identified the need for an integrated parking strategy and action plan to address a number of issues, including the large number of fragmented and typically low capacity surface level car parks within the city centre. BCCRIS concluded that the city centre has a large number of underdeveloped sites and surface level car parks in its core centre. These present opportunities for comprehensive development and potential for land assembly.

3.2       Car Parking Strategy (CPS)

            Following the recommendations of BCCRIS a Car Park Strategy (CPS) & Action Plan was prepared by Aecom and ratified by Council in November 2017. The CPS recommended a shift away from surface level car parking as they offer limited capacity and are not a good use of city centre land. The majority of surface level carpark sites, irrespective of individual ownership, represent potential development opportunities. The CPS identified a number of benefits from carefully planning their rationalisation.  Rationalisation should result in reduced traffic volumes from fewer circulating vehicles; reduce air pollution, improve road safety, and present opportunities for development.  The CPS also highlights the need to keep current parking stock under review and demand levels regularly monitored.

3.3       Engagement with DfI is ongoing regarding all CPS actions, wider parking and transport issues and the Committee will be updated on progress in due course.

            Alignment with other work streams

3.4       Greater Clarendon (Sailortown) Masterplan (2016)

            The Department for Communities’ Greater Clarendon (Sailortown) masterplan published 6 December 2016 (https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/publications/greater-clarendon-sailortown-masterplan) recommends that opportunities to redevelop surplus public sector car parking sites be explored. The masterplan highlights the potential to assemble land to maximise opportunities that may not be realised if proposals are considered in isolation. There are a number of public sector surface car parks within the masterplan area.

3.5       Eastbank Development Strategy (2017)

            The Council’s Eastbank Development Strategy recommended a land assembly study and business case appraisal as a short-term next step to ensure a comprehensive approach to regeneration of the area, particularly the shatter-zone land that comprises public sector surface car parks.  While this study is not concluded, with an SEA outstanding the early recommendation will be considered within the overall analysis.  The SEA is due to conclude at the end of May and a report will be brought back to committee in August. 

3.6       Inner North West Masterplan (2018)

            The consultation period for the Inner North West (INW) masterplan closed on 8 May 2018. An analysis of comments received will be reviewed and a final recommendation brought back to committee in Autumn 2018.  As outlined previously to committee, the masterplan seeks to provide a framework to help shape emerging opportunities and ensure a more comprehensive approach to development on both public and private sector owned land.  The draft masterplan identifies the need to look at land comprehensively within the masterplan area and consider which sites might be brought forward for development.  Council owned land and other public sector land will be considered as part of this assessment. 

3.7       South Belfast Area

            The council and other public sector bodies has a number of sites at Bruce street, Ormeau Avenue, Ormeau Road and Cromac Street.  This land will be assessed as well as other council land assets.  

3.8       City Centre Living

            Officers continue to engage with DfC and NIHE on City Centre Living. The Strategic Site Assessment (SSA) will consider land that is suitable for mixed use development and identify opportunities to maximise regeneration benefits.  A proposal to undertake a residential market analysis is also being put to members and it is intended that the residential market analysis will inform the SSA on residential viability.  .

3.9       Local Development Plan

            The SSA will be cognisant of emerging polices in the Local Development Plan (LDP) draft Plan Strategy that supports population growth, sustainable development and the city’s ambitions in relation to the inclusive growth agenda.

3.10      Strategic Site Assessment (SSA)

            A Strategic Site Assessment (SSA) is proposed to be undertaken to review Council’s city centre surface level car parks. The SSA will consider locations best suited to support the objectives of the Belfast Agenda, e.g. mixed use development, housing, public and green space, car parking etc. The review is intended to identify opportunities for comprehensive development and potential land assembly and include adjacent public sector land. Engagement with statutory partners is ongoing.

3.11      The SSA will identify sites suitable for comprehensive development including scale, mass and market viability.

3.12      The SSA will take account of the Council’s wider objectives, in line with the Belfast Agenda.

3.13      The SSA would be developed by specialist consultants with experience in development, real estate assessment and financial viability.

3.14      The draft findings of the SSA will be brought back to Members for further consideration and to agree next steps.

3.15      Equality and Good Relations implications

            The final SSA will be equality screened.

3.16      Financial and Resource Implications

            There will be a procurement exercise for a consultant to carry out the strategic site assessment, estimated to be up to the value of £60K.”

            A Member stated that the Council’s surface car parks generated a net income of over £1million per annum and asked that the Committee would agree to take cognisance of that in any considerations.

            In response to a further Member’s suggestion, the Committee agreed that the proposed specialist advice would consider both Departmental and Council needs, particularly Programme for Government and housing targets.

The Committee therefore:

1.      agreed that specialist advice be procured to ensure a detailed and comprehensive approach was taken to identify development and regeneration opportunities, as well as Departmental and Council needs (such as Programme for Government targets/housing targets), arising from the rationalisation of the Council car parks and adjacent public sector land;

2.      noted the relationship between the Strategic Site Assessment and other work streams which were underway across the Council and also with partners; and

3.      agreed to take due cognisance of the fact that the Council’s surface car parks generated a net income of over £1million per annum.