Agenda item

            (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:

 

·        Cathedral Quarter BID ·        Cathedral Quarter Trust ·        BID One ·        Ulster Reform Club ·        Carrick Hill Residents

·        West Belfast Partnership ·        Shared City Partnership Section 75 Consultative Forum ·        Campus Community Regeneration Forum

 

3.7       Copies of the consultation document and a summary A5 sized leaflet were available at all events.  Large font print and braille formats of the summary leaflet and questionnaire were also made available. Exhibition boards summarising the masterplan were on display in the Cecil Ward Building between 13 February - 8 May 2018 and in the Central Library from 13 April-8 May 2018.

 

3.8       Key communication channels were through letters and emails to stakeholders and network groups, drop-in sessions, City Matters (delivered to every Belfast household), the BCC website and council’s online Consultation Hub, external press and social media was used throughout the consultation period and programmed at key intervals.  All information was available on: https://yoursay.belfastcity.gov.uk/. 

 

3.9       Statutory partners

 

            Engagement with statutory partners included the Department for Communities, Department for Infrastructure, Translink and the Historic Environment Division and feedback received from them shaped to the draft consultation document.  Discussions will continue during the finalisation of the plan. Feedback was also received from council departments.

 

            Responses received during the consultation

 

3.10      During the current formal 12-week consultation period effort was made to engage with a diverse range of stakeholders, including residents, businesses, statutory partners and developers.  There were 36 formal responses received; 24 of these were returned via email whilst 12 were logged on Citizen Space.  Feedback was also collected feedback at the drop-in sessions, walk-abouts meetings and presentations.  

 

3.11      A full consultation report and the final masterplan will be brought back to committee later in the year, but an examination of the feedback indicates general support for the regeneration of the INW area and the draft proposals.

 

            Planning policy context and the Local Development Plan

 

3.12      The INW is in line with the 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. Following adoption of the LDP Plan Strategy the Council will be in a position to review the INW masterplan with a view to bringing it forward as more formal planning guidance thereby providing the masterplan with greater weight in the decision making process - as a more detailed articulation of LDP policy.

 

           

            Next Steps

 

3.13      Statutory consultation on the Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulation Assessment opened on 9 July and will run to 1 October 2018.  The feedback from this consultation, combined with the findings from the INW consultation, will form the final masterplan, which will come back to the committee for approval in the autumn.

 

3.14      Additionally, and in parallel, the development of land in public ownership is currently being discussed with DfC as part of the Strategic Site Assessment work that was reported to committee in May 2018, and a residential market analysis for the city centre is being commissioned.

 

3.15      Financial and Resource Implications

 

            Resource requirements will be met from existing departmental budget allocations.

 

3.16      Equality, Good Relations and Rural Needs Implications

 

            Consultation on the draft EQIA Screening was held as part of the Inner North West Masterplan and a further Equality Screening will accompany the final masterplan. The Rural Needs Impact Assessment found that the masterplan involves the development of an inner city area and will have no direct impact in rural areas. The use of emerging spaces and facilities will be kept under review to ensure there is no adverse impact on rural areas and proposals for improved access to and within the area will help facilitate those visiting from rural areas.”

 

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.