Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

 

1.1To provide an update on the UP2030 Net Zero (NZ) Neighbourhood Framework, including the work to date across the priority themes of active travel, greening and retrofit, stakeholder engagement, and key milestones for 2025, including holding a Members briefing workshop.

 

2.0Recommendation

 

2.1The Committee is asked to:

 

                                      I.         To note the progress to date and future key milestones for the UP2030 Net Zero Neighbourhoods Horizon Europe funded project to develop a Net Zero Neighbourhood Framework.

                                     II.         To note that a Members’ briefing workshop in early summer on the emerging draft Framework prior to taking the final draft Framework to Committee in the autumn.

                                   III.         To note the 3 main themes of the Framework around Greening, Retrofit and Active Travel, and how the UP2030 project can be upscaled to help build understanding and capacity for communities about NZ as well as integrate and inform both local community plans and Council workstreams such as the emerging area planning approach; climate-related work programmes; housing led regeneration programme and specifically how it will fit with the Belfast Agenda Community Planning Boards Action Plans.

                                   IV.         To note that an update report on UP2030 was brought to the City Growth & Regeneration Committee yesterday, 15 January 2025.

 

3.0Background

 

            Members will recall that Council is involved in a three-year Horizon Europe consortium programme called Urban Planning 2030 (UP2030) that aims to guide cities through the transitions required to meet their climate neutrality ambitions. The City Regeneration and Development and Climate teams were successful in joint bid of €204,250/£176,024 to further an integrated approach between urban planning, achieving net zero and aspects of resilience. At the most recent update to the City Regeneration & Development and Climate and City Resilience Committees in June 2024 Members were reminded that Belfast is one of 11 pilot cities, and the focus of the project is on the development of a net zero neighbourhood framework around three thematic areas: active travel, greening and retrofit. These themes link across to the UP2030 pillars of a fair and just transition, carbon neutrality and resilience. The Framework will be informed by data, stakeholder engagement and the use of climate tools to support analysis, mapping and engagement in the pilot area.

 

3.1The geographic area of the UP2030 pilot was agreed at the City Growth and Regeneration Committee in March 2023 and covers the Linen Quarter and surrounding city centre communities of Barrack Street, Sandy Row, Donegall Pass and the Market.  Whilst this work was undertaken within a defined boundary the purpose was to produce a framework that could be adapted and used within all communities and districts to set forward net zero tailored approaches, attract funding and deliver climate adaption plans tailored for the uses of that specific district.

 

3.2Over the past year and a half there has been engagement with communities and wider city partners at each key stage. Members received an update at the CG&R and Climate and City Resilience Committees in June 2024 that outlined the stakeholder engagement, workshops, key milestones and highlighted wider alignment of the UP2030 programme with other workstreams such as the Solar PV Study and the Belfast Retrofit Delivery Hub.

     

4.0Main Report

 

4.1Progress to date

 

      Cross-sector stakeholder engagement

 

      As reported in June 2024, stakeholder engagement has been a key feature of the programme, and the team continue to engage with the local areas as well as thematic, statutory, and citywide partners that have broad experience or are prospective delivery partners. Between April and October 2024 significant engagement took place through workshops and interactive sessions with a range of cross-sector stakeholders including:

 

·       Belfast City Council officers across departments

·       Connectivity, Active and Sustainable Travel (CAST) Belfast Agenda subgroup

·       City Greening Group

·       Belfast Retrofit Delivery Hub

·       Cross sector stakeholder Vision and Actions feedback workshop

·       Youth session with South Belfast Alternatives Youth Group

·       QUB StreetSpace engagement and research group

·       Donegall Pass Seniors’ Group

·       Open Botanic Festival

·       Retrofit workshop with elected Members

·       World Cities Day Youth Event with BCC Youth Council

 

4.2The purpose of these events was to encourage people to step into the future and consider what life might be like in a NZ Belfast of 2050 and gain agreement on the vision for the project across the three themes (greening, active travel and retrofit) as well as to engage in ‘climate conversations’ to build awareness and understanding of climate change. During the sessions, participants were presented with mapped geospatial analysis data and the insights gathered on the project to date and asked for feedback on the emerging Framework ideas, local priorities and build a shared understanding of NZ options. Through this we were able to sense check the emerging framework ideas, build a shared understanding of NZ options and agreed the adaptive pathways for the short/long term sequence of actions that would be required to support the transition as well as explore opportunities for pilot projects to help test concepts for the NZ Framework alongside continued stakeholder engagement.

 

4.3There have also been indirect engagement opportunities that have helped to build knowledge and expand networks which will also help to inform the Framework.  For example, a session was held with the Belfast Retrofit Delivery Hub with energy managers from public and private sector with large scale estates to share experience on retrofitting buildings to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.  Belfast Retrofit Delivery Hub hosted a peer-to-peer exchange with the Galway City Council, the Warm Homes Hub community retrofit programme and a variety of interested stakeholders from Belfast to explore their One Stop Shop approach and retrofit methodology. This is part of the ongoing work of the Climate Team and demonstrates the importance of linking the shared learning and feedback into the NZ Framework.

 

4.4Building out the Framework

 

      The UP2030 team have consolidated the feedback to date on the emerging vision and thematic adaptive pathways, data and worked with consortium partners on the format and content of the Framework.  Sections one to three of the draft Framework are due for submission to the UP2030 Consortium in February 2025 and is based around the following chapter outline:

 

      Preface

 

1. Introduction and Context?

2. Neighbourhood Assessment?

3. Vision and Adaptive Pathways?

4. Pilots and What We Tested?

5. Lessons Learned?

6. Net Zero Neighbourhood?

7. Implementation and Recommendations?

8. Outputs and Visual Aids?

·       Report Document: Comprehensive overview?

·       Visual Guides: Posters, infographics on achieving net-zero by 2050

·       Glossary

 

4.5Pending feedback from the UP2030 Consortium on the draft Framework, the intention is to go back out to stakeholders in late Spring/early Summer to sense check the actions within the emerging final draft and explore dissemination.  As part of this, it also proposed to hold a Members’ briefing workshop in early summer that will provide an opportunity to input into the Framework and explore the themes prior to bringing this to Committee for approval in the autumn.  It is proposed to invite Members from City Growth & Regeneration, Climate & City Resilience and Members who represent the UP2030 area. The final Framework must be submitted by November 2025.

 

4.6Primarily, the target audience for the Framework is decision makers and policy makers in local and central government, statutory partners, communities and urban practitioners. As part of the legacy of the project, officers are considering how it will be of use to key stakeholders and looking at this through ‘personae’ such as a community group, investors, senior public officials, or a thematic or special interest organisation. The value of taking this approach means that officers will be able to structure and tailor the content of the Framework, so that it is accessible and relevant to the core audiences and assist in the dissemination of the material.

 

4.7Action Phase: Testing Net Zero options

 

      Alongside the drafting of the Framework, the UP2030 team is in the Action Phase of the programme, which focuses on testing options that could be included in the NZ Framework under the three themes, active travel, greening and retrofit. The exploration of solutions is central to the action phase of the programme wherein we need to trial approaches or actions that can help us achieve NZ whilst also providing an opportunity to engage with citizens on the key themes of the project. The piloting of these approaches helps us to capture lessons learned and recommendations that will form part of the final NZ Framework as well as gaining a better understanding of the capacity building and knowledge exchange required to help communities transition together. Through this period officers have continued to engage with stakeholders, delivery partners and tool providers to solidify partnerships that will help test some of the NZ approaches that are in the emerging draft Framework.  Included in this action phase is a pilot Walking Bus project that will be funded and delivered by Belfast Healthy Cities by March 2025.  A Walking Bus is a group of children walking to school together in the morning. They are supported by an adult at the front and at the back of the group, acting as the 'driver' and 'conductor' of the walking bus.

 

4.8Additionally, a Walking Bus is an action in the Belfast Agenda CAST Action Plan and is an approach that was suggested by communities during the UP2030 engagement period. This pilot draws upon the expertise of one of the consortium tool providers, Design Clips, who are an architectural practice specialising in participatory planning and placemaking with a focus on co-design with children, and Belfast Healthy Cities, who are currently working with schools to deliver walking buses.  Adding to the Walking Bus concept, a toolkit and teacher training materials have been developed encouraging children to ‘audit’ their route to school and considering how their neighbourhood could be cleaner, greener and healthier, creating safe routes and healthy places. Further to the pilot, this toolkit (including a Walking Bus toolkit, teaching materials and activity materials) will be a free resource for any school or community in Belfast and is an example of how the UP2030 NZ approach can be scaled up in other areas.  

 

4.9Similarly, it was agreed in the Climate and City Resilience Committee in June 2024 to support Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) with their Early Career Architects proposal to run a Net-Zero Neighbourhood Ideas Competition as a partnership between the (RSUA) and JP Corry with support from the NIHE and the Northern Ireland Construction Group (NICG). This work is ongoing and intends to explore how a holistic neighbourhood approach to lowering carbon emissions compares to a more focused property-by-property approach and is an opportunity to build on the visioning outcomes of the retrofit work and importantly, engage with communities in the pilot area to codesign approaches for net zero delivery and contribute to the development of the NZ Framework and consider how it can be replicated in other areas.

 

4.10      Increasingly, new technology comes forward to help address carbon emissions and within the greening theme, we are completing a cost/benefit exercise on the planting and maintenance of 44 trees in the AQMA of Cromac Street in comparison to the installation of a technical solution, ‘CityTree’, which claims to achieve the benefit equivalent in cleansing the air. This exercise builds on the work of the ‘Tree Establishment Strategy’ survey completed by colleagues in City and Neighbourhood Services which has identified existing canopy cover across the city and highlighted much needed tree planting in areas that have the lowest tree canopy cover, and subsequent lowest tree equity scores and the UP2030 pilot area includes some of the highest priority areas of the city.

 

4.11      Key milestones for 2025

 

      The final output of the UP2030 programme is a NZ Framework that will be an interactive pdf, supplemented by user-friendly information that can also be distributed to communities and other stakeholders.  However, central to this project is how the learning is embedded and helps Council and partners adapt and prepare for climate change.  The dissemination will take different forms and officers will the publish and promote the material in different formats, engage with communities and engage across Council teams and seek to influence wider city and regional stakeholders. The final output is being developed with target audiences in mind that includes decision makers, urban practitioners and community leaders. It is hoped that the Framework will help these audiences to understand what a transition to net zero could look like through the three themes, and the urgency of sequenced actions required. 

 

4.12      The UP2030 programme concludes in December 2025.  Below are the high-level milestones and deliverables for the year:

 

·       Ongoing roll out of demonstration projects as part of the Action Phase, i.e. Walking Bus, RSUA Early Career Architects NZ Neighbourhood Ideas Competition

·       Submission of the draft Framework by February 2025

·       Engage in consortium upscaling workshops and with tool providers, including utilisation of the financial and governance toolkit and peer-to-peer learning, and provision of material/content.

·       Stakeholder and Member engagement to sense check and validate the NZ Framework, May-June

·       Submission of final Framework and reporting to the UP2030 Consortium in November 2025

·       Launch and dissemination December 2025 and ongoing into 2026.

 

5.0Financial and Resource Implications

 

      Members will be aware that given that the UK is no longer within the EU, the status of Council was changed from to being a Partner to that of an Associate which means that funding is underwritten by the UK government (UK Research & Innovation, UKRI) fund rather than the EU. The Horizon Europe UP2030 Project is 100% funded for revenue only. No additional funding is required from Council however a small team drawn from the Climate Unit and City Regeneration and Development work together to oversee development and support implementation. Officers continue to work with partners to identify potential capital or revenue funding in the future and align current and emerging workstreams that could support the transition to net zero.

 

6.0Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

 

      Officers will carry on an Equality Screening on the final NZ Framework and will incorporate within the emerging proposals.”

 

            The Development Manager answered a range of questions from Members in relation to tree equity and CityTrees, Belfast’s partnership with other UP2030 pilot cities, the use of artificial intelligence in relation to research, and commuter parking and its impact on air quality.

           

            After discussion, the Committee noted:

 

                                  i.         the progress to date and future key milestones for the UP2030 Net Zero Neighbourhoods Horizon Europe funded project to develop a Net Zero Neighbourhood Framework;

 

                                 ii.         that a Members’ briefing workshop would be held in early summer on the emerging draft Framework prior to taking the final draft Framework to Committee in the autumn;

 

                                iii.         the three main themes of the Framework around Greening, Retrofit and Active Travel, and how the UP2030 project can be upscaled to help build understanding and capacity for communities about Net Zero as well as integrate and inform both local community plans and Council workstreams such as the emerging area planning approach; climate-related work programmes; housing led regeneration programme and specifically how it will fit with the Belfast Agenda Community Planning Boards Action Plans; and

 

                               iv.         that an update report on UP2030 was brought to the City Growth and Regeneration Committee on 15 January, 2025.