Agenda item

            The Head of Economic Initiatives informed the Committee that, in accordance with its decision of 11th November, 2009, a deputation from the Cathedral Quarter Steering Group was in attendance to make a presentation.  She indicated that the organisation was in the process of implementing a five year plan for the area and was keen for the Council to engage more closely with it.  The Committee agreed to receive the deputation.  Accordingly, Mr. Paul McErlean, Chairman of the Steering Group, Ms. Patricia Freedman, Cathedral Quarter Development Manager, together with Mr. Will Chamberlain, Belfast CommunityCircus School, were admitted to the meeting and welcomed by the Chairman.

            With the assistance of visual aids, the deputation explained that:

(i)     the Cathedral Quarter Steering Group consisted of a diverse range of people from the public, private and arts sectors who worked for the organisation in a voluntary capacity and it was grateful to the Council for the support which it had provided to the Group;

(ii)    it had held discussions with the developers of the Royal Exchange Scheme as this represented one of the largest, potential projects in the area;

(iii)    Cathedral Quarter was a thriving, historic and mixed-use area of approximately 35,000 square metres which the organisation wished to see developing into the dynamic, sustainable, artistic and cultural core for the City;

(iv)   the ideas which the Group had would result in the area becoming a model of conservation and urban regeneration;

(v)    the Steering Group’s vision was that the Cathedral Quarter would be recognised as an outstanding European Cultural Quarter and a premier arts and culture destination which would become a trading destination for local and international visitors and continue to provide a shared space for all the people of Belfast;

(vi)   the Group had set itself the undernoted goals:

·         a dynamic synergy amongst arts, business, education, community and government

·         a concentration of creative and cultural activity

·         high levels of public participation

·         supportive infrastructure

(vii)  the organisation wanted the Quarter to be managed in a strategic, accountable and effective manner by the stakeholders and through long-term commitments from the Council and Government;

(viii)  it was anticipated that, when the new University of Ulster Campus was operational in three years time, it would attract 12,000 students to the area; and

(ix)   it was important that the infrastructure within the Quarter be reconfigured in order to give priority to pedestrians and to remove as much vehicular traffic as possible.  To this end RPS Consultants had been employed to examine public transport, traffic access and pedestrian flow issues within the area to include the possibility of a new train station being developed to facilitate the students who would be attending the new university campus and to encourage people to visit the Quarter.

            Ms. Freedman concluded the presentation by indicating that the Cathedral Quarter Steering Group was keen to have political representation and requested that the Committee appoint its Chairman and Deputy Chairman to the Group.

            In answer to a Member’s question, the deputation indicated that it was unable to quantify the number of people who worked within the Cathedral Quarter, although it had requested funding from the Department for Social Development to enable such research to be undertaken.

            The deputation then retired from the meeting.

            During a lengthy discussion, several Members expressed the view that it would not be necessary at this time for the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Committee to become members of the Steering Group and that the Council officers could continue to keep the Committee informed of the Group’s progress.

            Other Members made the point that the organisation had undertaken considerable work within the Cathedral Quarter and that the Council should consider becoming more involved with the organisation and accept the invitation.

            The Chairman expressed the view that the Committee would need to be careful how it managed expectations which the Steering Group might have, pointing out that considerable demands were made on Councillors’ time.

            Following further discussion, the Committee agreed that it would keep under review the request from the Cathedral Quarter Steering Group for the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman to be appointed by the Committee to the organisation.