PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN BY WEST BELFAST PARTNERSHIP

'AT THE HEART OF REGENERATION'

West Belfast Partnership Board 218 – 226 Falls Road, Belfast, BT12 6AH Telephone: 02890809202 Email: info@wbpb.org

PROJECTS..

Within the West Belfast Partnership a number of projects are taking place within each initial sub group.

> ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

ReStore- Glen Road

The West Belfast Partnership has secured DSD funding to undertake a pilot Re-Store project along the Glen Road (between the Glenowen Inn and former Andersonstown Barracks site). The ReStore initiative aims to enhance the visual appearance of the Glen Road through the upgrading of commercial frontages and by addressing the level of dereliction along the route. Local traders will also be offered business support, marketing and promotional services. ReStore aims to promote the Glen Road as a prime local shopping destination, restoring trader and consumer confidence to act as a stimulus in encouraging new forms of inward investment to the area. Paddy Byrne Architects have been appointed to provide architectural services associated with the project whilst local contractor Maurice Flynn Ltd will undertake all construction works. Work has commenced and is expected to be completed by July 2010.

Creative West Belfast

> STRATEGIC REGENERATION

Andersonstown Barracks Site

The West Belfast Partnership has been leading the way in the community consultation process surrounding the redevelopment of the former Andersonstown Barracks Site, working alongside DSD and PLACE. Minister for Social Development, Margret Ritchie has called for a landmark building to be created on this site, and recognises the role of the local community in influencing and informing the future development of this sensitive site. An ongoing commitment to genuine public engagement within the local area is recognised as being the cornerstones of this sites future development.
From early this year extensive consultation exercises have been undertaken with a variety of interest groups to include cultural groups, elected representatives, youth groups and OAP’s. A variety of mediums have been used to facilitate discussion and debate and collect feedback around the future use of the site. All feedback has been recorded and used to inform the content of the design and development brief, which will be put out to international design competition. Renowned architect Daniel Libeskind will head up the jury panel. For more information visit: Facebook “Andytown Barracks Site -Have Your Say” ; Twitter: @ATownExpoWest; www.expowestbelfast.com

Belfast’s Titanic Quarter – Reaching Out to Local Communities

As part of their commitment to community outreach, West Belfast Partnership in conjunction with Belfast City Council and Titanic Quarter Limited are holding an event to learn about the development planned at Titanic Quarter and how you can become involved and benefit from it.

This project is considered Europe's largest and most exciting waterfront development, and will transform a 185-acre site on the banks of Belfast's river Lagan into a new mixed use maritime quarter with a mile of water frontage and a range of investment opportunities. Included in the development are over 7,500 apartments, 900,000 sq. m. of business, education, office and research and development floor space together with hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars and other leisure uses.

Titanic Quarter is set to bring new life to the whole of Belfast, a city that is rich in both history and potential. The site is centred upon former shipbuilding land from which vessels such as the RMS Titanic, Olympic and SS Canberra were launched - some of most innovative and complex engineering projects ever undertaken.

> PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT

Community Environment Awards

Each year the West Belfast Partnership celebrates the work of local communities who have strived to improve, protect and enhance the environment in the west of the city. We believe our much coveted Environmental Awards encourage the community and public agencies to take ownership and responsibility for protecting the environment and making West Belfast a better place to live, work and play. Now in its 8th year, the Partnerships Community Environment Awards continue to grow from strength to strength, striving to celebrate and acknowledge the commitment, creativity and hard work of local schools, youth groups, residents associations, environmental groups and public bodies who have improved and enhanced the quality of West Belfast’s natural environment. Last years awards saw the receipt of 27 applications covering a wide range of activities, to include: community clean ups, murals, eco clubs, public arts, community gardens, computer recycling, a wide range of environmental programmes and developments involving schools (i.e. outdoor learning environments, gardens, environments and horticultural studies), Belfast City Council activities (i.e. Waste Fair and Renewing the Routes scheme) and general physical improvement schemes. The 2010 Community Environment Awards will be officially launched on the 8th June with application packs available from this date. For information please contact Bronagh at the West Belfast Partnership.

ClanMill Brewery Site

The West Belfast Partnership has been working closely in recent months with Clanmil Housing Association, guiding and coordinating the local community consultation surrounding the redevelopment of the 12 acre, former Inbev Brewery site on the Glen Road. The Partnership has facilitated a number of stakeholder meetings, offering local people the opportunity to meet with the project architect and learn more about the exciting Brownfield redevelopment project. The Partnership’s Housing and Planning Regeneration Officer Bronagh O’Kane commented that “Clanmil must be commended for their commitment to ensuring that the local community has been embraced throughout the development process, and given a forum to air their views and opinions. This has resulted in invaluable constructive discussion and debate around the future of the site, which continues to positively influence and guide the project design team in progressing the £25 million housing scheme. Despite the greatest intentions the design process can often over look localised issues which the community are best placed to advise on”.

‘Glen 10’- West Belfast’s Urban Extension

West Belfast’s ‘Glen 10’ refers to the development of an initial 10 sites bounded by the Glen Road, Monagh Bypass, Hannahstown Hill and Upper Springfield Road. An integrated and strategic approach to the development of these lands presents an exciting opportunity to create a flagship regeneration project for West Belfast and ultimately the creation of a new and distinctive neighbourhood, encompassing a mix of social and private housing, new roads infrastructure, community facilities, open space, retail and employment opportunities. The West Belfast Partnership has actively lobbied on the need for a coordinated interagency approach to the development of these lands, stressing that the input of West Belfast’s local communities will be central to the future success of the project. A recent research report published by the Department for Social Development has identified that a sustainable urban extension is the preferred development option for ‘Glen 10’. Minister Margret Ritchie has indicated her intention to commission a detailed development framework for the area in order to optimise the value of the sites and maximize the benefits for the local and wider Belfast communities. The West Belfast Partnership have been invited to participate on a reference group comprising
of landowners, statutory agencies and community representatives, who will oversee the work of the projects master planning group.

> EDUCATION

Aisling Bursary

The Aisling Bursaries are designed to help students defray their education and training costs. All applications are considered, with special consideration given to candidates who have significant barriers preventing them from realising their full potential through education, for example economic or family circumstances. The Aisling Bursary Initiative also highlights the importance the business community attaches to education in developing West Belfast.

West Belfast Partnership Board 218 – 226 Falls Road, Belfast, BT12 6AH

Telephone: 02890809202 Email: info@wbpb.org