Strategic Regeneration

The Strategic Regeneration work that the West Belfast Partnership carries out, crosses over a number of themes particularly economic development and spatial regeneration.

We are involved in a number of projects and these include Glen 10, the redevelopment of the former Andersonstown Barracks site and the Andersonstown Gateway project. We are also involved in environmental improvement schemes; the strategic development of the Belfast Hills and the public art strategy. We work with the Forum for Alternative Belfast on a number of projects.

WBPB will be responding to the Belfast City Master plan scheduled to be out for consultation in 2014. This will set out how the city centre and immediate surrounding inner city neighbourhoods will develop for the next number of years.

The West Belfast Partnership hosts the annual Community Environment Awards.

In terms of Economic Development, we work with Invest NI, with the Creative Industries and we facilitate the West Belfast Traders’ Forum.

The West Belfast Partnership also works on consultation responses and recently submitted responses in relation to Belfast Rapid Transit, Economic Development Strategy and the Inquiry into Creative Industries that was held by the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee.

As well as working in West Belfast, we do work on a citywide basis and this includes involvement in Belfast Area Partnerships (BAPs). We also work on a citywide basis in relation to Creative Industries and the Belfast Hills. The Partnership is involved in the Titanic Quarter Thematic Action Group on access and outreach.

The West Belfast Partnership Board has continued to work on the Glen 10 Project in recent times.

Glen 10 or Ard na Ghleanna is the collective name given to the sites bounded by the Hannahstown Hill, Glen Road and Upper Springfield Road.

The extensive lands offer an exciting opportunity to create a new development compromising housing, first class community facilities and business development. It is vital that the urban extension has all the facilities that a community needs and for this reason the West Belfast Partnership Board believes that it is crucial that the community has a voice in the development of Glen 10.

Over the past year we have held public meetings during which local people were given the chance to learn about the opportunities on the site as well as voice their concerns. There are many established communities in the surrounding area and some of these are already involved in developing their own plans, such as the Hannahstown Village. Residents and community groups have made it clear that they want to see Glen 10 address not only the housing needs of West Belfast but also ensure the that there is adequate facilities such as drainage, Internet connection and roads.

The lead government department responsible for taking forward the Glen 10 development is the Department for Social Development (DSD). West Belfast Partnership Board is working with DSD and their consultants to ensure that local people have their say with regard to Glen 10 and that good design and quality materials are used throughout the development. It is our hope that this will be a new community in which people are proud to live in and that they are surrounded by quality environment including public space and our natural resources such as Divis Mountain.

A Glen 10 directive framework has been established to help over see the development of Glen 10. It is chaired jointly by DSD and Belfast City Council. The next scheduled meeting will be September 2014.