East Belfast Sectoral Study - Northern Ireland Housing Executive

interface around Short Strand/Ballymacarrett. Castlereagh has its own Local Strategy
Partnership which has been developing an integrated local strategy for the Borough.
Renewing Communities Initiative
In April 2006 the government launched “Renewing Communities”, a cross departmental
action plan largely designed to address long standing problems within Protestant
Working Class Communities. It brings together a range of new and existing
programmes and initiatives relating to support for activities in education, youth
intervention, employment, culture, sports, community infrastructure etc. Of particular
note for housing- related regeneration are the following which will apply throughout
Northern Ireland:
• Development of a range of affordable housing options to provide opportunities
for owner occupiers to remain in urban renewal areas following redevelopment.
• Additional Urban Development Grant funding being made available to stimulate
private housing in inner/middle city areas.
• Stimulating the release of public sector land to deliver social and affordable
housing in areas of housing stress.
Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council has taken the lead in creating a collaborative Arterial Routes
Partnership. The partnership consists of the Belfast Area Partnership Boards, Belfast
Regeneration Office, City Council and the Housing Executive. It is recognised that the
arterial routes are the key gateways for the social and economic functioning of the city.
This initiative seeks to enhance the vitality of these routes by developing and
implementing integrated regeneration plans for designated nodes within the arterial
routes. Two of the routes targeted for action are in East Belfast:
• Lower Newtownards Road is in Phase 1
• Albertbridge Road is in Phase 2
A series of environmental enhancements are planned on these routes including tree
planting, public art and anti litter campaigns. Local community regeneration bodies will
take the lead in designing and implementing these projects.
In addition, Belfast City Council produced a Masterplan for the city to stimulate debate
on the challenges facing it in the period up to 2020. The plan, which has no formal
status, will be promoted and implemented through a “To Do” list of actions that can be
undertaken by the Council or Central Government agencies. The creation of an enlarged
Belfast Council under the Review of Public Administration may impact on the delivery
of such initiatives.
It should be noted that under the Review of Public Administration, it is proposed that
the Housing Executive’s role in Urban Renewal will transfer to the new Councils.
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