BeLfAst MAnifestO

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THE MANIFESTO • Transport NI should: - standardise the times of bus lanes to weekday and peak times only and permit use by taxis and cyclists - specify and advertise arterial routes that are free of bus lanes - implement smart car park signage - develop, with City Council, a long term car park strategy for the City which will encourage economically efficient use of on-street and other public parking - enforce existing regulations to achieve a proper level of on-street car parking turnover Increased air connectivity The chamber supports: • the expansion and development of Belfast International Airport and George Best Belfast City Airport • more air transport slots for Belfast from London airports • abolition of Air Passenger Duty on all flights into Northern Ireland from Great Britain and on all direct flights from Northern Ireland to any destination Roads connectivity The chamber supports the development of the roads infrastructure throughout Northern Ireland to give better connection between the regions and the capital city and in particular full motorway connectivity to both Newry and Derry~Londonderry. 3. A Tech City Belfast is emerging as a world-class destination for hightech and media investment. We need to build upon this base and create the environment and culture to continue this growth. The Chamber celebrates the fact that Belfast has been ranked as the second fastest broadband city in the UK; but we are slower than Dublin and many other leading European cities. Investment is needed to give Belfast the fastest internet download speeds on the island of Ireland. This is an essential modern requirement for attracting investors who are willing to set up business and bring employees to the City. The City is facing a skills shortage. Chamber supports education tailored to the needs of our members. We will work with schools, Belfast Met, Queen’s University, Ulster University and the Department of Education to ensure that courses meet the needs of employers. Express our Culture
THE MANIFESTO Belfast needs to create a welcoming environment for foreign skilled workers. The City Centre needs to develop its attractiveness as a place to live with residential quarters that have facilities for young families such as pocket parks and daycare. 4. Fairer Rates and Taxes The businesses in Belfast City Centre contribute 65% of the rates income of the entire City Council. The Chamber is entitled to expect a recognition from the City Council of the fact that the business community is fundamental to meeting many of the Council’s other policies and objectives. High levels of rates deter investment in the City Centre and actually reduce Council income because of vacancies. We will continue to resist rates on businesses becoming the easy tax for the Northern Ireland Assembly. Proper rates policy can be used to stimulate growth by: • encouraging more residential accommodation in the City Centre • incentivising occupation of vacant buildings • incentivising new development and capital investment The proposed reduction in Corporation Tax remains an opportunity to attract business headquarters to Belfast. Following Brexit, the Northern Ireland Executive should be working to secure the early introduction of the Corporation Tax change. Each new business setting up home in Belfast will require top quality services, resources and support in our high quality and sustainable environment. 5. Reinvent the City Centre The traditional retail core in the City Centre is changing due to the combination of out-of-town and suburban malls and internet retailing. The Chamber challenges any factors which may negatively impact people accessing and moving around the city. The following policies are designed to work with our infrastructure changes to put Belfast at the forefront of 21st century cities. Retail The Chamber’s aim is to move Belfast from the 19th most popular retail destination in the United Kingdom into one of the top ten positions. Our policies to achieve this are: • the Royal Exchange project must be prioritised and Sprucefield Park should not be allowed to develop beyond bulky-goods retailing
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BeLfAst MAnifestO

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