There has been a call to save an historic bridge in Belfast which is due to be demolished as part of the development of the new transport hub.
The demolition of the Boyne Bridge on Durham Street, which connects Sandy Row with the Grosvenor Road at the rear of Great Victoria Street Station was approved for demolition in 2017 as part of plans for the creation of Belfast Grand Central Station.
There are also plans to develop the wider area to create Weaver's Cross which will be a new "city neighbourhood".
However, this has caused some upset among nearby residents, community groups and historical societies who believe that the bridge should be retained as part of the development.
Read more: New transport hub to be named Belfast Grand Central Station
The Transport Hub Alternatives Group has been campaigning to save the bridge for a number of years and have said that the current plans for the station would increase the risk to pedestrians travelling to and from it due to the road layout, erodes the history of Belfast as there has been a bridge on the site since the 1600s and stops the bridge from being used to form a new gateway welcoming people to the city.
Members Billy Dickson and Declan Hill spoke to Belfast Live regarding their campaign to save the historic bridge and how they believe that it could be utilised within the Transport Hub plans.
Billy said: "There are many people across Belfast and Northern Ireland who do not want to see plans to demolish the Boyne Bridge go ahead for a number of different factors.
"Firstly, we believe the current plans for the road layout, which would see the bridge removed and replaced with a new four lane road and pedestrian crossings, will lead to accidents and injuries taking place. Especially as the bridge could be used to create an underpass and walkway leading straight to the new Transport Hub, making it safer for everyone coming and going from Belfast.
"We have been working with a traffic engineer of 30 years who has outlined his concerns and belief that the new road scheme could cause problems similar to those on Great Victoria Street which can be a very dangerous crossing point.
"The bridge also plays a huge part in the history of Belfast and due to its location has been well used by all communities. There has been a bridge here over the Blackstaff River since the 1600s and it is important that its history and importance to the area is retained."
Declan Hill, an architect involved with THAG, said he has developed plans that could utilise the current bridge and turn it into a gateway to Belfast that welcomes visitors from around the world to the city.
He said: "The current plans for the area alongside the transport hub could be vastly improved in order to create a public space that is welcoming to visitors from around the world arriving in Belfast.
"If the bridge was retained it could create an underpass for people to use coming into the city, while maintaining the brilliant views across the city that you get on it. Instead of the current black colour it has been painted, it should be revamped into the yellow of Harland and Wolff, who built the current 1936 bridge and it is likely many of the workers would have been involved in the creation of the Titanic.
"Combining this with the development of a public space where people could gather and visit bars and cafes would also be a much better introduction to our city. There would also be room for the creation of apartments and hotels above these in a desirable location.
"This could all be centred around a prominent clock and bell, The Belfast Bell, that could one day even become a tourist attraction similar to others in Europe."
THAG will be holding a presentation regarding their plans next week on Wednesday, August 3rd, at The Black Box from 12.30pm to 1.30pm.
A Translink spokesperson said: “Weavers Cross will see the creation of a new ‘city neighbourhood’, with Belfast Grand Central Station at its heart. This is an exciting transport-led regeneration project for Belfast, which will increase capacity for bus and rail infrastructure vital to transforming the city and enhancing connectivity throughout Northern Ireland and delivering green economic growth.
“Planning permission was granted for Belfast Grand Central Station by the Department for Infrastructure in March 2019, this included all highway improvement works and pedestrian crossing, alongside the requirement to remove the Bridge.
"While the Boyne Bridge cannot be retained due to existing site constraints and engineering and infrastructure requirements, we are committed to preserving and celebrating the history and heritage of the area. This includes creating a new public realm and event space - Saltwater Square – capturing the cultural significance of this area.
“We will continue to work with the local community to encapsulate the history and heritage of the local built and natural environment as this scheme progresses.”
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