Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Damien Edgar

New Belfast city centre ideas include outdoor cafes and traffic changes

Ambitious new plans to transform the prospects of Shaftesbury Square and the Gasworks have been put forward by the Linen Quarter BID.

Outdoor cafes, two-way traffic on Great Victoria Street, more cycle lanes and pedestrianisation all form part of the five-year plans.

Those will be voted on next January by those organisations who contribute finance and have certain amounts of property within the quarter.

Read more: Belfast Shaftesbury Square regeneration plan to be drawn up at City Hall

For many in the city, Shaftesbury Square calls to mind images of derelict buildings and faded memories of a busier Great Victoria Street.

Chris McCracken, Managing Director of Linen Quarter BID (Business Improvement District) said he was aware of the very real problems with the area.

"You've got buildings like the old social security building that were bombed in the 1990s and have been derelict ever since," he said.

Carlton House, Shaftesbury Square (Justin Kernoghan/Belfast Live)

"It's the one behind the hoarding, saying "Better Belfast 2012" - that's ridiculous to say that when you've got ripped hoarding with a bombed out building behind it.

"Even just to replace that hoarding with something in the short term but in the medium term, we want someone to invest, we want that building either knocked down if it's too badly damaged or repurposed and renovated for offices for a tech hub."

That tech hub is key in the thinking of those involved with LQ BID - they see it as central to getting more investment and interest in a desperately under-used part of the city.

"The tech community would be the big idea, but it can't just be about offices, it can't just be about one thing," Chris said.

"We don't want it to be a monocultural investment, we want hospitality back in that area as well.

The proposals are staggered over a five-year period (LQ BID / Planit-IE)

"Now it will never be what it was in the 1990s, when it was the Golden Mile and that was what it was most known for, but it can still come back."

He said there were already existing parts of the Square that could be utilised in creating a better laid out area.

He highlighted the distinctive sculptures on the side of the Ulster Bank building and how they could house an outdoor café below them.

"We'd like to change the configuration of the road and we are already looking with traffic planners at making Great Victoria Street a two way street," he said.

"That would allow us to create one lane even for the Glider or cyclists and then create the south eastern side of the square (Dublin Road into Botanic) into more pedestrianised space.

An outdoor café could go by the distinctive sculptures on the Ulster Bank building (Google)

"You could have a Glider route running over that space and maybe another café over there too.

"The main spine for motor traffic should be University Road and Great Victoria Street and that should be two-way, then the public transport, cycling, pedestrianisation should be along Bedford Street, Dublin Road and Botanic."

The Gasworks is another area targeted for improvement in the plans, with the aim to connect it more to city centre.

Through the Belfast City Deal, there are already plans for a bridge from Ormeau to the Gasworks, but Chris said further work on that was needed.

"Let's create a really obvious walking and cycling link to that bridge and invest in the public realm around it," he said.

There area already plans for a bridge between the Gasworks and Ormeau (LQ BID / Planit-IE)

"One of the tings that needs to be done is that crossing point from the Gasworks over Cromac Street into Ormeau Avenue is a terrible crossing point for pedestrians and cyclists, so we need to do something to change that.

"In Holland for example, they would quite often build cycle bridges over roads and they're doing that in Manchester.

"Another thing is that the Gasworks, while it's a lovely area, it does feel a bit removed, despite only being a short walk from the city centre.

"We have to bring some more life to the Gasworks, so maybe some small outdoor music events, some networking events, there's plenty we could consider to help animate the Gasworks and make it more connected to city centre."

The plans revolve around already existing proposals for transformation in the Shaftesbury Square area for great transport access and Line Quarter BID have said their ideas tie in with those already in motion.

READ NEXT:

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.