Weber Shandwick urban regeneration event - 12 November 2008

Thank you for that introduction, Conall, and thank you for inviting me here this morning to talk about the work of my Department.

What I want to focus on today are my priorities for the successful regeneration of our towns and cities. However, this discussion comes with a health warning.

As I’m sure you are too well aware, none of us here can escape the realities of the wider economic situation that is now impacting on financial institutions and governments across the globe.

The credit crunch, or, as seems inevitable, the recession that we now find ourselves on the cusp of, is having a significant impact on individuals, communities and businesses worldwide.

In my role as Social Development Minister, my focus must be on protecting our part of the world, and especially our most vulnerable people, from the worst effects of this global slowdown.

I want to make the most of the advancements we have made in  recent years: politically and economically.  Because the real value of political stability and a successful economy is in the opportunity for growth and development it offers individuals and communities.  

Urban regeneration is one, very important, means of tackling deprivation. But I will not focus on regeneration purely for its own sake. It must serve a useful purpose to the community. It must have the potential to create a more just, sustainable and shared society. It must tackle disadvantage and deprivation in our community.

To this end, I have set four priorities in our urban regeneration work. My “shopping list” for good development is: variety; distinctiveness; design; and sustainability.

There needs to be variety of use, not just in terms of the types of activities in town and city centres, but also in terms of our 24 hour economy. Encouraging evening and night time economies is now just as important as a strong daytime offering. Our cities and towns need to project distinct and unique identities, in spite of the increasing dominance of national retailers and international brands. High quality building design is a well-established success factor for developments. And sustainability is as important now as it ever was in achieving long term success.

Let me give you a few examples of how my priorities translate into action.  

Firstly, in terms of variety:

Leisure, entertainment, sporting and recreational pursuits in city and town centres provide alternative uses for public space, not just for the local community but also for visitors to the area. Evening and night-time economies are now integral to the vibrancy of urban centres and can support town and city centre living.

A truly successful regeneration project encompasses economic, social and environmental elements. The first major regeneration programme that sought to achieve this sort of mixed-usage in Northern Ireland was that taken forward by the Laganside Corporation.

Laganside sought to create a sense of place and a sense of what is possible for Belfast. It prioritised social regeneration alongside economic growth.

But, rather than simply modernising, the Laganside programme of development learned from and improved traditional city planning. For example, it saw a major investment of four million pounds in Custom House Square, building on the history of the area as well as introducing new features to animate the space.

The restoration of the historic Calder fountain sits alongside new lighting, a pedestrian precinct and a water feature that traces the course of the river Farset. Since its redevelopment, the square has housed a Christmas ice-rink, performing arts and pop concerts.

The Laganside development was about variety.  

We adapted built environment to our changing needs: for new jobs, new homes and a new range of social and leisure uses.

Likewise in Derry, Ilex Urban Regeneration Company has prepared a draft master plan for the Fort George site, which shows a range of exciting development possibilities for this important site.

These include a potential mix of technology / knowledge-based industry, innovative office and residential accommodation, education, leisure and public space that could be accommodated in a new, exciting and sustainable urban environment of real presence. Variety and mixed-use is now an essential component of high quality urban regeneration.

Next among my four priorities, I want to talk about distinctiveness. Our city and town centres are becoming more and more dominated by national retailers and international brands. The challenge is how to develop our town and city centres in ways that make the most of their unique identities.

I want to speak about heritage as one example of how we do this. Historic buildings have a significant role to play in urban regeneration. Their unique character can prove crucial when trying to establish a sense of identity and place.

My Department is now taking forward the Royal Exchange project in the North East Quarter of Belfast, the historic heart of Belfast. This area was the centre of mercantile Belfast in the nineteenth century and the quarter still has a strong historic pattern of buildings, streets and alleyways and a number of listed buildings.

The regeneration challenge is how to balance the restoration and retention of these important historic buildings with an attractive investment proposition. It is not a challenge that we take lightly.

Our development principles for the regeneration of the North-East Quarter clearly state that character preservation and the retention of historic buildings and facades are key concerns.

And to give you another example, rather closer to home for me at least, is the regeneration of the centre of Newcastle, which my Department completed in October. Seaside towns like Newcastle need the likes of promenades, charm and a sense of local history.

However, in these competitive times there is also a need for first class hotels, spas, good restaurants and distinctive shops. Following an 18-month regeneration project, which included upgrading footpaths and providing increased lighting and street furniture, Newcastle now delivers on all of these.

My third priority is design. High quality building design has long been established as a key success factor for new developments, linked with the provision of high quality public realms. The creation of new iconic buildings or the re-development of landmark buildings, coupled with sensitive design, can create a real sense of place.

This is important in encouraging local communities to feel civic pride and a sense of belonging. But it is also vital in terms of attracting visitors to Northern Ireland, in making them feel that our region is a welcoming, diverse and unique place. In this process, we have to consider what it is that adds a local character. How can we encourage people to connect to urban space?

Belfast’s Victoria Square development is a prime example of the public / private partnerships which are enabling us to transform the fortunes of our towns and cities across Northern Ireland. The Victoria Square scheme is forward-looking, in that it places Belfast at the top of the UK agenda for retail investment.

I believe that in spite of the current economic uncertainty, with Victoria Square we have created a high quality resource that will stand the test of time, and I feel sure that it will help to attract significant investment and prosperity to the city for years to come.

This brings me to the final and perhaps most important, of my priorities: sustainability. By sustainability I mean, in its broadest sense, development which meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

At its most practical, sustainability refers to living within our environmental limits. This means aiming to increase energy efficiency, reduce waste and promote new design and best practice. In economic terms, it refers to a strong, stable, sustainable economy which is also fair and where there are drivers for the most efficient use of resources.

In its social sense, sustainability means promoting a society that is peaceful, inclusive, prosperous and stable. Economic progress must be balanced and enhanced by social and environmental justice. This means giving communities more power and influence in the decisions that affect them, and working in partnership at the right level to get things done. This is a high priority for me.

The Crumlin Road Gaol / Girdwood site in North Belfast is a strong example of why urban regeneration must be sustainable: not only environmentally, but also in terms of the economic and social needs of local communities.

At the heart of the project is the Crumlin Road Gaol itself, a grade A listed building with a fascinating, if somewhat gruesome, early history, and a more contentious recent past. The Gaol has now been opened up for the first time in a generation and it has attracted considerable interest both locally and internationally. People can once again begin to appreciate this building, and this has given the people of North Belfast an enhanced sense of ownership.  

We hope that the Crumlin Road/Girdwood site will set the benchmark for sustainable urban regeneration in Northern Ireland and further afield. Plans for the site embrace the economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainability and incorporate the housing, retail and public realm elements of urban regeneration. All this on the site of a former gaol and military barracks, in the heart of a deeply deprived area.

I should add that no final decisions have been made regarding how the entire site will be developed.  My Department is continuing to take people’s views and before making any final decisions, we need to take time to reflect on the comments of all those who have responded.

Urban regeneration is one of many important paths in our route towards a shared culture and a shared future. When regeneration is done right, it transforms not just buildings and architecture, but the way people feel about public space and how we use it.

If I can sum up my message to you, it is that, in today’s environment where the economy is the key political driver, social and environmentally-responsible urban regeneration must also be linked to improving the local economy. This is why our priorities are focused around: variety of use; distinctiveness; high quality design; and, above all, sustainable development.

I want to thank you for listening to me this morning, and I look forward to hearing your views on these issues and more.