Margaret Ritchie MLA, Minister for Social Development Speech at Topping Out Ceremony Victoria Square - Thursday 21 June

Thank you Mike [Mike Gray of Farrans Gilbert Ash].

I am delighted to be here to join in this great occasion for Belfast City Centre, celebrating the completion of construction works on the Victoria Square regeneration scheme.

Paul Sargent and his team gave me a tour of the site earlier this week to see at first hand the progress to date by Multi- Development and Farrans Gilbert Ash. I want to congratulate both companies on their achievements which we can all see for ourselves today.

Those of you who are visiting the site for the first time, are probably in awe of the scale of the scheme and dramatic effect of the dome.  

The Dome is now part of the city centre Skyline visible from all angles.  It’s already an iconic symbol of Victoria Square and this city.

So the inscribed glazing is a fitting way to mark the completion of construction.

This Development is an excellent example of Government and the private sector working in partnership.

A partnership that will bring benefits not only to Belfast City Centre but to all of Northern Ireland with private investment in excess of £320m; an estimated 3,000 permanent jobs after completion and 3,000 during construction; 55,000 sq m of retail space and both residential and leisure space.

The House of Fraser flagship store is particularly welcome as a fitting anchor for the scheme and a symbol that Belfast is moving up the retail league.  Because that’s where I want to see Belfast being – in the premier league of European regional cities.

Much planning and effort has gone into the construction of Victoria Square and I want to thank all those professionals and stakeholders who have worked with Multi Development and Farrans Gilbert Ash. The DSD team and our colleagues in DOE Planning Service, DRD Roads Service and DFP Valuation and Lands have all played key roles.

Belfast is in the midst of an amazing urban renewal. We have clear evidence of the peace dividend across the City Centre – with normalization, job creation and business growth fuelling a virtuous circle

So how have we brought about this transformation?  It started with a very clear focus to revitalise the City Centre. DSD published a Regeneration Policy Statement in 2004 which set an ambitious agenda for the rebirth of the City Centre to provide the best in retail, office, leisure, streetscape and city centre living of any of our European competitor cities.

The Regeneration Policy Statement set a powerful vision for economic development at key locations and outlined a course to achieve that vision. Starting with Victoria Square and then moving forward with our masterplans for the North East and North West Quarters of the City Centre.

Last week I announced the start of phase one of the ‘Belfast: Streets Ahead’ programme. £16m investment in renewing 14 streets in the Cornmarket and Castle Street areas. The construction work will start this month and will be completed by 2009.

Over the summer I hope to announce our approach to taking forward the regeneration of the City Centre neighbourhoods at Browns Square, Carrick Hill and Library Quarter. I will also address the regeneration needs of the Castle Street area.

St. Anne’s Square and the development at Four Corners in Cathedral Quarter are underway. We will soon see the new OBEL Tower at Donegall Quay begin to rise over the riverfront and new developments will soon move forward to complete Lanyon Place.  The renewed Lower Chichester Street will soon re-open providing an accessible route to the Waterfront Hall.

Northern Ireland’s regeneration renaissance doesn’t begin and end in Belfast. The region as a whole is ready for growth and for retail to play a major part in reinvigorating our city and town centres. We must ensure that this rising tide of prosperity is enjoyed by all.

The public, private and voluntary sectors must work together to create a socially inclusive society. In many working class areas - unionist and nationalist - there are very real problems of social disadvantage, poverty and exclusion.

Regeneration schemes such as Victoria Square offer the real opportunity for jobs for unemployed people.

I am particularly pleased that we were able to provide a pilot Bridge to Employment Programme for unemployed people to access construction jobs at Victoria Square.

My Department wants to build on this by working with the retailers and the Department for Employment and Learning to prepare unemployed people to benefit from the retail job opportunities at Victoria Square.

So, this evening’s topping-out ceremony is a landmark event for the City Centre and for the people of Belfast.   It marks a further step in Belfast’s renewal.

Belfast is open for business.  Belfast is ready investment.  At last, Belfast is on its way.

Thank you.