Redevelopment of Lower Newtownards Road

Mr Speaker, I would like to thank Mr Newton for giving this Assembly the opportunity to discuss the redevelopment needs of the lower Newtownards Road.

The outlook for our cities and towns is better now than it has been for generations.  There are more and more economic opportunities and we are in a much stronger position to tackle the problems of dereliction, social division and safety.

Whether working, shopping or socialising, the people of Northern Ireland now expect a great deal more from their towns than they have at any time in the recent past. Now is the time to build on this foundation - through initiatives to improve the environment, support a buoyant economy, provide job opportunities and, ultimately, to deliver a Northern Ireland fit for the 21st century.

All sectors - public, private, voluntary and community - are now working together in partnership to deliver physical and economic regeneration in our most disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods.  

As many Members will know, Neighbourhood Renewal is the Government’s main vehicle in the drive to tackle disadvantage.  Along with my Ministerial colleagues, I am determined to focus funds on actions that will help deal with the causes of deprivation as well as the symptoms.

Local neighbourhood Action Plans have now been set up and will make a real difference to the lives and people in Northern Ireland.  The Newtownards Road will itself benefit from the Neighbourhood Renewal Action Plan for the area.  

My Department is also leading in two other studies that impact on the area – the East Belfast Strategic Regeneration Framework and the Inner East Masterplan - both due for completion by Summer 2008.

The Strategic Framework will guide the sustainable regeneration and development of East Belfast as a contributor to the social and economic success of Belfast.  This piece of work will also set an overall context for the various Government initiatives operating in the area.  There is a real opportunity to align all of these initiatives to maximise the potential social and economic benefits.

The Inner East Masterplan will provide a vehicle to co-ordinate public sector investment and lever in private sector monies to address the major dereliction on the Newtownards Road.

I have referred to the importance of partnership arrangements in achieving success.  I have been most impressed by the partnership model set up to progress the Newtownards road redevelopment project.

I wish to commend the work of East Belfast Partnership and the Newtownards Road 2012 Group in publishing their Strategic Plan. Both the Strategic Regeneration Framework and the Inner East Masterplan are aligned with and will take full account of this 2012 report.

It is very positive that the East Belfast Partnership is taking a lead on making things happen.  The public sector, the community, voluntary representatives and a wide range of stakeholders and contacts are all working together actively and constructively for the good of the area.  This model of a local partnership actively participating in facilitating local development is key to regenerating this main arterial route.

I wish to assure this Assembly that, where possible, my Department will support this partnership approach.  DSD will do what it can where there is vacant, under-used or surplus public sector land to deliver regeneration benefits.  The former “Kwik Fit” site is an example of the active role my Department plays in the area, facilitating East Belfast Enterprise’s search for land to develop their new City East Business Incubation Centre.

My Department will be delivering an Environmental Improvement scheme in excess of £1.3 million on the Newtownards Road later this year.  This will see footpath upgrading, road resurfacing, enhanced street lighting together with tree planting and landscaping along the Road.

Just last week I announced a major funding contribution of over £5 million in respect of the Skainos Project.  Skainos will deliver an iconic, state of the art, mixed use development with a new civic square fronting the Newtownards Road.   Importantly this project provides for new housing in the form of a replacement hostel, and social and private apartments.

The new hostel, programmed to start this year, will contain 26 units.  Work on nine apartments is programmed to start next year. Clearly this innovative scheme will provide a major boost for the area and when complete it will revitalise this part of the Newtownards Road.

My Department is also currently working towards developing a £3 million funding contribution to the Connswater Community Greenway.  This £30 million Environmental Improvement project supported by Belfast City Council and the Big Lottery represents a significant opportunity to transform the face of East Belfast.

Housing is a key aspect of regeneration of the Lower Newtownards Road and part of the reason for the decline of the area was the reduction in population through loss of housing some years ago.

However, I am pleased to say there has been considerable new build in the area and conditions have improved dramatically over recent years. There is now some very fine social housing in the area around Dee Street and in Templemore Avenue.

At the lower end of the Road the Housing Executive demolished unpopular and difficult to let flats at Harland Walk several years ago.  

The locally based Housing Association, Connswater Homes, provided new replacement homes on a part of the site and has just started on a second phase containing 18 homes on the part of the site that fronts directly on to the Newtownards Road.  

The Newtownards Road may also provide a potential location for a Living Over the Shops initiative. The LOTS scheme, as it is known, is based on the concept of bringing the vacant upper floors of town centre or urban properties into residential use, using grant aid.

Because of the scale of Belfast City Centre and in particular the size of the buildings themselves, the current LOTS project tends not to work economically.  

However the concept may be appropriate for parts of the city, especially arterial routes. The possibility of developing such a scheme in the area from Templemore Avenue to Holywood Arches is currently being considered.

Housing issues will therefore continue to maintain a high profile in the area.

Mr Speaker I will now attempt to address the points raised by members during this very useful and positive debate.

In conclusion Mr Speaker, I would like to thanks members for contributing to such a positive debate.

There is a good news story to tell about the Newtownards Road and we should be proud of this.

There has been some criticism of the pace with which things have moved in the past. However, I am confident that the initiatives we, and our partners, are involved in now will make a real difference to the lives of people in the Newtownards Road area in the future.