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Advisory Panel
Minister's proposal
Terms of Reference
Composition of the Panel
Master Plan
Biography of the Chair
The Panel Members
Public Consultations
Meetings
Minister’s proposals for the Advisory Panel.
The Minister for Social Development, David Hanson MP proposed the setting up of a local Advisory Panel to make recommendations to Government on the development of the gaol and Girdwood Barracks. The role of the Advisory Panel is to assist the Gaol Project Team to take forward the ideas for the two sites. The Minister has appointed Roy Adams, as chair of the panel. Mr Adams was a lead member of the North Belfast Community Action project team which wrote the Dunlop Report in 2002.
The Advisory Panel will work to strict terms of reference and time scales and be representative of the political and community representatives in Belfast. The panel will also have representatives from Belfast City Council, Community Relations Council, the local Partnership Boards, key Government Departments and Agencies.’
The Advisory Panel met for the first time in Clifton House on Friday 10 March 2006.
The Advisory Panel has been set up to make recommendations to the Minister on a master plan for the sites. The terms of reference for the Advisory Panel are to;‘
- endorse the proposed appointment of consultants to prepare a master plan for the gaol and Girdwood sites
- liaise with consultants in advancing the master planning process
- undertake a public consultation exercise
- make panel recommendations to the Minister for Social Development by December 2006 on a master plan for gaol and Girdwood site
The Minister has invited political and community representation on to the panel. They include 6 representatives from the 4 main political parties, 6 community representatives from North Belfast and 4 key statutory representatives.
The Minister has decided that the Girdwood and Gaol sites will be taken forward on an integrated basis through a master planning approach. The Minister believes that the involvement and commitment of the main political parties, local community interests and key statutory representative in this process is necessary for it to succeed.
The master plan can provide a clear strategy for large scale physical, economic and change to places and can address the many things that make places attractive and will help them to continue for a long time.
Master plan objective - to select a consultant with the relevant expertise and experience to work out the best way to make use of the site. The process will be:
- to invite interest through public advertisement;
- to shortlist consultants who will be invited to complete a concept plan;
and then following presentations
- one of the consultants will be selected to produce the master plan by December 2006.
Biography of Chair - Roy Adams
Roy Adams is Executive Director responsible for the Radical Innovation Group with Laing O'Rourke. Mr Adams oversees the strategic Laing O'Rourke teams looking at:
- design and delivery,
- sustainability,
- health and safety,
- human resource development,
- business development and
- business delivery processes
Roy was formerly the Chief Executive of Europe’s largest Architect-Engineering practice, Building Design Partnership. He has held this post for seven years approx during which time he has transformed BDP from a partnership, funded by loan capital, to a company with share capital in which all 800 employees have the right to a stake.
Mr Adams is a graduate of Queen’s University Belfast and joined BDP straight from Queens as editor of the Belfast Urban Area Plan, published in 1969. During the 1970’s, although based in England, he worked continuously on regeneration projects in Northern Ireland, particularly housing. He was seconded for two periods to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the first time to assist with pioneering a gradual renewal approach to redevelopment of the communities of Sandy Row and Donegal Pass, and the second time to help tailor legislation and approaches to housing rehabilitation, carrying out pilot projects in the areas of Lawnbrook Avenue and Spamount Street, Belfast.
In the 1980’s he returned full time to Northern Ireland as Chairman of BDP’s Belfast office. During that time his firm completed projects such as Castle Court and new offices for Belfast City Council. Mr Adams was joint author of the concept plan for Laganside, which has since been successfully implemented. He also led master-planning projects in Carrickfergus and Derry.
During the 1990’s he was Chairman of the London and then the Paris offices of BDP, before taking on the role of Chief Executive, based in London. He has led several panels of expert advisors on European development projects and was a member of the Secretary of State’s awards panel for partnership in regeneration.
Mr Adams was part of a three-man team, which prepared the North Belfast Community Action Project Report to address social and community issues in North Belfast. Mr Adams strongly supported the development of the Gaol to serve as a symbol of hope and economic regeneration for North Belfast. Mr Adams was awarded the OBE in 2005.
Minister’s Vision
'A Regeneration project of international significance which brings maximum economic, social and environmental benefits to local communities’ David Hanson MP, Minister for Social Development.
Members of the Panel
The reason for the Advisory Panel is to have experts, politicians and local people involved.
Advisory Panel Members are
Ministerial Appointment
Independent Chair Roy Adams
Political Reps
DUP
Diane Dodds MLA,
Nelson McCausland MLA
Sinn Fein
Gerry Kelly MLA,
Danny Lavery
UUP
Fred Cobain MLA
SDLP
Cllr Pat Convery
Community Representatives
Cliftonville CEP Manus Maguire
Gt. Shankill Partnership Board John MacVicar
Ardoyne CEP Joe Marley
Gt. New Lodge CEP Paul Roberts
Upper North CEP Ruth Moore
Lower North CEP Ian Crozier
Statutory Bodies
Laganside Dev. Corp .Kyle Alexander
Belfast City Council Marie-Therese McGivern
Community Relations Council Dr Duncan Morrow
Department Social Development John McGrath
Public Consultations
‘The terms of reference for the Advisory Panel include undertaking a public consultation in advancing the master planning process. It is important that local communities are involved and have the opportunity to have their say in shaping the future of their areas. Shortly we will be consulting with members of the public, elected representatives, Belfast City Council, community interests, potential users and investors to seek their views and ideas on how the sites can be developed.’
Note of Meetings
LocationClifton House,
2 North Queen Street,
Belfast.
- 10 March 2006
- 13 April 2006
- 12 May 2006