Belfast: Our Recovery - September 2020 - Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor
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Belfast: Our Recovery September 2020 www.belfastcity.gov.uk
Contents
Contents
Foreword 3
Supporting principles 4
COVID-19 impacts on our city
and people 5
Levers and opportunities 6
Our framework for recovery 8
Our city - safe, vibrant,
connected spaces and places 9
Our services 10
Our communities 11
Our economy 13
Our environment 16
Our digital innovation 17
Supporting recovery in the
longer term 18
Next steps - looking ahead 19
2
Belfast: Our Recovery
Foreword
Foreword
and households. Continued support, including for
councils, is required to enable us to deliver on the range
of interventions necessary to support a robust and
sustainable recovery. We will work with the Executive in
Belfast - the heart of recovery ongoing efforts to respond, recover and rebuild. Every
part of government and civic society must collaborate
and renewal to ensure that we beat the economic forecasts and both
Since March 2020, our priority in the protect existing and create new jobs.
initial stages of the pandemic has been to Belfast is the cultural and business heart of the region. It
plays a vital role as a driver of Northern Ireland’s economy;
continue safe delivery of critical council
so we contend that there must be particular consideration
services to our residents and businesses given to how Belfast rebuilds in the Executive’s recovery
in the city, including bereavement services, plans. A stronger Belfast will support a stronger region.
waste collection and street cleansing. There has been much discussion about the need to “build
As the NI Executive has eased restrictions on a phased back better”. For us, this means maintaining our focus on
basis, we have sought to maximise our contribution to the inclusive economic growth - responding to the structural
safety, health, wellbeing and economic recovery of our city shifts in the economy, but making sure that our residents
by re-opening key services including our parks and open can benefit from, and contribute to, city recovery and
spaces, and in supporting businesses to re-open safely. growth and access the jobs of the future. It also means
recognising that threats from climate change are growing,
As the effects of the pandemic have begun to emerge, we and that we must deliver a step change in this decade.
have been working to understand how our city economy
and communities are likely to be impacted by COVID-19, The recovery decisions we make should accelerate
and what we need to focus on to rebuild in the coming our path to a net zero carbon future and ensure our city
months and years. receives the economic benefits to be gained from clean
energy and zero emission transport, and a new generation
We recognise that the pandemic is not over and there of skills and jobs for the city. Our increased focus on
will need to be sustained efforts to protect the safety and sustainable economic development must take account of
health of our citizens, while at the same time balancing the impacts on the environment and deliver on quality of life
need to re-open our city economy where it is safe to do so. and wellbeing within our communities.
This Belfast: Our Recovery document sets out the We are committed to working with our communities, the NI
areas we need to focus on in the short term to drive city Executive, its departments and our city partners to sustain
recovery during this pandemic phase, as well as building the spirit of the city; to achieve resilient and inclusive
the foundations for sustained recovery. In leading the recovery; to explore how Belfast can be repositioned to
Belfast Community Planning Partnership, we will continue protect and grow the regional economy; and to develop an
to deliver on The Belfast Agenda ambitions, our Corporate investment proposition which benefits our people.
Plan and other city plans and strategies - albeit through
the lens of these new challenges. We have also tasked our We will proactively engage with our communities to identify
city’s Innovation and Inclusive Growth Commission with local challenges, priorities and opportunities and co-design
preparing an immediate report, Delivering Sustainable and interventions and programmes that will deliver improved
Inclusive Recovery, which outlines a number of stimulus outcomes for people living in Belfast.
interventions which could help boost inclusive growth in
the short term.
We will focus on ensuring public safety, delivering safe and Ciaran Beattie
Sinn Féin
Sonia Copeland
Ulster Unionist Party
George Dorrian
Democratic Unionist
high quality public services, building business resilience, Party
community capacity and digital innovation; investing in
jobs-led growth of our key sectors and developing our
people’s skills.
Fiona Ferguson Billy Hutchinson Michael Long
We will also work in collaboration with our partners to People Before Profit Progressive Unionist Alliance
regenerate our city and reshape how the centre is used Party
to increase footfall, spend and community connectivity
between the centre and our arterial routes.
Whilst we recognise the financial challenges facing local Dónal Lyons Mal O’Hara
Green Party
government as a result of the pandemic, we are committed Social Democratic and
Labour Party
to working with our government, city partners and
communities to deliver these growth ambitions for Belfast.
We welcome the range of financial and policy changes
that the NI Executive and national government have
Suzanne Wylie
made in recent weeks to support business, communities Chief Executive
3
Belfast: Our Recovery
Supporting principles
Supporting principles
We will adopt the following guiding principles in our drive for recovery:
Making Belfast as Sustainable and Guided by Building on
safe as possible inclusive growth, science, data and Belfast’s
(public health) and investment and the NI Executive’s strengths.
helping to build employment. five stage plan
personal social for recovery.
responsibility.
Seeking our
Delivering value citizens’ and
for money for Flexibility - being communities’
Building our citizens - sharing agile, responsive participation;
resilience to future opportunity, and innovative listening and
crises - designing resources and risk - learning from, responding to
recovery to and driving out adapting to their needs and
protect our duplication. and harnessing aspirations.
citizens from the opportunities
impacts of climate emerging from
change and the pandemic.
moving quickly
towards a zero-
emissions Responding to Providing civic
future. the needs of our leadership
communities, and working in
with a focus Instilling partnership to
on addressing confidence. support delivery.
inequalities,
deprivation and
Safe, vibrant, disadvantage.
connected spaces
and places.
4
COVID-19 impacts on our city and people and responses
COVID-19 impacts on our city
and people
COVID-19 is impacting on our people and city in a variety of ways. Here we outline
some examples of the key areas affected, and the responses required in support.
Public health Current and future
- using public viability of the city
assets to address centre and local
health inequalities, business - particular
creating safe impact on office,
spaces and places. retail, tourism
and hospitality
sectors.
Tourism - safely rebuilding the city’s offer
to attract visitors.
Supporting our
businesses to
protect and
create new jobs
and skilling and
reskilling our
people.
City regeneration - Improved air
supporting a future quality and other
city in the new post- environmental
COVID-19 context. improvements due
to reduced traffic.
Cultural life
- injecting
vibrancy into the
city through a Inequalities - we
cultural animation will work with
programme. central government
and other partners
to address many
of the social
challenges
amplified by
pandemic including
emotional
Neighbourhoods - increasing connectivity, wellbeing, poverty,
building capacity and supporting social isolation and
communities and local businesses. vulnerability.
5
Belfast: Our Recovery
Levers and opportunities
Levers and opportunities
To maximise the potential impact of our recovery plans, we will be seeking to harness
many of the benefits from new strategic investments, emerging developments and
funding opportunities. Some examples of key levers and opportunities either on the
horizon or already in progress that we will be including in our plans are highlighted below:
Immediate opportunities
Investing NI Executive Delivery of the Council investment
COVID-19 Recovery council’s new £8m in further projects to
support funds, including Neighbourhood support regeneration
almost £3m COVID-19 Regeneration Fund. in neighbourhoods including
Capital Revitalisation Fund and £25m in two new leisure facilities
the £4m Greenways programme. commencing in 2020.
Creation of an innovation Maximizing use of land
district, a free innovation and assets in our estate to
zone and investing support growth, create jobs
in digital infrastructure and skills. and improve and health and wellbeing.
Long term opportunities
Improvement to access Existing and new world-
and connectivity. Key class visitor attractions
projects including Belfast (for example Belfast Zoo and
Rapid Transit phase II, Weavers Cross new Belfast Destination Hub).
Transport Hub, and Belfast-Dublin
Economic Corridor.
6
Belfast: Our Recovery
Levers and opportunities
Local job opportunities created by new city developments including:
• Delivery of £6m council community grants programme.
• £8.3m investment in enhancing digital infrastructure and
digital access on council sites.
• Working with partners to invest in the energy efficiency of our
buildings- reducing our emissions, boosting local jobs and supply
chains.
• Investing in zero-emissions transport to boost sustainable connectivity
across the city including investing in the city’s bike infrastructure..
• Supporting local businesses, social enterprises and cooperatives and
creating community wealth through social value procurement.
Medium term opportunities
Availability Devolution Accelerating
and access of further delivery of
to key place-shaping the £850m
national and regional powers such as Belfast Region
funding streams (for regeneration to council City Deal.
example Peace IV, Peace and enhanced economic
Plus) and other forms of functions.
investment to support
recovery.
Working with partners Clean Energy: transition
to bring forward a major to a net zero carbon city.
housebuilding programme,
addressing need and
supporting job creation.
7
Belfast: Our Recovery
Our framework for recovery
Our framework for recovery
We are mindful of the impact of COVID-19 Another major challenge for the council and city
on households, jobs, health and partners is to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on our
economy, so that businesses can once again thrive
wellbeing for all of us. The council and provide much needed employment opportunities
remains focused on minimising the human and vibrancy to local communities. We must do all this,
cost, providing relief to communities and while ensuring resilience to future crises - in particular,
delivering essential day-to-day services. climate change.
Our recovery plan has six main pillars - each helping
to support our communities and economy to recover
by building on our strengths and assets as a city and a
wider city region.
Working together to support our city’s recovery
Our digital innovation Our city
Transformative Safe, vibrant, connected
and leading edge spaces and places
We will invest in our digital We will provide leadership to
infrastructure to facilitate job future proof and ensure the safe
creation and attract talent, use of public spaces, and seek
entrepreneurs and investors to sustain Belfast’s social and
to the city. cultural infrastructure.
Our environment
Sustainable and climate- Our services
resilient The city, and how we work in
We will decarbonise our it, is changing dramatically
Inclusive
economy; creating jobs, because of COVID-19. We
protecting our communities, will consider and adapt our
improving health and well- services accordingly in the
growth
being and enhancing the short and longer term.
liveability of our city.
Our economy Our communities
Resilient and inclusive Strengthened
We will invest and work with and resilient
city partners to protect and We will understand
create jobs and support community needs and
Belfast residents to strengths and support
access much needed collective local action.
employment.
8
Belfast: Our RecoveryOur city - safe, vibrant, connected spaces and places
Our city - safe, vibrant,
connected spaces and places
COVID-19 has changed improve the appearance of the city, to introduce green
how public spaces are used, infrastructure and make improvements to the public
realm, including the temporary pedestrianisation of key
particularly the city centre, areas, provision of additional seating, creation of new
which has seen significant parklets and public spaces.
reductions in footfall. We recently invested £300,000 to create a new
We need to ensure our public landscaped area and family friendly zone within
spaces are as safe as possible, Cathedral Gardens and are working with the Department
to support health and wellbeing, for Communities to identify opportunities and bring
connectivity, social and cultural vibrancy and economic forward the redevelopment of other urban spaces within
recovery. Crucial to this in the short term, is ensuring that the city.
public spaces are as safe as possible and that people We are also working with the retail and hospitality
have the confidence to use and enjoy them. sectors, including the roll out of pavement café licensing,
We will offer leadership across the range of public bodies to accommodate additional outdoor space to enable
and other partners to ensure that a joined up approach necessary and important social distancing measures to
is taken to bringing forward all possible measures to be applied.
ensure the safety of residents, staff and visitors to In supporting more sustainable and safer connectivity
the city. We will work with the Public Health Agency to across the city, we will accelerate immediate opportunities
support them in implementing safety guidelines across to implement our ‘Bolder Vision for Belfast’ Connectivity
the city and we will continue to work across government, Study, which involves a signficant re-think on how we
industry and other sectors to support the managed and use our streets and places and to start reshaping how
phased approach to reopening. our city centre is used, to improve connectivity, vibrancy
Working with our heath colleagues, we will continue to and sustainability. Working alongside Department
offer advice and support for businesses to reopen and for Infrastructure, Department for Communities and
operate safely in the short term. We have been helping other partners, we are implementing environmental
the hospitality industry avail of opportunities to make use improvement works, enhanced infrastructure provision
of ‘spill-over’ space for pavement cafés etc., to help with including new covered bicycle parking facilities, enhancing
social distancing requirements. connections with local communities and developing
urban greenway proposals.
Safe reopening of city We will work with the Department for Infrastructure to
centre and arterial routes create more connected blue and green infrastructure
across the city, including a £4m Greenways
Working with the Department for Programme. We will also deliver the £3.9m Forth
Communities, Department for Meadow Community Greenway project funded by
Infrastructure and Department of the Peace IV programme, due for completion by 2022.
Agriculture, Environment and Rural Once complete, it will regenerate a number of existing
Affairs, we will implement a £3m open spaces/parks as shared neighbourhood spaces,
Revitalisation Fund to assist the creating new opportunities for people to safely use
city’s recovery efforts and support outdoor space for exercise and local cultural and tourism
the planning and safe reopening of the city and key arterial activities, while also improving connectivity.
routes.
We also need to work hard to protect and re-energise
Interventions brought forward include new signage along the cultural heartbeat, vibrancy and offer within the city
the arterial routes and within the city centre to encourage and its neighbourhoods to attract visitors and additional
safe movement of people, working with partners to deliver footfall. We will continue to work in partnership with our
physical interventions to enable effective social distancing cultural and tourism partners to progress the ambitious
and queuing systems and supporting infrastructure, plans set out in our ‘A City Imagining 2020-30’ strategy
as well as public safety messaging, marketing and to evolve, broaden, deepen and expand the tourism and
communications activity. We are also providing business cultural offer currently available. We will deliver a significant
grants to fund infrastructure investment and use of programme of cultural events and activity at weekends
outdoor space to facilitate the required health and safety throughout autumn into January 2021 to animate our
measures to be put in place. streets and create welcoming, vibrant and safe places for
We will work with the Department for Infrastructure and the enjoyment of visitors and city residents alike.
other partners to invest in physical interventions to
9
Belfast: Our RecoveryOur services
Our services
As a council, we had to respond to the early Ensuring access to parks
restrictions put in place to deal with the and open spaces
pandemic, by quickly adapting key frontline We continue to ensure our parks
services for our residents and businesses. and local open/green spaces remain
open; giving individuals and families
This included ensuring that we responded to the needs
important opportunities to exercise
of the most vulnerable in our communities through
and to help improve their physical,
working with community and voluntary sector partners
emotional and mental health
and the Department for Communities. A total of 107,407
and wellbeing. We are ensuring
food parcels and hot meals were delivered to Belfast
appropriate control measures are in place, including
residents over a 16 week period. Our helpline handled encouraging social distancing, to reduce the potential
9,770 calls and local community helplines handled a spread of COVID-19, and continually keep this under
further 5,115 calls from Belfast residents. review as guidelines change.
As we have begun to re-open many of our services in
line with the NI Executive’s phased re-opening plan, Reopening safely
we have also had to consider how we can ensure our
Not all council services and facilities
services get back up and running in a safe manner.
can be restored at once and the
easing of lockdown restrictions
Continuing to deliver through the NI Executive five
essential services stage roadmap is the main driver
Throughout this challenging period, for enabling this to happen. We
we have continued to deliver have put in place a robust service
essential, critical services including readiness assessment and a
bereavement services, waste prioritised recovery plan to ensure all implications and
collection and recycling centres, requirements are carefully considered, implemented and
leisure centres and key destinations managed by council.
such as the Belfast Zoo and city
markets. Continuing to invest in our
Over 90 services are now operational, with an intensive services: delivering social
programme underway to re-open those remaining and economic value for
services and community facilities, including community communities
centres, in a safe and managed way.
There is still more to be done -
We are ensuring appropriate control measures are in we will review our own internal
place, including encouraging social distancing, to reduce resources and services, starting
the potential spread of COVID-19, and continually keep with a transformational review of
this under review as guidelines change. community provision. We will also
We have adapted processes and realigned staff and maximise the opportunities presented by our own
resources to ensure safe and responsive services meet recruitment, investment and procurement decisions
our residents’ needs. These services are operating in a to stimulate the local economy, support local supply
new way, with adaptions in processes and responses, chains, create community wealth and deliver social and
and are supported by additional staff to meet the economic value for communities.
challenges of ensuring the health and safety of staff and In seeking to manage the city’s waste more sustainably,
the public at all times. We are also operating many of our we will continue to look for opportunities to support
critical front line and regulatory services remotely during and grow the circular economy, encouraging enterprise
this time. development, providing skills and training opportunities
Throughout these changes we are ensuring our services and creating jobs. We will also look for ways to improve
are as accessible as possible. In July we launched a new the performance of our waste collections.
council website to provide a more streamlined and user We have recently opened new leisure centre facilities at
friendly experience for our customers. We will also be Andersonstown, Brook and Lisnasharragh to support
encouraging citizens to interact and engage with us in Belfast’s medium-longer term recovery and enhance
more innovative ways, using online tools to shape how citizens’ health and wellbeing. We will continue to invest
services and city interventions are planned in the future. in our facilities, including £8m in the redevelopment of
the Avoniel Leisure Centre, £17m for the restoration
and extension of Templemore Baths and progressing
plans for a new leisure facility at Girdwood.
10
Belfast: Our RecoveryOur communities
Our communities
The pandemic will further intensify Building community
existing inequalities and create significant capacity and creating
economic and social challenges for our community wealth
communities in coming years.
Communities were first to respond
We will place wellbeing at the centre of our recovery to the pandemic and have shown
efforts, reinvigorating public service provision locally and the strength and resilience of
ensuring people and places disproportionately affected the sector in challenging times.
by the pandemic are not left behind. In support of this work, we have
allocated over £1.6m funding
We recognise our communities need to be at the heart to over 280 local community and voluntary
of our city’s recovery. We will engage with and work organisations to support vulnerable people and
alongside our citizens, and others in our communities families and assist community recovery.
including the voluntary, community and social enterprise
sectors who play such vital roles in city life, to identify We have continued to deliver the £6m council
priorities together. Working with these sectors, we have grants programmes, despite the financial difficulties
recently established a VCSE Panel and Network, and we face, to ensure important support services and
we will continue to build on this to enhance participation programmes could be delivered across the city.
going forward.
We will work with central government and other
We want this engagement to support community funding bodies to bring forward further financial
participation in co-design of area based interventions support packages for communities and the third
to deliver an inclusive and jobs led recovery for sector to help address many of the social challenges
local people, as well as addressing the wider social which will be amplified as a direct result of the
impacts acutely experienced by local people. Recent impact of the pandemic. These include, but are
engagement has highlighted important concerns in not limited to, increased unemployment levels,
relation to the impact of COVID-19 on health inequalities, local business closures, emotional wellbeing,
mental health and wellbeing, social isolation and poverty and deprivation. And we will review our
vulnerability and financial worries including income, food own internal resources and services, starting with a
and fuel poverty. We will work with government to scale transformational review of community provision within
up projects to help address these issues. the city.
We will use the significant learning captured during
the emergency response to the pandemic and the
Supporting businesses in
relationships with community and statutory partners neighbourhoods
to continue to support vulnerable people and families We are aware of the devastating
through these challenging times, alongside supporting impact of COVID-19 on many
the reinvigoration of our neighbourhoods and of our local businesses, social
developing community confidence, capacity and longer- enterprises, co-operatives, and
term resilience through a range of support programmes. employees. We continue to
work with central government to
As we seek to engage communities in this work over
support the sector, seek to secure
the coming months, we will be building on learning
additional funding and find innovative ways to support
from innovative approaches that we have had to take
local business recovery, including the revitalisation
in response to restrictions on physical and face to
business grant scheme.
face interactions. We will be deploying a new online
engagement platform and will seek to enhance We recognise the important role of the arterial
our engagement via webinars and other forms of routes and key neighbourhood economic hubs
engagement that make it easier for citizens to engage across the city in supporting recovery in terms of
and have their say. retaining existing and creating new jobs and creating
community wealth. We are bringing forward specific
We have already adapted how we engage with
and tailored programmes to support local businesses
communities and citizens in bringing forward capital
and social enterprises; retaining existing or creating
schemes, as well as submitting and assessing planning
new jobs and supporting economic recovery in local
applications with greater use of online methods instead
areas.
of traditional face to face interactions.
11
Belfast: Our RecoveryOur communities
We will use investment and procurement decisions to the city, with projects including community gardens,
support businesses and local supply chains, to create facilities for children and young people and older
community wealth, and deliver social and economic people and improvements to many other community
value for our communities. In doing so, we will work facilities designed to improve the wellbeing of local
with local enterprises, micro, small and medium-sized people. Over 110 projects have been completed with
businesses to increase awareness and develop their work continuing on a further 20 in 2020.
capacity to access potential opportunities.
We are bringing forward a new £8m neighbourhood
And we will work with local communities and partners regeneration fund and will seek to lever additional
to bring forward a significant programme of investment investment to drive recovery and transformation
in local tourism assets, infrastructure or products that in local areas and communities. This includes the
will attract additional footfall and expenditure into our delivery of significant community partnership projects
neighbourhoods and creating destinations to visit. through the Urban Villages capital programme and
Social Investment Fund.
Enhancing the connectivity and movement between
neighbourhoods and linkages with the city centre We will continue to work with communities across
will be a key focus of our recovery plans including the city to help them get the maximum benefit from
investing in the further extension of the Belfast Bikes local assets. We are working with public sector
Scheme. partners to bring forward opportunities for use of
public sector land assets to support mixed-use
Retaining jobs and developments including housing led regeneration;
create living neighbourhoods and provide community
re-skilling for employment infrastructure, amenities and open/green spaces.
We will work with the Department
for the Economy and other We continue to deliver our £105m leisure
partners to ensure local people programme with four new state of the art facilities
gain the necessary skills, including already opened and another two to commence this
traditional skills, to remain in or year with a £17m investment in the redevelopment
enter the local workforce. and extension of the Templemore Baths and a
new £8million investment in the redevelopment of
We will continue to deliver our Employment Avoniel Leisure Centre. We will work closely with our
Academies and other tailored employment partners at GLL to ensure our leisure facilities deliver
interventions to support those impacted by COVID-19 programmes which help improve people’s health and
and those furthest from the labour market. This will wellbeing.
include our approach to recruitment and how we
work with anchor institutions and large employers to Creating safe and shared
incentivise and provide opportunities for local people
to access skills and employment opportunities.
places
We will continue to work with our
It will also include a strong focus on helping upskill our communities and city partners
local workforce for the green economy - investing in to create a safe, inclusive and
jobs of the future. shared city, and places, through
the delivery of the Good Relations
Investing in our Strategy and ensuring maximum
neighbourhoods and local impact of investment and
programmes supported through Peace IV and
assets
the new PEACE PLUS to be brought forward.
We will continue to invest in and
deliver community infrastructure
projects to support new and
enhanced community facilities,
sports and leisure facilities, and
open space and environmental
regeneration through our £9m Local
Investment Fund, £28.2m Belfast Investment Fund
and £4m Social Outcomes Fund to create vibrant,
attractive and sustainable neighbourhoods.
Over 130 partnership projects have been supported
through the Local Investment Fund across all parts of
12
Belfast: Our RecoveryOur economy
Our economy
Building business resilience to together financial and technical support to ensure
protect and create jobs that anyone wanting to start a business gets access
to the resources they need and the transition to
We are committed to working alongside self employment is de-risked and
the NI Executive, the Department for supported.
the Economy, and other partners to
bring forward an integrated approach Supporting social enterprises
to supporting businesses, sustaining and co-operatives
jobs and creating new employment opportunities We will encourage and support
within the city. We welcome the support packages individuals and groups to develop
and interventions being brought forward to support community based businesses in the
those sectors most affected, as well as to stimulate form of social enterprises and co-
and incentivise job retention and skills development, operatives to build wealth within our communities and
including the recent £17.2m funding commitment to will continue to expand our Social Enterprise and Co-
help bolster the local apprenticeship system. operative Action plan.
We will revamp our current system of business support We will encourage entrepreneurs to build businesses
to make it easier to access, more flexible to meet that can access the opportunities stemming from the
the needs of business and more focused on those £850m City Deal and will provide bespoke channels
businesses that can benefit from the support. through which local entrepreneurs and businesses can
To support business resilience, we introduced three access those City Deal opportunities.
months’ rent free to council tenants at a cost of
over £1.5m, and agreed a three month rent free period
Focusing on key growth sectors
for St George’s Market traders. Whilst it is unaffordable While we maintain a focus on our key
to continue this in the longer term, we will work sectors, we will continue to promote
with government on the review of rates, to support inclusive economic growth. Our
businesses where possible. support will remain available to all
businesses that have the potential and
We will continue to work with partners including Invest
commitment to grow and create jobs.
NI, Catalyst, FE colleges and community and voluntary
organisations to amplify existing programmes and The £850m Belfast Region City Deal investment
develop new programmes to create a continuum will provide a boost for key growth sectors, transform
of support for entrepreneurs, businesses, social our global profile and create new and better jobs. We
enterprises and co-operatives to enable individuals to will ensure all of our residents and communities have
achieve their potential. equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from
the opportunities brought about through the City Deal.
We will initially focus on business resilience, job retention
To do this, we will remove barriers to participation in
and community wealth building. This will evolve to
those growth sectors through a widespread digital
focus on programmes and policies with partners on
inclusion programme and focus on educational
growing jobs, productivity, and community wealth within
inequalities. We will also provide support to new and
an increased focus on key growth sectors. Alongside
existing businesses to harness digital technology to
our resources, we will utilise our City Deal finances,
drive innovation, productivity and growth. We will drive
our city investment fund, developer contributions and
growth in clean energy and zero emissions transport
the outputs from our emerging Inclusive Growth City
sectors by enabling and supporting ambitious
Charter and Social Value Procurement Policy to assist
partnerships.
us with developing jobs, opportunities and businesses
for the most disadvantaged in our city. We will continue Building upon our strengths and successes, we will
to support traditional sectors and promote inclusive focus on key growth sectors including Cyber Security,
economic growth across the city. Financial Services, Artificial Intelligence and carbon
reduction and clean energy to shape this investment
Revamping the business to support existing businesses in these sectors,
start-up offer encourage the growth of more indigenous businesses
We will deliver an easy to and continue to attract high value Foreign Direct
understand and easily accessible Investment. This will further develop our “centres of
range of support for those considering excellence” in sectors where the city already is, or has
starting their own businesses. We the potential to be, competing globally.
will continue to offer existing support
including the Go For It programme and will leverage
partnerships with the Department for Communities
and with our colleges and universities to bring
13
Belfast: Our RecoveryOur economy
Investing in skills development We are working with the NI Executive and Westminster to
and reskilling for employment bring forward new tourism products to attract visitors and
football back into the city and its neighbourhoods.
Given the scale of job losses across a
We are also working with our tourism partners and
range of sectors, and the likelihood of
industry to bring forward a significant ‘support your city
a slow return to growth, it is clear that a
marketing campaign’ to promote Belfast as a staycation
range of labour market interventions will
destination, with unique offerings, as well as encouraging
be required. These will include incentives
people to spend local.
for key target groups (such as the local equivalent of
the Kick Start scheme), traineeships, a re-focused Looking ahead, we will also be striving to enhance our
apprenticeship solution and consideration of how those city’s offer in sustainable tourism, and to maximise the
in receipt of benefits can be supported to move back city’s potential for rebuilding growth in business tourism
into the labour market. through the International Convention Centre (ICC) Belfast.
We will work with the Department for Communities
on an ‘Employability NI’ solution that will provide a City regeneration and
dynamic, responsive and flexible approach for targeted investment
employability solutions for those furthest from the We will continue to deliver on the
labour market. To further reinforce our support for those commitments in our City Regeneration
furthest from the labour market, we will work with our and Investment Strategy.
anchor institutions and large employers to maximise
recruitment opportunities for our residents - we will use Through our Future City Programme,
our emerging Inclusive Growth City Charter to focus this we will bring forward a comprehensive
work, share good practice and develop collaborative programme of short and longer interventions aimed
approaches. This work will include a focus on ensuring at reimagining the city centre and addressing the
the development of skills programmes for transition to challenges impacting the high street, particularly in the
the green economy, to boost local companies already context of COVID recovery. This programme includes
investing and growing in this area. a focus on physical and environmental improvements;
increased city centre living; addressing vacancies and
Supporting tourism and diversification of uses; vitality; enhanced connectivity
hospitality to surrounding communities; digital transformation and
We also need to work hard to protect and business support.
re-energise the city’s cultural heartbeat Our Future City Centre programme will:
and spirit, both across our communities • Bring forward the Bolder Vision for Belfast aimed at
and in the cultural offer to attract visitors reshaping how our city centre streets and places are
and additional footfall into the city and its used to make them attractive, healthy, vibrant and
neighbourhoods. accessible.
We are working with the NI Executive and Westminster • Connect neighbourhoods to the city centre,
to bring forward new tourism products to attract visitors. maximising opportunities to support and secure
In the early stages of recovery, the focus for enhancing greater active and sustainable travel and enhance
tourism will be on attracting visitors locally from within NI, community connectivity.
Republic of Ireland and from Great Britain. • Deliver a series of physical and environmental
We will continue to work in partnership with our cultural interventions aimed at enhancing and greening the
and tourism partners to progress the ambitious plans set streetscape environment; revitalising spaces and
out in our A City Imagining 2020-30 strategy to evolve, places; and diversifying the city centre offer to provide
broaden, deepen and expand the tourism offer currently a family centric and welcoming city core.
available. • Address the need for increased city centre living,
We will also progress delivery of the Belfast Region City including the strategic use of public sector land assets
Deal tourism pillar, including the creation of a new world to deliver on housing led regeneration schemes.
class tourism Destination Hub. • Turn vacancies into valuable spaces: enabling working
with city partners to bring forward the use of vacant
Our immediate and short-medium term response to space by SME’s, start-up retail/ businesses and the
stabilise and grow tourism includes: cultural and third sectors.
• Developing a Visitor Experience Plan for Belfast to • Working with city partners to develop a strong public
enhance and enrich visitor experience. private Renewed Ambition programme around the
• Supporting tourism development across the city’s city’s offering as a place to invest in line with our
neighbourhoods. Inclusive Growth Strategy.
• Supporting skills development to enhance tourism • We will explore the need for, and benefit of, further
growth and development, with an emphasis on digital devolution of important place-shaping powers such as
skills. regeneration to the council and work with partners to
identify, secure and maximise the impact of recovery
• Working with partners to develop and implement a
related funds.
new hybrid business tourism model to secure Belfast’s
future in a competitive market, combining digital • Deliver a programme of cultural and animation events
capability with on site offer including Festival 2022 and and activity to enhance and protect the city’s cultural
UNESCO City of Music in 2023. vibrancy and offer.
14
Belfast: Our RecoveryOur economy
We will also maximise opportunities presented by Securing investment in critical
our £200m capital programme and £105m leisure city infrastructure
programme, creating new state-of-the-art facilities
that will help improve the health and wellbeing of We will work collaboratively with public
citizens across the city, as well as creating significant and private sector partners to identify
employment opportunities. the key infrastructure requirements to
We will maximise the potential benefits of major enable and support future growth and
regeneration schemes, such as the North Foreshore, for development.
Belfast people, through targeted skills and employability We will continue to engage with the NI Executive and
programmes. central government to identify, prioritise and secure
We will continue to work with public and private sector investment to deliver the city’s major infrastructure needs
partners to explore how key city development and including water, waste, energy, supporting active and
regeneration schemes can transform the city landscape sustainable transport and increasing connectivity across
and create jobs through construction and wider local the city and with the wider region.
supplier chains and long term sustainable employment. Using our planning and other
Exploring economy boosting regulatory powers to support
initiatives in a post-Brexit inclusive and sustainable city
environment recovery and development
We will work closely with Invest NI to We are responsible for developing a
develop and deliver a series of support Local Development Plan (LDP) for Belfast,
interventions for businesses impacted working with local people to create a
by Brexit, focusing on the run-up to 1 clear vision of how the council area should develop and
January 2021. what it will look like in years to come.
Working with seven partner councils north and south We will:
of the border, we will bring forward a detailed economic • Respond to industry demands for services during the
analysis identifying business opportunities and areas for pandemic.
collaboration with our partners along the Belfast-Dublin
economic corridor. • Introduce a new electronic submission facility.
• Instigate new legislation (for example pavement café
Enhancing connectivity licences) to support recovery.
We will continue to work with the • Work with the Planning Appeals Commission to
Department for Infrastructure and progress the Local Development Plan to adoption.
Department for Communities to • Progress the Planning Portal to digitise the planning
accelerate opportunities emerging from process.
the Bolder Vision for Belfast to create • Liaise with city partners to influence changes to
healthy, shared, vibrant and sustainable legislation to remove red tape and speed up end to
environments that promote wellbeing and end processes.
enhance access to jobs, by connecting the city centre • Utilise developer contributions to deliver enhanced
and surrounding communities. public spaces and support employment and skills
opportunities in the city.
Working with partners to
maximise housing development Developing a low carbon
opportunities economy
We will work with partners to explore and The transition to a net zero carbon
identify opportunities for the strategic economy presents significant economic
use of public land assets and funding opportunity for the city in this decade, but
mechanisms to accelerate city centre starting now.
living and deliver mixed-tenure homes. We will also seek
to maximise opportunities to address the significant We will identify investment opportunities
housing stress which exists across the city, encouraging for the development of clean energy infrastructure in
mixed-use developments providing community the city, including through our City Deal partnerships.
infrastructure, amenities and open/green spaces and Through an examination of the potential for skills and jobs
creating living and sustainable communities. growth, we will grow the number of skills development
programmes associated with low-carbon technology.
We will also consider how we can work with government
and the private sector to progress early proposals
emerging from the Belfast Innovation and Inclusive
Growth Commission for taking a jobs led approach to
investing in and improving energy efficiency in the city’s
existing housing stock through a retrofit programme of
significant scale.
15
Belfast: Our RecoveryOur environment
Our environment
COVID-19 has pathways for investment at scale in the energy
demonstrated the efficiency of our buildings across the city. This will not
only contribute to improving health conditions, but
importance of building will also act as a catalyst to create and sustain jobs,
resilience to future crises. reduce energy bills and provide a significant boost
To deliver the urgent action to local supply chains and trades in the construction
required to respond to sector.
climate breakdown, we • We will ensure that waste is managed effectively and
will accelerate our work investigate the economic potential presented by
on climate adaptation, mitigation and processing and recycling our waste to support job
decarbonising our economy. creation and growth (circular economy model).
We will publish the city’s first Resilience Strategy later • We will work with our Executive colleagues to
this year with more than 20 strategic programmes to accelerate the Green New Deal proposal and
reduce emissions and protect the city from the effects advocate for investment in housing retrofit schemes,
of climate change. hydrogen transport, flood programmes and
sustainable urban drainage.
It will include a focus on sustainable tourism, skills for
a green economy, and support for SMEs to build their • We are also exploring how we use our land assets
climate resilience. and enable better access to open and green spaces
for communities and families to improve mental and
• We will launch our ‘One Million Trees’ physical wellbeing as well social isolation challenges.
programme, an ambitious approach
to urban tree planting, to build our • We will be carrying out a comprehensive assessment
climate resilience, our approach to of air quality in the coming months, to identify
carbon capture, and improve city what other measures are needed to make further
‘liveability’. significant improvements in air quality across the city
to deliver improved public health outcomes.
• Through the city’s forthcoming ‘Mini Stern’ report, we
will examine the impact of climate change on the city Resilience and Sustainability is one of five priorities
and set out a roadmap and specific actions to create in the council’s Corporate Plan. To ensure urgent
a prosperous and low carbon Belfast. action in this area, we are currently undertaking:
• We will bring forward our partnerships • A Sustainability Audit to review all council activities
to explore zero-emissions transport and put in place an action plan for sustainable
infrastructure, by growing a network practices in the delivery of our services. This will
of Electric Vehicle charge points in include ways to reduce the council’s consumption of
the city and will work to find new ways single-use plastics.
to incentivise transition to low-emissions vehicles
• In partnership with Climate NI, we are developing an
across our fleet. We will also work with city partners
Adaptation Plan to ensure council assets (community
to collaborate on the development of low-emissions
centres, parks, etc.) are protected from the effects of
public transport and ensure we use digital innovation
climate change in the years to come.
to drive energy transition in transport.
• An Energy Review - building on our successes on
• Through the work of the Resilience and Sustainability
energy efficiency, to set future targets and to put
Board, we will work collaboratively with public and
targets in place on C02 emissions.
private sector partners to ensure our infrastructure
meets the city’s existing and future needs. We • All of this work is intended to ensure that we meet
will continue to engage with central government our Belfast Agenda ambitions as a sustainable city,
to prioritise and deliver important urban city while also ensuring our local economy benefits from
infrastructure (for example water, waste, energy) to new jobs, a new generation of skills development and
ensure the city can accommodate future growth and investment in local supply chains.
development and remain resilient.
• With city partners, and as part of our broader work
on resilience and sustainability, we are exploring
16
Belfast: Our RecoveryOur digital innovation
Our digital innovation
Digital technologies will • Deliver a series of lighthouse projects supporting
play a critical role in the the development of digitally enabled smart
healthy neighbourhoods; a net zero carbon
city’s recovery. There is
energy ecosystem; and maximising the use of
strong evidence that those data science and technologies to support more
businesses and services effective mobility solutions.
that have fully embraced
• Create a flagship and world
digital innovation have
class innovation district, a smart
been the most resilient port and a smart city core to
during the current crisis. showcase our global ambition and
digital capability. They will attract
However the economic impact of COVID-19 has also
significant investment, talent,
brought into sharp focus urgent digital skills challenges
businesses and create jobs within the city.
for Belfast, with lack of digital skills exacerbating social
and economic disparities. The skills required for a post- • These districts will have state of the art technology
pandemic world will be crucial to Belfast’s recovery and and special incentives to stimulate business start,
our first priority will be to ensure that digital inclusion for growth and innovation. They will bring together
our youth, citizens and businesses is at the core of our research and business to test and develop new
digital innovation strategy. technology products to address city challenges.
We will ensure that strategies and • We will work with our universities,
funding through the Belfast Region City Belfast Harbour, Catalyst Inc and
Deal are directed to address our most the private sector to maximise
challenging health and societal issues the opportunities presented
within Belfast. by the City Deal Investment to
create Centres of Excellence
Our Smart Belfast framework will encourage
which will increase business capability, enable
collaborative innovation in the use of digital technologies
knowledge transfer and skills development, attract
between government, industry and our universities to
international investment and accelerate the
address economic, social and environmental challenges.
development and implementation of innovative
This ambition will be greatly enhanced by Belfast Region
excellence.
City Deal investment and collaboration.
We will:
• Enhance digital literacy, including
focused support for those groups
most excluded or at risk.
• Support digital skills development or
reskilling to address identified skills shortages and
support people to access employment.
• Support businesses to use digital technology
to adapt their business model and operations in
response to COVID-19.
• Invest in the city’s wireless and data
infrastructure. As part of the
Local Full Fibre Networks
programme we are investing
nearly £8.3 million. This will
increase high speed broadband
availability across the city by installing fibre
connectivity in our council sites, and will facilitate
development of the communications network,
enabling access to enhanced connection speeds for
businesses in poorly connected areas.
17
Belfast: Our RecoverySupporting recovery in the longer term
Supporting recovery in
the longer term
Our immediate focus is very much on Whilst we will continue to review and update our plans
the interventions needed to support over the coming years, we will be advancing many of
the short-term actions which will form part of longer
our businesses and communities in the term strategic programmes of work that have potential
short term, however we are committed to to deliver real catalytic impact for Belfast.
ensuring our longer term plans reflect the
new reality and challenges the city faces, Many of these catalytic programmes of work will sit
alongside other long term Belfast Agenda ambitions
and to sustaining and building momentum to grow our city’s population and stimulate more city
as a city to create lasting recovery, centre living, and to reduce inequalities in health and
growth and transformation. educational underachievement - and we expect that
these will continue to shape our plans and delivery
over the coming years.
Examples of initiatives already highlighted in this document that
have real longer term transformational potential include:
Delivering the Further
£850m Belfast regeneration:
Region City Deal: in the city and
investing in new Improving our Levelling up neighbourhoods
physical and digital connectivity: investment in (including a
infrastructure, working with R&D: driving re-imagined
enhancing the Creating partners to innovation, city centre) and
city’s tourism offer, innovation secure business investment in
providing significant zones and investment to growth and sustainable
skills, training enhance our creating more Addressing infrastructure,
employment
and employment sustainable and better climate change: including
hubs: attracting
opportunities. transport jobs. maximising the community
investment,
infrastructure, potential availability assets.
talent and
including our of climate finance
boosting Digital innovation:
green and blue as a stimulus
employment advancing next
infrastructure and to invest in
opportunities. generation digital
strengthening climate resilient
links with other key infrastructure and infrastructure,
economic locations skills. supporting our
including Dublin and green recovery,
London. skills development
and employment.
18
Belfast: Our RecoveryNext steps - looking ahead
Next steps - looking ahead
Engage with Evolve and
political leaders deliver
and decision makers We will develop implementation
plans to deliver the interventions
at all levels and commitments in this outline
Over the coming weeks and document. Given the uncertainty
months, we will continue to we face, this document and our
engage with political leaders approach will remain flexible and
and decision makers at national, will continue to evolve as the
regional and local government levels to shape our pandemic progresses and the effects of COVID-19 on
approaches and seek buy-in, support, and alignment Belfast’s economy and city life continue to emerge.
of efforts across all aspects of government.
Delivery of these plans will be driven through the
Engage with many partnership structures that already exist in
the city, including the Belfast Community Planning
communities Partnership and its delivery boards, the Innovation and
We will also be engaging with Inclusive Growth Commission, Belfast Region City Deal
communities across Belfast. We structures etc.
want citizens and everyone with
an interest in Belfast to have an
opportunity to shape our recovery
plans. Our updated city strategies
and interventions need to be
informed by the experience, needs and aspirations of
our citizens, businesses and other stakeholders.
This Belfast: Our Recovery document reflects our
early assessment of the pandemic’s impact and
responses required, but we recognise we will need
to keep this under continual review, alongside
communities, and adopt our plans and focus in
response to the rapidly changing environment we are
in. This means communities will have the opportunity
to engage in the further development of our plans, and
their implementation.
In 2021, we will also be reviewing our
city strategy, The Belfast Agenda to take
stock of what is needed in the medium
and longer term to support the renewal
and transformation of our city and to drive
improvements for everyone who lives,
works, invests in and visits Belfast.
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