Councillor Deirdre Hargey announces extension of Belfast City Council’s regeneration scheme

TWO Belfast City Council regeneration schemes are to be extended following a cash injection from the Department for Social Development.

Work on the schemes – part of the council’s ongoing ‘Renewing The Routes’ programme – started earlier this summer.

It involves the stretch of the Ormeau Road from Ormeau Embankment to the Ravenhill Road, and the Newtownards Road from Bridge End to Witham Street.

Now, thanks to a £310,000 boost from the DSD, the Ormeau Road scheme will now be extended towards the city centre.

It will include the lower Ormeau Road and Cromac Street, while an additional 33 premises on the Newtownards Road will benefit from an extension of the council’s commercial improvement programme.

Two new environmental schemes also will be carried out on the Ormeau Road, involving lighting and painting the landmark Ballynafeigh Orange Hall and Ballynafeigh Community Development Association building.

Welcoming the latest contribution from the Department, Councillor Deirdre Hargey, Chairman of the council’s Development Committee, pointed out that all the projects had been delivered with the full cooperation and assistance of the local communities involved.

“The ‘Renewing The Routes’ programme was set up to address environmental degradation on Belfast’s main roads and bolster economic and physical regeneration, and as such it takes a bottom up and hands on, localised approach to regeneration and works directly with local communities, businesses and statutory agencies, such as the DSD, in developing innovative and flexible working partnerships.

“As part of the council’s £150m Investment Programme, we are committed to supporting the regeneration of key arterial routes and producing tangible results that produce attractive, bright and practical schemes which benefit their areas – whether it be by making cosmetic improvements to building facades in commercial areas, improving shared space by landscaping and public art, restoring historical features on important local heritage sites or simply just taking action on graffiti and cleansing,” concluded Councillor Hargey.

Over the past nine years, the ‘Renewing The Routes’ programme has seen the council invest £6.6 million in a series of local regeneration projects on 13 main roads across Belfast – from the Grosvenor Road to Castlereagh Street, the Antrim Road to Sandy Row.

The various projects have included the renovation of more than 500 shop units and almost 100 arts, heritage and environmental projects.

The next phase, due to start early next year, will include the Andersonstown Road, from Hillhead Crescent to Suffolk Road, and the Oldpark Road, from Torrens Avenue to Cliftondene Crescent.

For further information on the ‘Renewing The Routes’ programme, and details of the schemes already undertaken, visit http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/renewingtheroutes/