Belfast Investment Fund | Belfast City Council

The BIF
Current status

The BIF

Through our Belfast Investment Fund (BIF) we have set aside £28 million for projects that help to develop or regenerate facilities for people who live in, invest in or visit our city.

A key objective of the fund is to encourage key private and public sector partners to co-invest in these projects.

Decisions on BIF funding are taken by area working groups, made up of councillors from the local area.
Current status

To date we have committed funding to 18 projects and are currently considering others right across the city.

Current status

Projects funded through BIF

This list will be added to as further funding is committed.

Name of project	Short overview	BIF investment	Other Investment	Total investment	Current status
Arts and Digital Hub	New build development for creative and digital arts entrepreneurs - part of Sandy Row Area projects.	£584,167		Urban Villages	Planned
Bloomfield Community Association (east Belfast)	New build community facility	£440,000	To be confirmed	Currently estimated at £618,000	Planned
Castlereagh Presbyterian Church (east Belfast)	Extension and reconfiguration to existing Church Hall	£382,000	To be confirmed		Planned
Cavehill Tennis Club	Facility improvements - underspend from Grace FC and Cancer Lifeline -	£71,413			Underway
Coffee Culture	Coffee Culture social enterprise project in partnership with Urban Villages - part of Sandy Row Area projects		£286,519	Urban Villages	Planned
Cultural Community Hub	Development of a cultural community hub at 952 Crumlin Road		£250,000		Planned - subject to approval
Glencairn Community Project	Potential new build Neighbourhood Centre to provide a range of facilities for the community	£700,000		Education Authority	Planned - subject to approval
Lagan Gateway (south Belfast)	The Lagan Gateway project includes a number of structural improvements and development works at Stranmillis including a navigation lock, an iconic foot and cycle bridge, refurbishment of the existing weir, plus high quality landscaping and paths.	£2,150,000	£950,000 (Ulster Garden Villages) £707,193 (Department for Infrastructure, Rivers) £419,638 (Department for Communities)	£4,226,831	Underway
Lanyon Tunnels (south Belfast)	A project to open up eight disused tunnels that run below East Bridge Street, connecting Lanyon Place (Central Station), St George’s Market and Lanyon Place with the Markets area.	£2,150,000	£1,300,000 from The Executive's Office Social Investment Fund	£2,600,000	Planned
Linfield FC, Boys Brigade and Belvoir FC	Replacement of Belvoir FC’s grass football pitch with associated works (Phase 1 of overall sporting hub proposal)	£250,000			Planned
Malgrove	Proposed development of a sporting hub/ pavilion at Shore Road Playing Fields	£950,000			Planned - subject to approval
Sandy Row Open Space project	Environmental improvement works - part of Sandy Row Area projects	£479,314			Planned - subject to approval
Strand Arts Centre (east Belfast)	Major refurbishment of Northern Ireland’s last remaining art deco cinema.	£1,800,000	To be confirmed	Currently £1,800,000	Planned

Completed projects

Name of project	Short overview	BIF investment	Other Investment	Total investment	Current status
Blanchflower Playing Fields (east Belfast)	Construction of an IFA Premiership standard pitch, four spectator stands including 855 seats, a clubhouse and associated facilities.	£2,370,000	To be confirmed	£2.37 million currently	Completed
Braniel Church (east Belfast)	Extension to existing premises to include additional indoor and outdoor space.	£390,000	To be confirmed		Completed
Bredagh GAC (south Belfast)	Redevelopment of a derelict parish hall and creation of a purpose built club and community facility.	£700,000	£180,000 Bredagh GAC	£880,000	Completed
Cancer Lifeline (north Belfast)	Refurbishment of building to provide a support centre for families of those suffering from cancer.	£650,000	£266,367 Department for Communities	£650,000	Completed
Colin Glen Trust - Colin Glen Forest Park	Colin Glen Forest Park development for tourism and recreation facilities to include driving range, 3G pitches and dome, zip line and Alpine toboggan.	£2,500,000	Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs – £902k committed		Completed
Davitts GAC (west Belfast)	Creation of full size Gaelic pitch, complete with spectator stand, changing rooms, hurling wall, children’s playground and outdoor gym.	£1,000,000	£150,000 from Belfast City Council’s School Pitches Enhancement Fund £350,000 from Space and Place	£1,500,000	Completed
Grace Family Centre (north Belfast)	Construction of a new resource centre to provide a safe and nurturing place of respite.	£1,368,965	£553,000 Department for Communities £145,000 Urban Villages	£2,066,965	Completed
Hanwood (east Belfast)	Upgrade of synthetic pitch, floodlights and roller shutters	£396,000	To be confirmed		Completed
Líonra Uladh - Raidió Fáilte (west Belfast)	Construction of a new building for the Irish language community media broadcaster, to include training, recording and archiving facility.	£950,000	£460,000 from Department for Communities £375,000 from CISTE	Approx. £1,785,000	Completed
Lisnasharragh Schools Community cluster project	Renovations at Lisnasharragh PS and Cregagh PS including community rooms, raised beds and sensory garden.	£398,000	To be confirmed		Completed
St Comgall’s (west Belfast)	The project aims to physically restore this former school building to its former glory, in keeping with its Grade B1 listed status.	£3,500,000	£3,500,000 from the NIO’s Social Investment Fund	£7,000,000	Completed
TAGIT Boxing Club (east Belfast)	Creation of a purpose-built boxing facility	£434,000	To be confirmed		Completed
Willowfield Parish Halls (east Belfast)	Refurbishment of parish halls to provide permanent base for the Willowfield Youth Trust.	£560,000	£240,000 from the Department of Education £325,000 congregation donations	£1,125,000	Completed

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BIF projects

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The BIF

Current status

Current status

Our projects map