Equality screening outcome report: Corporation Street and Exchange Street Place-making Brief

Published in May 2022

Contents

• Overview of the screening template
• Section A Details about the policy or decision to be screened

1. Title or policy or decision to be screened
2. Brief description of policy or decision to be screened
3. Aims and objectives of policy or decision to be screened
4. Who will the policy or decision impact?
5. Are there linkages to other agencies or departments?
   • Section B Information on the consultation process
6. Outline consultation process planned or achieved
7. Available evidence
8. What is the likely impact on equality of opportunity for those affected by this policy, for each of the Section 75 equality categories?
9. Are there opportunities to better promote equality of opportunity for people in Section 75 equality categories?
10. To what extent is the policy likely to impact good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group?
11. Are there opportunities to better promote good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group?
    • Section C Consideration of Disability Duties
12. Does this proposed policy or decision provide an opportunity for the council to better promote positive attitudes towards disabled people?
13. Does this proposed policy or decision provide an opportunity to actively increase the participation by disabled people in public life?
14. Provide details of data on the impact of the policy with multiple identities
15. Monitoring arrangements

• Section D
  • Formal record of screening decision
• Screening assessment completed
• Screening decision approved
• Footnotes

Overview of screening template

The council has a statutory duty to screen. This includes our strategies, plans, policies, legislative developments; and new ways of working such as the introduction, change or end of an existing service, grant funding arrangement or facility. This screening template is designed to help departments consider the likely equality impacts of their proposed decisions on different groups of customers, service users, staff and visitors.    

Before carrying out an equality screening exercise it is important that you have received the necessary training first. To find out about the training needed or any other queries on screening, contact the Equality and Diversity Officer Lorraine Dennis on extension 6027 or or Lisa McKee on extension 6310 by email [email protected]

The accompanying screening guidance note provides straightforward advice on how to carry out equality screening exercises. Detailed information about the Section 75 equality duties and what they mean in practice is available on the Equality Commission’s website.[Footnote 1]

The screening template has four sections to complete. These are:

• Section A  provides details about the policy or decision that is being screened
• Section B gives information on the consultation process, supporting evidence gathered and has four key questions outlining the likely impacts on all equality groups
• Section C has four key questions in relation to obligations under the Disability Discrimination Order  
• Section D is the formal record of the screening decision

Section A

Details about the policy or decision to be screened

1. Title of policy or decision to be screened

Corporation Street and Exchange Street Place-making Brief

Belfast City Council is committed to the regeneration of the city both via the Belfast Agenda and the City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy. Members have been clear that this regeneration programme needs to facilitate the creation of jobs, more homes, better connectivity, more open and high-quality space and community infrastructure for local people. To deliver the scale of regeneration set out, members agreed to a comprehensive Strategic Site Assessment (SSA) programme of work, aimed at assessing the regeneration potential of the council’s publicly operated city centre car parks and other city centre assets, together with adjoining publicly owned land. This was in response to the Belfast City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy (BCCRIS), the Car Park Strategy and Masterplans recommending a rationalisation of low-density surface car parking to unlock regeneration opportunities in line with the Belfast Agenda’s inclusive growth ambitions.

2. Brief description of policy or decision to be screened

(Explain is this a new, revised or existing policy?  Are there financial, legislative or procurement implications?)

This is the fifth project that has come forward from the Strategic Sites Assessment programme which has previously been screened and signed off.

The City Growth and Regeneration Committee, at its meeting on 9 May 2018, considered proposals to assess the development and regeneration potential of the council’s surface car parks and adjacent public sector land holdings in the city centre. It agreed that specialist advice be procured to identify the regeneration opportunities arising from the rationalisation of the council car parks and adjacent public sector land, and highlighted the contribution that public sector assets within the city centre could make to delivering on the objectives of the Belfast Agenda, for example: mixed-use development, housing, and green space. It was also agreed that there would be due cognisance to the income derived from the council’s surface car parks and the impact of the proposed development on the city centre car parking offer.

It is recognised that there is a housing need within the city, together with an aspiration to grow the population of the city by 66,000 and increase city centre living to meet the demands from all sectors. Belfast City Centre Regeneration Investment Strategy (BCCRIS) refers to the aim of encouraging the development of a self-sustaining quality residential market environment providing a mixture of tenures that meets the range of needs of a growing city centre population.

The use of public sector lands presents an opportunity therefore to help address these issues and potentially provide the mechanism to bring forward the right mix of housing stock that meets the various housing demands and results in a successful functioning city centre that connects into the adjoining communities. In bringing forward proposals for potential development, it will be important to ensure this is done in the context of stitching in the adjoining communities and considering those sites that have the most potential to do so.

Following approval by committee, the council commissioned a multi-disciplinary team of planners, architects, and property consultants to undertake the Strategic Sites Assessment (SSA) in August 2018. The SSA reviewed the council’s fifteen publicly operated city centre car parks and adjoining council assets, as well as adjacent Department for Communities (DfC) owned land to consider locations which would maximise the contribution to the strategic objectives set out in the Belfast Agenda, BCCRIS and other strategic documents. It should however be highlighted that four of these car parks are leased by the council from DfC, Department for Infrastructure and the Housing Executive (NIHE).

The study sought to identify opportunities to contribute directly to BCCRIS and to support the priorities of the Belfast Agenda by way of the use of these assets to deliver on regeneration and mixed-use development that would help deliver on the aspirations to increase the residential and employment population and enhance connectivity and open space. In terms of the concept of mixed-use development, it is important to recognise that the nature and mix of proposed uses would differ across the various sites depending on demand, adjoining land uses and scale of development.

The study also identified opportunities for comprehensive development involving wider land assembly or joint development opportunities comprising both public and private sector lands. In addition, it considered the impact on car parking in terms of loss of spaces and income. This SSA work is being taken forward in the context of the vision within the council’s and DfC’s Masterplans, cognisant of adjoining land uses, communities and demand, as well as private sector led developments or proposals.

During 2017 Council’s Strategic Policy and Resources (SP&R) Committee, agreed to examine options to relocate the council’s Cleansing Depot in order to consider the wider redevelopment potential of this site and also agreed to acquire Commission House, Gordon Street as a strategic acquisition in line with BCCRIS.

The SSA considered that this combined site could potentially provide a mixed-use place-making led regeneration scheme potentially comprising residential and commercial uses whilst creating new open space and enhancing the permeability of the wider Cathedral Quarter and Clarendon area. There is an exciting opportunity to connect the city core via Cathedral Quarter with surrounding development including Sailortown and City Quays. It has the potential of extending the fabric and feel of the Cathedral Quarter out to the edge of the Dunbar Link potentially creating a catalyst to soften the inner ring road and improving connectivity links to surrounding communities.

3. Aims and objectives of the policy or decision to be screened

(What is the policy trying to achieve?)

A staged process for the SSA work, as outlined, was undertaken in respect of the fifteen car parks in order to consider those which might be suitable for regeneration and mixed-use development in the context of the ongoing regeneration of the city centre.

Stage 1: Baseline analysis

Identified public or private land ownership surrounding the council’s city centre off-street car parks, adjacent land uses and development proposals, together with planned transport, utility and public realm infrastructure.

Stage 2: Strategic assessment

All sites were reviewed for their potential contribution to strategic plans and policies and in the context of likely demand for uses. This included their potential to act as a catalyst for mixed use regeneration, which will enhance connectivity and promote the council’s place-making ambitions. The regeneration contribution of the sites was considered against the Programme for Government, the Belfast Agenda, BCCRIS, the Urban Regeneration Community Development Policy Framework and relevant masterplans and strategies.

Stage 3: Shortlisting

Following the Baseline analysis and Strategic assessment, shortlisting of the fifteen sites was undertaken in two phases. The first phase applied two key criteria:

1. Project being taken forward by an existing project or initiative; and
2. Project impacted by major infrastructure proposals.

The sites which were impacted by either of these criteria were then considered in terms of timescale but were not brought forward to the second shortlisting phase as part of this process, on the basis that they were either already included as part of separate developments or infrastructure proposals that were being brought forward separately.

The second shortlisting phase involved a series of qualitative criteria to the remaining seven sites which considered these factors:

1. The potential to combine with other public or private sector assets to create more substantial strategic development opportunities
2. Contribution to Strategic Objectives (for example Belfast Agenda, BCCRIS, Masterplans)
3.  Appropriate land use and how it fits with strategic objectives
4. Overall contribution to the regeneration of the area; and
5. Commercial attractiveness.

In addition to assessing each of the car park sites in isolation, a review of adjoining public sector-owned assets was also undertaken to ascertain the potential for a more comprehensive development approach involving wider land assembly of other public sector lands. Adjoining land uses and likely demand for particular uses were considered. Initial consideration has also been given to adjoining private sector owned lands and development proposals in respect of these assets with a view to considering any opportunities to maximise the use of the council’s assets.

Stage 4: Shortlisted sites

Following the two-stage shortlisting process, it was felt that the remaining six sites could be constituted into three priority clusters:

1. Inner North West Cluster (Kent Street, Little Donegall Street, Smithfield)
2. Clarendon Cluster (Dunbar Street and Exchange Street)
3. Ormeau Avenue

In addition to the car park sites, these priority clusters also considered other adjoining BCC and DfC-owned assets as well as an initial consideration of private sector-owned lands. Whilst this work is being undertaken by BCC in collaboration with DfC, it is worth highlighting that DfC will progress proposals within the context of their own governance processes in relation to the future development or disposal of lands in their ownership. Therefore, whilst proposals  are being considered in respect of lands owned by both DfC and the council, the council can obviously not make any decisions at this stage in respect of those lands that are owned by DfC.

Summary of emerging findings from the Strategic Sites Assessment

The priority cluster sites represent a significant opportunity for the council to maximise the use of its assets to deliver on the growth ambitions and regeneration priorities as set out in the Belfast Agenda, the Belfast City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy and associated Masterplans. In the context of the Car Parking Strategy, it aligns with the recommendation that consideration be given to the optimal use of surface car parks to best support city centre regeneration and the desire to maximise valuable city centre land to deliver on wider regeneration outcomes. It is recognised that the impact of lost car parking spaces needs to be considered both in terms of the city centre parking offer and the impact on revenue.

Corporation Street and Exchange Street Place-making Brief

The Clarendon Cluster comprises two council-operated car parks known as Dunbar Street and Exchange Street. The Dunbar Street car park is being considered as part of a separate study. The SSA concluded that there was an opportunity to combine the Exchange Street car park with the adjacent vacant land then owned by Department of Finance. The SSA also concluded that the regeneration of the Exchange Street and Corporation Street sites combined would directly contribute to the aims of the Greater Clarendon and Sailortown Masterplan.

In January 2020 the Strategic Policy & Resources Committee noted the significant regeneration opportunity of aligning the Corporation Street site with the council’s existing Exchange Street site to provide an enhanced mixed tenure, residential-led development opportunity. The council concluded the acquisition of the Corporation Street site in 2020.

It is anticipated that the commission comprise six key areas of work outlined. However, it is expected that on appointment the successful consultant will recommend any necessary amendments to ensure the objectives of the project are successfully delivered.

• Baseline analysis
• Engagement
• Concepts for PAD 1 and 2
• Development appraisals and sensitivity analysis
• Concept Placemaking Plan
• Next steps and Recommendations

It is expected that the work will closely align with a number of plans, policies and strategies, including, but not limited to: The Belfast Agenda, Belfast City Centre Regeneration Strategy, Back to the River, Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan, Car Park Strategy and Action Plan, Belfast LDP Draft Plan Strategy, A Bolder Vision for Belfast, Belfast Resilience Strategy, Living Places and Belfast: Our Recovery.

Baseline analysis

This will include:

• A comprehensive desktop research exercise to review existing materials and identify and address any gaps in the existing analysis held by the council.
• A review of guidance from relevant policy and strategy documents, for example, Belfast City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy, Belfast Agenda, Greater Clarendon and Sailortown Masterplan, A Bolder Vision, Inclusive Growth Strategy, Resilience Strategy, Cultural Strategy, Belfast Urban Area Plan, draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan and Belfast LDP Draft Plan Strategy.
• A review and analysis of existing development proposals within the Area of Wider Interest. Including developer details, development status, planning status and commentary on the relationship with the study site.
• Pre-development inquiries with NIW, NIE, and any other identified, relevant utility companies to collate utilities maps and identify possible constraints.
• Topographical survey of the site
• Desktop ground contamination study (Preliminary risk assessment)
• Flood risk assessment
• Parking survey of surrounding area (suggested 400metre radius) in context of Belfast Car Parking Strategy.
• Consideration of:
  • ​Constraints, including (but not limited to): land ownership, rights of way, utilities, contamination, road and transport infrastructure, other connectivity barriers, related development proposals, heritage issues, planning guidance and policy and any other identified constraint.
  • Opportunities, including (but not limited to): social, economic, equality, environmental and physical benefits, regeneration benefits, urban design, connectivity and place-making benefits, active travel / transport benefits, rates income and any other identified opportunity. To include consideration of incorporation of adjoining sites either through joint proposal or acquisition.

Deliverable: A graphical, visual summary of the baseline analysis supported by text, maps and imagery in PDF format.

Engagement

This will include:

• An extensive stakeholder engagement process built into the methodology and supported by a Stakeholder Engagement Plan, to be agreed with the council.
• Engagement with surrounding landowners and stakeholders to understand their issues and priorities for the area, and any areas of mutual interest
• Engagement must have consideration for Section 75 groups.
• The council will provide assistance with engagement for example providing contacts.
• Considering engagement feedback to inform concept development options for the lands and associated public realm opportunities.
• Securing stakeholder support for the Concept Placemaking Plan.
• Sites visits with stakeholders.

Deliverable: A text and visual summary of the stakeholder engagement process and feedback. This must include a clear summary of how stakeholder views have been considered within the project.

Concept for PADs 1 and 2

This will include:

• Providing all supporting information for two pre-application discussion (PAD) meetings with Planning Service (note, there is no fee for PADs).
• Attending and presenting information at PAD. Taking note of all discussion feedback and agreed actions.
• Reviewing feedback and presenting recommendations to CRD on appropriate design changes to be made.
• Material similar to RIBA Stage 2 for second PAD meeting.

Deliverable: All material required to ensure a quality PAD process and responding, in detail, to feedback from Planning Service and consultees. It is expected that this will involve a Planning Statement, draft design and access statement, concept layout plan, draft landscape plan, draft floor plans and elevations and possibly street sections were appropriate. CGIs or sketch illustrations will also be useful for the PADs.

Development appraisals and sensitivity analysis

This will include:

• Develop initial costings analysis and viability assessment to inform the proposed plans.
• Undertake sensitivity analysis based on variables to be agreed.

Deliverables: Detailed appraisals with text explanation and recommendations. 

4. Who will the policy or decision impact?

Consider the internal and external impacts (both actual or potential) and explain.

5. Are there linkages to other agencies or departments?

The Strategic Sites Assessment contains a number of elements to develop a vibrant and prosperous city centre. This will require close collaborative working and partnership delivery across a number of agencies and organisations from across the public, private and community sectors, with the appropriate agency or department taking the lead. Key agencies include:

Government and other public bodies

• Departments for Communities, Infrastructure, Finance, Employment and Learning, Enterprise, Trade and Investment
• Translink
• Belfast City Centre Management
• Belfast ONE BID
• Linen Quarter BID
• Cathedral Quarter BID
• Invest NI
• Policing and Community Safety Partnership
• Northern Ireland Housing Executive

Institutions

• University of Ulster
• Queen's University
• Belfast Metropolitan College
• Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
• Institute of Place Management

Area or community

• Neighbourhood and Area Partnership representing local communities
• Young people and older people

Others

• Commercial agents
• City centre businesses
• Trade unions
• Key developers
• Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce
• Retail NI
• NI Retail Consortium
• Trade NI

Section B

Information on the consultation process, supporting evidence gathered and has four key questions outlining the likely impacts for equality and good relations

6.  Outline consultation process planned or achieved

Background

Mixed use regeneration

The council is committed to the regeneration of the city via the Belfast Agenda and the City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy. Members have been clear that this regeneration programme needs to facilitate the creation of jobs, more homes, better connectivity, more open and high-quality space and community infrastructure for local people.   To deliver the scale of regeneration set out, these conditions need to be put in place:

• A clear understanding of suitability of various sites and parts of the city for different types of development or space
• The right mix of asset classes to build both the social and the economic infrastructure needed for a sustainable city
• An appropriate mix of public and private sector investment and development
• Partnerships between the public sector and the private sector
• Effective planning policies and processes to ensure high standards of more sustainable development.

Strategic site assessment

The council commissioned the Strategic Sites Assessment (SSA) in August 2018 to assess the regeneration potential of the council’s fifteen publicly-operated city centre car parks and adjoining publicly-owned land. This was in response to the Belfast City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy (BCCRIS), Car Park Strategy (CPS) and Action Plan and city centre Masterplans that all recommend a rationalisation of low density surface level car parking to unlock regeneration opportunities in line with the Belfast Agenda’s inclusive growth ambitions.

At the meeting of City Growth and Regeneration Committee in June 2019, members agreed that a report be submitted to a future meeting of the committee providing details of air quality levels across the city and that reference be made to air quality within future reports.

The SSA sought to identify mixed use regeneration opportunities that would contribute directly to BCCRIS and support the priorities of the Belfast Agenda. Inclusive growth was considered within the context of growing the city centre residential and employment population and enhancing connectivity and open space provision. The SSA also identified potential opportunities for maximising comprehensive regeneration through wider land assembly or joint development opportunities across public and private sector land. Members should note that whilst the SSA is being undertaken in collaboration with DfC, the Department will progress any potential future development or disposal of lands in their ownership within the context of their respective governance processes.

The SSA comprised a four-stage process to consider those car parks which might be suitable for mixed-use regeneration in the short term. The shortlisting process prioritised six car park sites, grouped into three priority clusters:

• Inner North West Cluster (Kent Street, Little Donegall Street, Smithfield)
• Clarendon Cluster (Dunbar Street and Exchange Street)
• Ormeau Avenue

Site visit and workshop

Following an update on the SSA initial findings in June 2019, the City Growth and Regeneration Committee agreed to further engagement by a workshop. A site visit and workshop for members took place on 4 September 2019. The site visit involved a walk around two of the SSA cluster areas; the INW (Smithfield, Samuel Street, Kent Street, Library Street, Little Donegall Street) and Clarendon (Dunbar Street).

At the workshop, the three SSA priority cluster sites were presented with details of land ownership, potential place-making and regeneration potential when comprehensively planned with adjoining third-party land, potential uses and densities and recommendations for taking forward. Feedback from members included:

• The need for engagement with neighbouring communities
• Ensuring inclusive, shared development
• Agreement that the city centre offers significant regeneration potential and the opportunity to maximise the regeneration potential through working collaboratively with other landowners
• Potential to provide social enterprise and community infrastructure
• Support the need to unlock city centre living including working with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, utilising public sector lands for mixed tenure opportunities, exploring potential public sector funding mechanisms and engaging with investors and developers
• Support for a comprehensive place-making approach and the potential opportunities to maximise this through strategic land assembly
• Desire for the council to retain control over development through title retention, detailed development briefs or joint ventures and to ensure social and economic benefits are maximised

Further engagement with members took place via Party Group Briefings during October 2019 outlining the development potential and opportunities of each of the priority clusters. 

SSA findings and recommendations

For each cluster site, the multi-disciplinary SSA team prepared a planning appraisal, conceptual development proposal and an initial assessment of the net loss in car parking provision. 

An overview of the development potential for each of the clusters will be presented to committee with a summary given. These sketches provide information on the potential heights, mass, densities and potential uses for each of the sites considered based on market information, location and maximum regeneration potential for each of the cluster areas. The final heights, mass, densities and uses will be informed by the market, brought forward by legal agreements through which the council can control the nature and timescale of development (subject to terms to be agreed by the council’s Estates Unit and Legal Services).

Final Development Agreements will be presented to City Growth and Regeneration Committee, however all decisions on agreements, financial returns from future land transactions will be taken by Strategic Policy and Resources Committee following advice from the council’s Estates and Legal Departments.

It should be noted that there will be an impact on the revenue collected by the council for car parking and it is proposed that a detailed report on this and the potential to realise a revenue stream via other means should be developed and brought back to committee.

7.  Available evidence

What evidence or information (both qualitative and quantitative) have you gathered to inform this policy?  Set out all evidence to help inform your screening assessment.

It is important to record information gathered from a variety of sources such as:

• monitoring information
• complaints
• research surveys
• consultation exercises from other public authorities

Policy context

Regional

The draft NI Programme for Government, draft NI Industrial Strategy, the UK Industrial Strategy and the emerging industrial programme being developed by the Belfast Regional City Deal (BRCD) partners provide clear policy frameworks that promote investment and innovation in the growing knowledge economy and tourism sector.

The Regional Development Strategy 2035 (RDS) is the spatial strategy for the Northern Ireland Executive and provides an overarching planning framework to facilitate and guide development. The RDS provides strategic guidance through Regional Guidance (RG) and Spatial Framework Guidance (SFG) under the three sustainable development themes of the Economy, Society and Environment.

The Spatial Framework Guidance 3 (SPG) specifically recognises the need to enhance the distinctive role of Belfast City Centre as the primary retail location in Northern Ireland. In relation to future major retail development proposals, it promotes a precautionary approach to out-of-town shopping development, given the likely adverse impact on the city centre area. The Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS) advocates a town centre approach for the location and future of retailing and other main town centre uses. This policy aims to encourage better decision-making through supporting and sustaining vibrant centres through Local Development Plans (LDPs).

Belfast Agenda

The vision for Belfast in 2035 set out in the Belfast Agenda is:

Belfast will be a city re-imagined and resurgent. A great place to live and work for everyone. Beautiful, well connected and culturally vibrant, it will be a sustainable city shared and loved by all its citizens, free from the legacy of conflict. A compassionate city offering opportunities for everyone. A confident and successful city energising a dynamic and prosperous city region. A magnet for talent and business and admired around the world. A city people dream to visit.

The Belfast Agenda has ambitious targets of:

• 46,000 additional jobs
• 66,000 additional residents
• Attract over £1billion in private sector investment
• Create 4,000 business Start-Ups
• Grow the city’s Rate Base by five per cent through an increased number of residential and commercial developments
• Increase the percentage of residents satisfied with the city living experience

City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy

The City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy outlines an exciting vision to develop a world-class city centre for the future.

A thriving city centre is vital to the prosperity of the whole city and the region.  Around two-thirds of all jobs in Belfast are located in and around the city centre, so everything that we do to enhance it will benefit the city as a whole.

The strategy sets out our collective ambition for the continued growth and regeneration of the city core and its surrounding areas to 2030. It has been shaped by extensive engagement with stakeholders and contains a roadmap of policies to guide city centre decision-making and key projects that translate those policies into action. 

Core principles

We are determined that the regeneration of our city centre will drive not just economic growth but social benefits. The strategy therefore includes a commitment to ongoing engagement with local people to ensure that the social impact of regeneration is maximised.  

The strategy is based on eight core policies. It will aim to:

• increase the employment population
• increase the residential population
• manage the retail offer
• maximise the tourism opportunity
• create a regional learning and innovation centre
• create a green centre, accessible to cyclists and walkers
• connect to the city around
• enhance shared space and social impact 

Implementation

Now that the strategy has been finalised, the focus will be on delivery to realise aspirations for the city centre by ensuring that the projects, policies and opportunities described are followed through and delivered.

This strategy sets out Belfast City Council’s ambition for continued growth and regeneration of the city core to 2030 and contains policies to guide decision-making and key projects to drive economic growth and deliver social benefits.

The principles of BCCRIS include increasing the employment and residential population, managing retail, maximising tourism, creating a learning and innovation centre and a green centre. City connectivity, shared space and social impact are also key values. BCCRIS also identifies five special action areas within the city centre which have been progressed through master plans implemented by the council.

BCCRIS provides a vision for increasing the residential population in Belfast City Centre by creating:

A compelling, attractive and secure environment, with shopping, open space and other amenities is essential. The overall strategy to improve the public realm, food and entertainment offerings, connectivity and general “buzz” of the city centre is as important to increasing the residential population as ensuring there are appropriate sites for development.

Through its policy to ‘Increase the Residential Population’ these opportunities are outlined:

• Identify key residential sites and prepare market and development briefs, in discussion with landowners. If necessary, prepare financial models to underpin and support funding package applications.
• The council will continue to develop a balanced approach to student housing in the city including consideration of planning policy and other mechanisms to ensure this type of development is located in suitable locations and the many associated benefits can be maximised.
• Remedy any key deficiencies in the city centre living environment, through improvement of food shopping, day-care, open space and sense of security.
• Identify well-supported, social housing opportunities along the major roads leading into the centre.

Emerging Local Development Plan

The draft Plan Strategy was launched at the end of August 2018. ‘Creating a Vibrant Economy’ is one of the primary aims of the plan to strengthen Belfast as the regional economic driver. It recognises that for our city centre to remain successful, it needs to be the focus for major new investment and retail development. It will encourage a mix of different shops and services and decide where these should be located. The retail policies within the LDP will seek to address current and future retailing needs over the plan period. It will therefore aim to:

• Provide a range of uses appropriate to the role and function of a city centre which can realise ambitions for growth.
• Acknowledge the distinctive role of Belfast City Centre as the primary location for retailing in the region.
• Adopt a sequential approach to the identification of retail and other town centre uses decision-making.
• Maintain and improve accessibility to and within the city centre by supporting connectivity.
• Support local economies by ensuring continued vibrancy and vitality.
• Develop a compact urban form that maximises opportunities in the city centre.
• Provide a focus for economic development.

Retail and Leisure Capacity Study

The Retail and Leisure Capacity Study for Belfast has been prepared to inform the contents of the new Local Development Plan 2035 (LDP) for Belfast City Council. The study provides guidance on the capacity for new retail and leisure development in Belfast, as well as strategic and operational advice relating to the scale, nature and location of this development in the foreseeable future.

The health check of the city centre has yielded these main findings:

• According to GOAD, the primary retail area in the city centre has a vacancy rate higher than the GB average, with 18 per cent of units vacant in 2016 compared to 11 per cent in GB. By and large, this level of vacancy has not changed since 2009.
• The proportion of comparison goods shops in the primary retail area has fallen by seven per cent between 2009 and 2016. In contrast, the proportion of leisure service uses has increased by five per cent.
• The presence of multiples in the city centre is increasing (55 per cent of comparison goods units in 2016 compared to 51 per cent in 2009).
• Rental levels on the prime pitches in Belfast are stabilising in line with the trend in GB, while commercial yields on investment in parts of these pitches are exceeding those in several comparably sized cities (Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds).

Table 1 Religious belief in Belfast and Northern Ireland recorded on Census Day 2011

Table 2 Councillors from political parties elected to Belfast City Council in May 2019

Table 3 Ethnic groups in Belfast and Northern Ireland recorded on Census Day in 2011

Table 4  NISRA 2018 mid-year population estimates for age in Belfast and Northern Ireland

Table 5 Marital status for people in Belfast and Northern Ireland recorded on Census Day 2011

Table 6 NISRA 2018 mid-year population estimates for gender ages in Belfast

Table 7 Limits on day-to-day activities due to long-term health problem or disability recorded on Census Day 2011 in Belfast and Northern Ireland

8. What is the likely impact (indicate if the policy impact is positive or negative) on equality of opportunity for those affected by this policy, for each of the Section 75 equality categories? What is the level of impact?

9.  Are there opportunities to better promote equality of opportunity for people within the Section 75 equalities categories?

10. To what extent is the policy likely to impact (positive or negatively) on good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group? What is the level of impact? 

11.  Are there opportunities to better promote good relations between people of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group?  

Section C

Belfast City Council also has legislative obligations to meet under the Disability Discrimination Order. Questions 12 and 13 relate to these areas.

Consideration of Disability Duties

12. Does this proposed policy or decision provide an opportunity for the council to better promote positive attitudes towards disabled people?

Explain your assessment in full

The regeneration project brief will have no direct impact on disabled people. The project delivering on objectives of the brief will address these issues separately. 

13. Does this proposed policy or decision provide an opportunity to actively increase the participation by disabled people in public life?

Explain your assessment in full

The regeneration project brief will have no direct impact on disabled people. The project delivering on objectives of the brief will address these issues separately.

14. Multiple identities

Provide details of data on the impact of the policy with multiple identities

Not known at this stage

15. Monitoring arrangements

Section 75 places a requirement the council to have equality monitoring arrangements in place:

• to assess the impact of policies and services
• to help identify barriers to fair participation
• to better promote equality of opportunity

Section 75 places a requirement for the council to have equality monitoring arrangements in place in order to assess the impact of policies and services and to help identify barriers to fair participation and to better promote equality of opportunity.  

Outline what data you will collect in the future to monitor the impact of this policy or decision on equality, good relations and disability duties.

Section D

Formal record of screening decision

Title of proposed policy or decision being screened

Corporation Street and Exchange Street Place-making Brief

I can confirm that the proposed policy or decision has been screened for:

• equality of opportunity and good relations
• disability duties

Screened out
Mitigating actions (minor impacts)

• Provide a brief note to explain how this decision was reached
• Explain what mitigating actions or policy changes will now be introduced.

Screening assessment completed by

Name: Simon Rees
Date:   6 April 2022
Department: Place and Economy

Screening decision approved by

Name:  Adrian Ferguson
Date:  26 May 2022
Department: Place and Economy

Save the Word final version of the completed screening form and email to the Equality and Diversity Officer: [email protected]  A link to this screening form will be provided to the council's Section 75 consultees.

For more information about equality screening, contact:

Lorraine Dennis or Lisa McKee
Equality and Diversity Unit
Belfast City Council
Belfast City Hall
Belfast
BT1 5GS
Telephone: 028 9027 0511
Email: [email protected]

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Footnotes

[Footnote 1] Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (link opens in new window)

[Footnote 2] Conflict in Cities and the Contested State 

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