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Date: 25 Sep 2024
Category: City Deal
The Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) Council Panel met today, Wednesday September 25, at Lagan Valley Island, Lisburn, to review the significant progress being made on the £1 billion programme of investment, outlined in the BRCD Annual Report for 2023/24.
In the meeting with the six BRCD partner local authorities, Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Councillor Kurtis Dickson, reflected on LCCC’s key tourism project, Destination Royal Hillsborough:
“The Destination Royal Hillsborough Project, in partnership with Historic Royal Palaces, is set to enhance this regionally significant heritage tourist attraction, delivering real economic benefits. By boosting the village’s heritage appeal and protecting its conservation areas we aim to promote significant growth in the number of domestic and out of state visitors. In signing the Contract for Funding this summer, £20m of BRCD funding has been committed to this project. Together with funding from Historic Royal Palaces and our own council contribution, this will deliver a total investment of £26m in Destination Royal Hillsborough. I am excited to see the project develop.”
The wider BRCD programme of investment builds on regional strengths and opportunities across six council areas. The 2023/24 Annual report outlines the significant progress made now that the Deal is fully into delivery.
Key highlights include a total of 15 Outline Business Cases approved and nine Contracts for Funding signed, with an approximate value of £500m.
Significant progress has also been made in two exciting projects, enabling construction to commence on site at the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) at Global Point in Newtownabbey and specialist equipment to be delivered to Studio Ulster, Belfast, which is due to open its doors later this year. The studio will be a centre of excellence in R&D and innovation in Virtual Production for screen, where the physical and digital worlds meet. The most advanced projects are now recruiting and upskilling staff, constructing new premises, co-designing projects with industry, and procuring next generation technology and equipment, delivering significant benefits for our region and NI.
Highlighting the importance of the BRCD Programme, Mayor Dickson added: “It is encouraging to see the progress being made on the Belfast Region City Deal programme of investment, which is contributing to greater inclusion and sustainability right across our region. All BRCD partners share a vision and commitment to boost our economy in an inclusive way, to ensure that this investment benefits every section of our society – and we’re absolutely focused on delivering this programme at pace.
“When complete, this portfolio of BRCD projects will enhance the Northern Ireland economy as a whole and add significant value to society, improving quality of life for people living here, through jobs and continued investment.”
The BRCD programme of investment will create up to 20,000 new and better jobs over its lifespan, making the region a global investment destination of choice over the next decade.
The Belfast Region City Deal Annual Report 2023-24 can be viewed online at www.belfastregioncitydeal.co.uk and to join in the conversation on X, use #BRCityDeal.