Given the vacuum that was created by having to drift for so long without one, there was always going to be a major reaction to last week’s Programme for Government announcement.
Criticism of the document has been significant, and it is perhaps easy to find faults. But a degree of pragmatism is called for. We should be enthused that a Programme for Government has finally been delivered and the nine priorities are valid, even if more of a focus on infrastructure would have been welcome.
The PfG provides an ideal backdrop to reinforce what Belfast Chamber has been saying for some time – that the city must be reimagined and reinvigorated to create conditions that will help attract more capital and investment.
‘No drains, no cranes’ might well be a well-rehearsed phrase for some, but poor infrastructure is a serious impediment to growth. The Construction Employers’ Federation revealed earlier this year that 19,000 homes in Northern Ireland were unable to proceed because of a lack of wastewater capacity. This is an alarming statistic and highlights the urgent need for significant infrastructure investment.
On a similar theme, a glance across the Belfast skyline reveals the lack of development work being carried out, and this is evidenced in Deloitte’s latest Belfast crane survey, which reveals that six new development schemes started on site during 2023 – three fewer than the year before.
It also must be realised that city governance, and the split responsibility between local and central government, is holding Belfast back. It is difficult not to cast envious eyes at cities such as Liverpool and Manchester that have combined mayoral authorities, enabling them to have leaders that benefit from five-year tenures, and the powers to effect change across all key aspects of the city.
Andy Burnham is a fine example, with his powers as mayor of Greater Manchester meaning the city has to become a major economic and political power, capable of fully supporting the people who live there without the need to rely on central government.
In the same vein, planning remains a frustratingly slow process. For what seems like decades, those at the coalface have been highlighting its inadequacies but the problem remains. Crucially, this, in turn, significantly hampers institutional and foreign investment.
It seems like an obvious thing to say, but proven track record investors in Belfast should be welcomed. They do not grow on trees and have the chance to invest in competing UK and European cities that would cherish their interest - so let’s make it as easy as possible for them when they arrive by simplifying decision processes, to make it easier and faster to bring a site into development.
Another key pillar of any strategy to reimagine Belfast is a focus on city centre living. The financial viability of residential development – or, worryingly, the lack thereof – needs to be understood and remedied. Rather than referencing the number of units with planning, we should be able to talk about those that are actually under development. We need to learn from other cities and now establish homes for the post-graduates to help retain that talent.
There is just one active residential development site in Belfast city centre, a social housing development at Ormeau Gasworks. Just beyond the city centre boundary in Titanic Quarter, the 778-unit scheme, Loft Lines, is making good progress.
As Belfast Chamber said while condemning the recent protest violence in the city centre, the social and affordable housing problem needs addressed immediately. The grants and support for social housing in Belfast city centre need to be increased to align with other council areas and the cost of building in the city centre.
Student accommodation and build-to-rent are two facets of city centre living that must be a central part of a strategy aimed at boosting city centre living. There are over 85,000 students enrolled across the city, with the latest industry reports suggesting that there will still be a shortfall of almost 5,000 beds even after purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) schemes that currently have planning consent are delivered.
The students that live in clusters in these PBSA schemes will often be looking for similar housing arrangements when they graduate, and that will bolster the ‘build to rent’ section of the market – something to be considered with a number of PBSA schemes in planning.
Belfast must also do a lot more to progress its public spaces. Pavements, squares and amenities that make the city centre more inviting and more attractive must be improved. This does not necessarily require more funding, but can be supported by developer contributions to improve the city landscape.
Finally, getting back to basics on a number of issues will also help significantly. A refocus on the hygiene factors of cleanliness, safety and reducing anti-social behaviour will help increase footfall and dwell time, encouraging people to come into the city and spend more time there.
There is a massive opportunity to make Belfast a modern, thriving, inviting city of which the people that live and work there can be proud, and which will benefit all of our citizens and attract investors.
Ambition needs to progress to delivery. Plans, strategies and agendas must have tangible, positive outcomes for all the citizens of this great city. Let’s not wait any longer, we need to deliver.
- Clare Guinness is chief executive of Belfast Chamber of Commerce
