Belfast Council has given the green light to transform Cathedral Gardens in the city centre into an events space, an “urban forest” and a play zone with digital art displays.
At the Belfast City Council monthly Planning Committee, held this week at City Hall, elected representatives unanimously agreed to a public realm environmental improvement scheme at Buoy Park, Cathedral Gardens, Donegall Street, Belfast, BT1. The applicant is Belfast City Council.
The plan went to public consultation in Spring 2022. Work is set to start in July this year.
The council planning report states the plan involves a public plaza “capable of accommodating small to modestly sized events” and an urban forest and woodland garden area “to function as a quiet place and to promote wildlife.” There will also be a lawn area next to the university “to soften the urban environment and complement university café culture.”
The plan also involves interactive lighting on feature columns, a canopy-covered digital tile play zone, and projector provision for digital art displays. There will be a World War II Blitz memorial, while the statue of champion boxer Rinty Monaghan will be retained, in a different part of the site.
The new memorial for the Belfast Blitz was developed with the Northern Ireland War Memorial Museum. It will be a bronze frieze facing out towards York Street with a mirrored wall facing into Cathedral Gardens aiming to provide what the council calls a “contemplative, reflective space.”
A council planning officer wrote in the report: “The proposed public realm scheme is considered acceptable within this sustainable city centre location and complies with design, environmental, transportation, built and natural heritage and community infrastructure policies contained with the Local Development Plan Strategy.”
The council received no objections from the statutory consultees and two “neutral” comments from third parties. Officers recommended the plan for approval.
The Design and Access Statement in the planning document states: “It is anticipated that there will be no road closures during construction. There will be closures of the adjacent public footpaths during the works (but) site works will not impact the function of the existing University of Ulster bus stop along York Street.”
Sinn Féin Councillor JJ Magee said: “It is a brilliant scheme, and I am looking forward to seeing it all done. But my question, as with all these things is, who is responsible for maintaining it, do the cleaning and the bedding?
“Sometimes we build these and bring them in, and they all look good at the start, but nobody maintains them.”
A council officer replied: “My understanding is that council would be maintaining parts of it, while some of the streetscape would be (maintained by) the (Stormont) Department for Infrastructure.”
DUP Councillor Sammy Douglas said: “It is quite dark at night there, and at times a wee bit scary. I know there are more students there, but I need to hear more about the lighting.”
A council officer showed elected members CGI images showing lighting columns for the plaza area.