12/06/2007

£16 million makeover for Belfast city centre

Belfast City Centre is to get a £16 million facelift that will transform 14 of the city’s main streets and public places.

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA today announced the news at the launch of the ‘Belfast: Streets Ahead’ programme.

“This programme will transform fourteen of Belfast’s main streets and public spaces. When the work is completed in 2009 the city centre will be a more attractive place for the thousands of people who live and work there or who come to shop or be entertained,” Ms Ritchie said.

“Making the city centre more welcoming will not only help to retain existing jobs and attract new businesses but also encourage more city centre residential development.”

Half a million pounds of the money is to be spent on works of public art and it is expected to be completed by 2009.

“Good examples of public art can add interest and focus to our streets and give people a pride in their city. Belfast already has some good examples of public art such as the sculpture at Thanksgiving Square at Laganside,” she said.

“To complement our new streets, I intend to invest £500,000 in commissioning a number of new artworks. Later this year, local people will have an opportunity to vote for a new centrepiece for Arthur Square, one of the main public spaces in Belfast.”

The Minister said that such an ambitious programme of work would inevitably mean some disruption but that this would be kept to a minimum and that access would be maintained to all business premises.

Belfast Lord Mayor, Councillor Jim Rodgers, also said: “We are excited by the opportunity of working in partnership with the Department for Social Development to bring forward proposals to enhance the environment of our city centre.”

(JM/KMcA)

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