Belfast Winterschool To Shape Billion Pound Inner-City Investment

A billion pound ‘corridor’ of development and conservation projects for North Belfast will be the focus for government departments, leading business and community leaders in a unique "Winterschool" taking place next week.

Key influencers are signing up for PLACE Winterschool – an intensive five days of debate and workshops which will take place amidst the ornate surrounds of The Indian Community Centre, Clifton Street from 12 – 16 March.

The events will be facilitated by PLACE (NI’s architectural and built heritage centre) and Forum for Alternative Belfast - following the huge success of their annual Summerschool - and will focus on current and proposed urban projects around the 'Cultural Corridor' which amount to nearly £1billion of private investment.

The Corridor extends from the historic Cathedral Quarter at Donegall Street, up Clifton Street and on to the Crumlin Road Courthouse and Jail and the Carnegie Library on the Oldpark Road.

The high profile Winterschool delegation will take part in a series of workshops and discussions including a comprehensive set of opening presentations from government departments, Belfast City Council and Community representative groups. There will also be keynote public addresses from figures such as Peter Allan, Dundee Council Community Planning Manager and Michael Corr of Pie Architects, London.

Delegates will also get a chance to see first-hand a range of diverse events in a series of important and historic buildings in the area such as Crumlin Road Gaol, St Patrick’s School, Clifton Street Graveyard and Clifton House. A number of colourful free evening events have also been planned to showcase signature buildings in the Corridor. These will also be open members of the public throughout next week.

Aidan McGrath of PLACE said the Winterschool was an essential, unique forum for “joined up thinking” about planning and shaping the urban landscape.

"We're going to enable the diverse government and local government departments, and communities and commercial developers all to understand one another's interest in this critical stretch of Belfast. This process will become an example of how to address large scale planning issues in an exhaustive, inclusive and efficient way," he commented.

Declan Hill of Forum for Alternative Belfast (FAB) said it was vital that that the proposed spending delivers the maximum benefit to Belfast, to the local communities and to the re-making of good streets, in what is one of the most fragmented areas of Belfast.

He also hoped that the Winterschool would help to positively influence urban planning policy ahead of planning powers being devolved to local councils later this year.

The PLACE Winterschool takes place from 12-16 March at The Indian Community Centre, Clifton Street, Belfast. To enrol in Winterschool or for further details go to www.placewinterschool.org

(GK)