Funds Secured For City Centre 'Bolder Vision' Initiatives

Funding has been secured for two initiatives to make Belfast city centre 'safer, greener and more accessible'.

The Department of Infrastructure has awarded Blue Green Infrastructure funding to two 'Bolder Vision' initiatives, proposed by Belfast City Council.

An Active Travel initiative will explore increasing the number of secure cycle parking sites throughout the city centre, while the 'Grey To Green' initiative aims to connect Belfast businesses, social enterprises, charities, and schools with green projects in the city centre.

Highlighting the desire to create a safer, greener, more connected and more accessible city centre, Belfast City Council Chief Executive John Walsh said: "For the Active Travel secure cycle parking, we'll consider Expressions of Interest from operators proposing to use carparks, carparks or repurpose vacant shop units to deliver and maintain safe, secure, and self-sustaining cycle parking.

"For Grey to Green, we plan to fund up to ten projects which will sustainably introduce trees, plants, vegetation, and flowers. This is all about encouraging biodiversity in the city centre – and helping to combat pollution. We're also keen to make Belfast city centre more attractive and liveable by introducing temporary structures allowing vegetation to spread over building façades, hoarding or exterior walls, planting native trees, vegetation, and flowers in vacant, underused, and derelict city centre sites."