Belfast Cathedral Quarter Comparative Regeneration Initiatives Project by Conor Corey

COMPARATIVE REGENERATION INITIATIVES PROJECT CATHEDRAL QUARTER REPORT JANUARY 2012

CONTENTS PROJECT BRIEF To evaluate the policy record in relation to the Cathedral Quarter since 1980, and to advise on future action in the context of the Belfast City Centre regeneration policy.

AIM To produce a concept plan tailored to the site in question, informed by an analysis of the relevant policy and institutional framework, taking into account the lessons learned from a comparative analysis of other cities.

CONTENTS

PAGE

[1] POLICY ANALYSIS

[2] INSTITUTIONAL ANALYSIS

[3] CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

[4] COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

[5] RECOMMENDATIONS

[6] CONCEPT PLAN

This report has been produced as part of a postgraduate Design and Regeneration course at Queen’s University Belfast by the following: EILISH O’LOUGHLIN CONOR COREY JAMES DEVLIN KIERAN JENNINGS PAUL SCULLION

POLICY ANALYSIS

Northside Proposals Report (1983)

Northside Opportunities for Housing (1985)

Cathedral Conservation Area (1990) Northside, Belfast - UDG Impact Study (1991) Belfast Urban Area Plan 2001 (1991) Belfast City Centre Local Plan 2005 (1991) Belfast City Centre Urban Design Strategy (1993)

Cathedral Quarter Urban Design Framework (2000) Cathedral Area Conservation Strategy (2001) A Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal (2003) Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan 2015 (2004)

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POLICY TIMELINE

North East Quarter Master Plan (2005) People and Place: Renewing Belfast City Centre ( 2005) Northside Urban Village Draft Regeneration Framework (2009)

Everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Involved: Sustainable Development Strategy (2010) Cathedral Quarter Belfast Five-Year Strategic Vision and Development Plan (2011)

Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan 2015 (2004) Belfast: The Masterplan 2004-2020 (2004)

POLICY ANALYSIS 1990â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cathedral Conservation Area (1990)

CATHEDRAL CONSERVATION AREA (1990) The designation of the Cathedral Conservation Area represents an important stage in the regeneration of Belfast. Conservation can help to promote economic revival by identifying and enhancing the architectural and historic character of the City. This status provides a framework and vision for the regeneration of the Cathedral Quarter This document is of key significance regarding the design and regeneration of the Cathedral Quarter. It recognises the importance of economic growth and development within the area while seeking balance in respect to protecting the character of the area. The document has a number of key objectives. Primarily, it seeks to protect and enhance the essential character of the Cathedral Conservation Area. It encourages the retention, rehabilitation and reuse of existing buildings wherever possible in a way that is in sympathy with the appearance of the Cathedral Quarter. Furthermore, it aims to promote the commercial benefits of investing in the area, recognising that the long term viability of the area necessitates the creation of an attractive entrepreneurial environment. The designation of the Cathedral Quarter as a conservation area is hoped to bring derelict and underused land back into productive economic use. It aims furthermore to introduce a variety of land uses into the area to include offices, small scale retailing, cultural and recreational uses.

Belfast Urban Area Plan (1991)

BELFAST URBAN AREA PLAN (2001) Published in June 1990, this document comprises the adopted version of the Belfast Urban Area Plan. It seeks to inform the general public, statutory authorities, developers and other interested bodies of the policy framework and land use proposals that will be used to guide development decisions within the Plan area. This document is still officially the plan that must be referred to when dealing with planning and development decisions within the Belfast Urban Area. For this reason it has direct relevance to the Cathedral Quarter and any development that takes place within this area.

POLICY ANALYSIS 2000’s Cathedral Quarter Urban Design Framework (2000)

CATHEDRAL QUARTER URBAN DESIGN FRAMEWORK This document provides guiding principles for future developments in the Cathedral Quarter. It focuses on how key assets can be capitalised upon and less helpful aspects can be addressed. It highlights the areas where efforts should be focussed to ensure improvements built upon the inherent qualities. This will reinforce its distinct identity and extend its role as an important city centre neighbourhood. The framework considers it essential that derelict parts are sensitively restored and new high quality contemporary buildings introduced to repair the eroded urban fabric. Built frontages need to be reinstated to help define streets and external spaces must be designed to be attractive day and night. A positive relationship to the street is vital, creating visually permeable ground floor facades with eye catching window displays and lighting. The document states that new external public spaces needed to complement and extend the current network of routes. The fine grained texture of the historic quarter needs to be reinstated and complemented by high quality streetscape treatments using natural materials. The key urban spaces should be flexible to accommodate a variety of uses at different times of the day. Provision should be made for arts related activities such as displays, installations, exhibitions and other types of performance.

Regional Development Strategy 2025 (2001)

It is seen as vital that people linger around the quarter. The framework hopes to redress the balance in favour of pedestrians by discouraging traffic from penetrating the area, yet it discourages the exclusion of cars entirely as they bring activity and security to the area. The framework proposes to link the area perceptually and physically to neighbouring areas with direct attractive and safe routes. Doing so will overcome barriers such as the Dunbarr Link. It outlines the need to focus attention on the Four Corners area as a revitalised landmark junction respecting its historical status as one of the oldest parts of Belfast.

SHAPING OUR FUTURE : REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2025 (2001) The Regional Development Strategy relates to the Cathedral Quarter regeneration by outlining the broad framework of regional development. The Spatial Development Framework within aims ‘to develop the Cathedral Quarter as a dynamic and distinctive mixed use, historical and cultural quarter.’ The strategy calls for sustainable patterns of development with an emphasis on the importance of social cohesion and economic development. It argues that ‘a strong and vibrant metropolitan area is fundamental to the continuing social and economic development of the region’. It urges Belfast to fulfill its role as regional capital and grow a stronger role as an international city.

POLICY ANALYSIS 2000’s A Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal (2003)

A STRATEGY FOR NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL (2003) This seven to ten year strategy targets those communities throughout Northern Ireland suffering the highest levels of deprivation. Neighbourhood Renewal is a cross government strategy and aims to bring together the work of all Government Departments in partnership with local people to tackle disadvantage and deprivation in all aspects of everyday life. Neighbourhoods in the most deprived 10% of wards across Northern Ireland were identified using the Noble Multiple Deprivation Measure. Following extensive consultation, this resulted in a total of 36 areas, and a population of approximately 280,000 (one person in 6 in Northern Ireland), being targeted for intervention. The areas include: 15 in Belfast, 6 in Londonderry and 15 in other towns and cities across Northern Ireland. Neighbourhood Partnerships have been established in each Neighbourhood Renewal Area as a vehicle for local planning and implementation. Each Neighbourhood Partnership should include representatives of key political, statutory, voluntary, community and private sector stakeholders. Together, they have developed long term visions and action plans designed to improve the quality of life for those living in the area.

Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan 2015 (2004)

BELFAST METROPOLITAN AREA PLAN 2015 (2004) This document (BMAP) provides the planning framework which facilitates growth and a high quality of development in the Belfast metropolitan area while protecting, and where appropriate enhancing, the natural and man-made environments. As the Cathedral Quarter is located within Belfast city centre, BMAP recognises that the city centre has the potential to thrive and grow from strength to strength. BMAP also understands that the city centre must encourage quality design and development. This will have to be taken into consideration when dealing with the regeneration of the Cathedral Quarter. BMAP seeks ‘to create a thriving metropolitan area’ with Belfast city centre as the focus. Its strategic objectives are to: enhance the role of the City of Belfast, develop the metropolitan area, and improve transport. At present BMAP is in draft format but the document still must be used when dealing with development within Belfast.

POLICY ANALYSIS 2000’s Belfast: The Masterplan 2004-2020 (2004)

BELFAST - THE MASTER PLAN (2004 - 2020) The Belfast Masterplan was commissioned in 2003 to proposes a conceptual framework for the revival of Belfast to the period 2020. It has developed a to-do list approach of objectives for implementation by the various agencies and levels of government seeking to develop a healthy, competitive and successful city. There are a number of underlying principles implicit in the masterplan including sustainability, targetting social needs, and developing an inclusive approach to future development and governance. The key objectives of the masterplan focus on the creation of an attractive, accessible and energised city core. It seeks to grow the city centre in order to reverse the spiral of decline. In developing the city centre, it hopes to enhance and diversity the retail offering while considering the options available to establish further public private partnerships.Neighbourhood renewal is another emphasis of the masterplan. It aims to reduce social exclusion and tackle multiple disadvantage. The environmental assets of the area are to be maximised and quality city presentation in its urban design and public realm is of paramount importance. In this way, the urban environment will attract tourists, students and investors which are crucial to the sustainability of the city.

NORTH EAST QUARTER MASTERPLAN (2005) North East Quarter Master Plan (2005)

The North East Quarter masterplan proposes a retail led scheme as an essential catalyst to achieve regeneration in the area which includes the Cathedral Quarter site. The plan states that such a scheme will enhance the overall shopping offer within the city centre, but also significantly improve linkages and pedestrian flow to and through the area. The proposal seeks to bring back to use key historic and listed buildings. The vision of the masterplan is to create a vibrant mixed use area with a particular emphasis on the creation of new shopping opportunities within the NEQ. It is envisaged that private investment will create a new destination which will attract activity to the area.The main elements of the concept plan include a new shopping street with an entrance opposite the Castlecourt Shopping Centre. Central to the scheme is an anchor store located between North Street and Donegall St, with a side entrance linking through a redefined Writer’s Square to the Library Quarter beyond. The ‘principle’ of North Street Arcade is to be retained as an east west link, however, this weak form of retention was criticised in a consultation document whereby the public wished the arcade to be refurbished as it was originally. Additionally, a 300 space multi-storey carpark was proposed which also drew a scathing contributions for undermining efforts to reduce the choking effect of traffic on the city centre. Overall, the masterplan proposes a comprehensive approach because piecemeal development may not achieve the wider regeneration objectives of the city centre as a whole.

POLICY ANALYSIS 2000 People and Place: Renewing Belfast City Centre ( 2005)

PEOPLE AND PLACE: RENEWING BELFAST CITY CENTRE (2005) ‘People and Place: A Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal’ aims to ensure that the people living in the most deprived neighbourhoods have access to the best possible services and to the opportunities which make for a better quality of life and prospects. It aims to improve the environment and image of the most deprived neighbourhoods so that they become attractive places in which to live and invest. The strategy wants to develop confident communities that are enabled and committed to improving the quality of life in their areas. It hopes to develop economic activity in the most deprived neighbourhoods and connect them to the wider urban economy. Thirdly, the strategy seeks to improve social conditions for the people who live in the most deprived neighbourhoods through better co-ordinated public services and the creation of safer environments. This strategy should be considered when developing a regeneration plan for the Cathedral Quarter to ensure that any proposals meet the broader policy objectives of government in tackling inequalities within Belfast City.

BELFAST CITY CENTRE: NORTHSIDE URBAN VILLAGE DRAFT REGENERATION FRAMEWORK (2009) Northside Urban Village Draft Regeneration Framework (2009)

The draft framework published in April 2008 sets out proposed further guidance on the proposed range, mix and location of uses for the North West Quarter Part 2 area of Belfast City Centre, with the objective of maximising the physical, social and economic regeneration of the area. The North West Quarter Part 2 area comprises the neighbourhoods of Brown’s Square, Carrick Hill and Press/Library Quarters. As these areas are located in close proximity to the Cathedral Quarter, consideration of the principles and plans for the development of these areas is relevant when formulating recommendations for the Cathedral Quarter. The draft framework includes a Concept Plan, which has been prepared to illustrate in broad terms how the physical regeneration vision for the area can be taken forward for each of the character zones. The concept plan focuses on a number of character areas. It outlines how local connections can be improved, how built edges should be strengthened and the manner in which the area can interact with the surrounding area through regeneration as a new city centre urban village. Character areas have been defined that respond to the existing urban structure and uses and their location within the wider city area, as follows: Library/Press Quarter, Browns Square and Carrick Hill residential areas, and Millfield.

POLICY ANALYSIS 2010’s

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (2010)

Everyone’s Involved: Sustainable This strategy provides a framework to support and inform the decisions and actions taken by individuals, groups and organisations in progressing the sustainability agenda. It stresses that only by working together Development Strategy (2010)

will the aspirations be achieved. The aim of this strategy is: “To identify and develop actions that will improve the quality of life for ourselves and for future generations.” The strategy should be seen as a highly participatory instrument, intended to ensure socially responsible economic development while protecting the resource base and the environment for the benefit of future generations. The document outlines four principles which describe the necessary conditions of sustainable development: achieving a sustainable economy; promoting good governance; using sound science responsibly; and promoting opportunity and innovation. The strategy relates to the Cathedral Quarter in that it highlights the critical importance of an innovative economy and an inclusive society. These two particular points are critical to the success of the Cathedral Quarter as cultural hub within Belfast City. The regeneration of the Cathedral Quarter in a sustainable manner is vitally important and is in the interests of society and the Northern Ireland Executive.

Cathedral Quarter Belfast Five-Year Strategic Vision and Development Plan (2011)

FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC VISION AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2011) This document envisages the Cathedral Quarter as a focal point and leading destination for culture, enterprise and learning. A key proposal within the document is the formation of a Cathedral Quarter Trust to maintain a focus on the Cathedral Quarter’s shared goals and ambitions. Membership in the Trust would be open to all interested stakeholders in the area, and the CQ Trust would work in partnership with decision makers and existing service providers in the pursuit of the Cathedral Quarter’s goals and ambitions. The document prioritises support of the ‘cultural core’, the centre of the arts and creative industries. It supports the provision of managed workspaces providing a supportive environment for business incubation. Additionally, the document outlines support for the growth of the mixed-use economy in Cathedral Quarter by encouraging the co-location of a robust mix of business and arts. High levels of public participation will be generated creating an accessible quarter which the public feel ownership of. Furthermore, the document outlines provision for improved public transport with a new Cathedral Quarter University train station at Gamble Street. This will help attract the increased visitor numbers to the area to sustain the expansion of services, and ensure that the necessary supporting infrastructure needed to achieve the goals is in place.

INSTITUTIONAL ANALYSIS

INSTITUTIONAL ANALYSIS DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT The Department of the Environment (DOE) is tasked with protecting and promoting the natural and built environment. It recognised the underuse and undervalue of the Cathedral Quarter and set objectives to increase the significance, population, and use of the area. They identified the Cathedral Quarter as a historic and mixed use part of the city located on the fringes of the main shopping area and set the aim to ‘consolidate the area as part of the main city core’. The DOE’s approach supported the creation of new and sustainable communities with sufficient density to support a range of amenities and public transport provision. This would be achieved in the case of the Cathedral Quarter by the insertion of several new bars and restaurants in addition to local convenience shopping. Population increase within the Quarter should be fostered by increasing the number of designated residential areas, with height standards set to a minimum of three storeys, and a maximum of five, in order to achieve a uniform height for the residential buildings in the area. Having assessed the Dunbar Link’s contribution to the Cathedral Quarter, the DOE described it as, ‘a legacy of the twentieth century transport planning, which disrupted the existing city fabric, to achieve easier passage for vehicles around the city centre periphery’. They found that it severed the Docks and ferry terminal from the city centre, and thus had a severe effect on the Cathedral Quarter.They proposed to reconnect the areas by constructing a road, perpendicular to Dunbar Road, to allow Talbot Street to continue, and service the Dock’s region. They also proposed to construct a tram line on the continuation stretch of Talbot Street. The line would begin at Great Victoria Street, cross the Lagan by means of a tram and pedestrian bridge, service the Odyssey Centre and continue east to the airport. These increased transport links would increase the flow of people through the Quarter. The Cathedral Quarter was designated a conservation area in 1990, as it is home to many listed and historic buildings and one of the oldest parts of Belfast. Accordingly, there is a strong desire to preserve the architectural character of the area. The DOE encourages strong community involvement to achieve this goal. As it regulates all planning and construction in the area, the DOE are likely the most influential institution overseeing the future development of the Cathedral Quarter.

DEPARTMENT FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT The Department for Regional Development deals with matters pertaining to regional strategic planning and development, and issues relating to transport and infrastructure. Its strategic objectives are to support the economy through planning, developing and maintaining safe and sustainable transport networks, and addressing regional imbalance in infrastructure. The key ways in which the Department for Regional Development have impacted on the Cathedral Quarter relate to its transport network. Key targets of the DRD for the area include a shift towards more pedestrian and cyclist friendly systems such as controlled junctions, cycling lanes and bike racks. In addition, the department set the aim of re-routing long range commuter buses and through traffic from Donegall Street to the Dunbar Link, and redeveloping the Dunbar Link as an ‘Urban Boulevard’ as outlined in BMAP. These objectives will support efforts to redefine the Cathedral Quarter as a pedestrian friendly quarter where the emphasis is on streets not roads.

INSTITUTIONAL ANALYSIS DEPARTMENT FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT The Department for Social Development (DSD) took over the responsibilities of Laganside Corporation in July 2007 and became responsible for the further regeneration of the Cathedral Quarter. The primary policy objective for regeneration is to promote and implement a comprehensive approach to tackling social, economic and physical regeneration and redressing disadvantage in cities and towns throughout Northern Ireland. The DSD works in conjunction with the DOE to ensure regeneration issues are addressed in a comprehensive strategic manner. The DSD Regeneration Policy Statement provides clear direction for the further regeneration of Belfast City Centre. One of their main aims is to strengthen Belfast City Centre as a first class shopping destination whilst providing a high quality safe urban environment, attractive to investors, employees, residents and tourists. For this to take place, it is vital to revitalise and reconnect the Cathedral Quarter back into the city centre. As such, the DSD encourages opportunities for major retail led development schemes such as the Royal Exchange to expand the retail activity of the city. DSD is currently conducting a review of the Cathedral Quarterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s managed workspace buildings to look at costs, tenant criteria, management and terms of lease. The managed workspaces are a significant asset and resource within the Cathedral Quarter. Their success is measured by their ability to create real opportunities for cultural development rather than by rental income. The DSDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current position is that the management of this scheme has not fully served the interests of the cultural quarter. While a review is underway, it is hoped that this scheme will survive and continue to address the social needs of the quarter.

NORTHERN IRELAND ENVIRONMENT AGENCY The Northern Ireland Environment Agency is the largest agency within the Department of the Environment. They implement government strategies and policies, while encouraging sustainable development, biodiversity and impacts on climate change. Their vision is to have a healthy and well protected environment and heritage in Northern Ireland which contributes to the social and economic wellbeing of the whole community. In relation to the Cathedral Quarter, the NIEA would advocate for the development of a sustainable quarter, one which minimises the impacts of future developments on the environment. This is likely to take the form of a reduced emphasis on road transport in favour of pedestrianisation and improved public transport. Another role of the NIEA is to ensure that the heritage and built environment of the Cathedral Quarter is conserved and protected. They have protected the historic structure of the area through designation. This was achieved by establishing and protecting landmark buildings such as the Merchant Hotel. They promote the location of development on vacant land and specify that new developments are to respect the existing form and scale of the buildings already in the area which gives a sense of cohesion to the area.

INSTITUTIONAL ANALYSIS BELFAST CIVIC TRUST Belfast Civic Trust argues that Belfast’s Edwardian and Victorian architectural core should be preserved and enhanced by sympathetic development, for cultural, environmental and economic reasons. This will foster a better environment to live in, a brighter city and encourage tourism. Belfast Civic Trust have organised talks on topics such as the revitalisation of the Cathedral Quarter and are keenly interested in the regeneration of this sensitive area. They have been heavily involved supporters of the St. Anne’s Cathedral project, providing recommendations to the DOE as a blueprint for renewing the identity of this unique sector of Belfast. They campaign and lobby for new buildings in Belfast to be sympathetic to the character of the city and to be of a high design standard which means they will continue to be keenly interested in any proposed buildings within the Cathedral Quarter regeneration plan. They have pushed for more residential development within the Cathedral Quarter and they support the re-use of unused historic buildings. As such and they are likely to endorse any such proposals to increase population and vitality within the regeneration concept plan.

BELFAST CITY COUNCIL Belfast City Council is the local authority for Belfast City. The council have been involved heavily in the development and regeneration of the Cathedral Quarter. They were instrumental in establishing the Cathedral Quarter Steering Group, a group including a representative from the Council itself, which went on to produce the Cathedral Quarter Strategic Vision and Development Plan. This set out the vision for the Cathedral Quarter and the means of obtaining it. The Belfast City Council Development Committee chaired by Councillor Conor Maskey welcomed the development plan. He described the council as being a key and active partner in driving and investing in the Cathedral Quarter which has been identified as a key place destination in the councils four year Integrated Tourism Strategic Framework. In addition to this, the council also provides financial support for many of the projects such as the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival. This support is crucial for the continued growth of the culture scene and identity within the Cathedral Quarter.

CATHEDRAL QUARTER STEERING GROUP The Cathedral Quarter Steering Group was formed in 2008 to create a 5 year strategic vision for the Cathedral Quarter as the thriving hub of Belfast’s cultural life. The Cathedral Quarter Steering Group includes a broad representation of arts, business, leisure, public sector and other stakeholders. The Steering Group meets monthly to map out an appropriate and sustainable strategy for future development that not only revitalises the area but also safeguards its unique personality as an historic and cultural quarter. The organisation is divided into 5 sub groups, looking at the arts and cultural activity, land use and built environment, development of the strategy, marketing, and lobbying of key stakeholders. Cathedral Quarter Steering Group took the lead in organising the highly successful Culture Night event which attracted 15,000 visitors and showcased what the Cathedral Quarter has to offer. It is events like this which will help bolster activity in the Cathedral Quarter and as such it would be advisable to consider similar proposals when developing the concept plan.

INSTITUTIONAL ANALYSIS LAGANSIDE CORPORATION Laganside Corporation originated in 1989 as a government funded body. Its role was defined as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Contributing to the revitalisation of Belfast and Northern Ireland by transforming Laganside to be attractive, accessible and sustainable, and recognised as a place of opportunity for allâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. In 1996 the Corporation expanded and worked in conjunction with Belfast City Council to regenerate areas closer to the city centre to enable them become a nucleus for business, leisure, cultural activities and residential properties. The Cathedral Quarter was designated as the area of culture as it was felt the area had potential to become a cultural quarter like those seen in other regenerating cities. In its Development Plan (2003- 2006), Laganside set out its objectives to establish a multipurpose area of historical and cultural use. The importance of preserving its heritage and unique character was emphasised. The Corporation aimed to meet these objectives by encouraging private sector investment and working with established foundations in the area to create arts facilities, for example, the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival. By implementing a clear system of traffic flow management through the area the Corporation hoped to attract inward private investment Laganside aimed to restore the Cathedral Quarter to an important position within Belfast City in light of its historical significance. In 2004 the area received streetscape improvements such as the relaying of traditional cobble surfaces, the widening of existing pavements and extensive use of Caithness stone, making the area more attractive. The Corporation successfully designated low cost buildings to community groups, arts and crafts centres. They highlighted the existing and future potential of the area and encouraged continuing business development in it. In 2007, Laganside Corporation ceased operations and control of future development of the area was transferred to the Department of Social Development.

ULSTER ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY The Ulster Architectural Heritage Society was founded 1967 to promote the appreciation and enjoyment of architecture from the prehistoric to the present in the nine counties of Ulster, and to encourage its preservation and conservation. Today with a membership of about 1200, it is considered one of the most active groups in the UK or Ireland in this field. The society successfully advocated for the introduction of listed building legislation to Northern Ireland in 1972 and is a regular contributor to planning and development matters. In May 2008, in conjunction with Belfast City Council, the society produced a guide to the more interesting buildings and streets in the Cathedral Quarter. This is a valuable resource in safeguarding and promoting the architectural character of the Cathedral Quarter.

CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

INTRODUCTION TO CATHEDRAL QUARTER Traditionally, the Cathedral Quarter was the centre of Belfast's trade and warehousing district, which sprung up directly from the prosperous linen and shipbuilding industries. The quarter still retains some of Belfast's oldest buildings and thoroughfares, including Waring Street and Hill Street. This is what contributes to the Quarter’s reputation as being one of the oldest parts of Belfast. Structurally, the Cathedral Quarter is typified by brick built warehouse style premises dating back to the 17th century, with relatively narrow streets and lanes. The Quarter takes its name from the Cathedral Church of St. Anne, which was constructed approximately one hundred years ago. Following the building of High Street in the 19th century (requiring the channelling of the Farset River) where the busy quays had once supported a thriving portside economy, the Cathedral Quarter fell into a spiral of decay and neglect. After years of significant decline and lack of investment, Laganside Corporation was given the mandate in 1997 to include the Quarter within its overall area of responsibility. This has seen the reemergence of the area as a dedicated ‘cultural quarter’ of Belfast. Areas such as North Street are still in a state of dilapidation, but are likely to be redeveloped along with the rest of the quarter.

HISTORICAL MAP OF BELFAST (1852)

HISTORICAL MAP OF BELFAST (1897)

RIVER FARSET ON HIGH ST, CIRCA 1830

SITE LOCATION

WIDER CONTEXT

THE SITE IS LOCATED WITHIN THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND.

NATIONAL CONTEXT

IT LIES AT THE HEART OF BELFAST, THE CAPITAL CITY OF NORTHERN IRELAND.

LOCAL CONTEXT

CASTLECOURT

SITE

THE ODYSSEY

WRITER’S SQUARE

UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER

ST ANNE’S SQUARE

ST ANNE’S CATHEDRAL HILL ST AREA MERCHANT HOTEL

CITY HALL

VICTORIA SQUARE

WATERFRONT

CITY CONTEXT Site location at the city scale indicates the relationship of the site to other areas of significance within Belfast City. It also illustrates the site’s location to the west of the River Lagan. City Hall indicates the civic centre of importance for the city while Castlecourt and Victoria Square are highlighted to show the site’s proximity to the main retail destinations. The Odyssey and Waterfront have been highlighted to demonstrate the Cathedral Quarter’s relationship to the other major sites of regenerative activity within the City Centre.

CARPARK

NORTH ST ARCADE

LOCAL CONTEXT The local context reveals the constituent elements or landmarks that give the site its sense of place. St. Anne’s Square and Writer’s Square focus onto St. Anne’s Cathedral as the centre point of the site. To the south in the Hill St area lies the burgeoning Cultural Quarter, home to various creative industries and the Merchant Hotel. North St Arcade and the North Street carpark are located in the west of the site, both in severe states of dereliction. The University of Ulster is situated to the north and spans across the site boundary as prescribed for this study.

LAND USE AND BUILDING HEIGHT LAND USE MAP

BUILDING HEIGHTS The land use analysis reveals a number of things about the site. Firstly, there is a shortage of greenspace within the Cathedral Quarter. It is limited in distribution to the area in front of the University of Ulster building and Writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Square. Both are underused spaces and neither give the sense of a truly green environment. The high level of dereliction within the Quarter is illustrated also and gives an obvious indication of where regeneration efforts should be concentrated in order to lift the aesthetic of the area. Thirdly, the low supply of residential land use is highlighted. The concept plan should focus on increasing the supply and in doing so increase the activity that will activate the dependent spaces and functions of the Cathedral Quarter.

DERELICT

GREENSPACE

OFFICE

MIXED USE

COMMERCIAL

EDUCATIONAL

RESIDENTIAL

ECCLESIASTICAL

The building heights analysis demonstrates the characteristic height of the Cathedral Quarter. With most of the area falling within 3 to 4 storeys, this must be kept in mind when proposing infill development.

1 TO 2 STOREYS

3 TO 4 STOREYS

5 TO 6 STOREYS

7 TO 8 STOREYS

LEGIBILITY This map illustrates how the Cathedral Quarter operates in terms of paths, nodes, landmarks and edges. The routes are designated in order of importance to show the paths of greatest activity. The paths receiving less footfall are indicated clearly as are the paths restricted to pedestrian movement. The map shows the dispersion of landmarks throughout the site with the graduated sizing of the star indicated the relative significance of each. The absence of a landmark in the centre of the site in what is known as the Four Corners area is a striking omission and is something which could be developed within the concept plan as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Gateway to the Cathedral Quarterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; due to its strategic position. The primary nodes are lcoated along the site boundary where the Cathedral Quarter interacts with neighbouring areas. This indicates the importance of creating a sense of arrival when moving into the Cathedral Quarter, to differentiate from the surrounding areas where much of the activity will orginate. In terms of edges, the Dunbar Link is a divisive feature within the streetscape, disrupting pedestrian flow which might be moving from the residential communities to the north of the Cathedral Quarter. Furthermore, as there is significant development potential in the Waterfront part of the city to the east of the Cathedral Quarter, it is imperative that ways be found to overcome edges such as the Dunbarr link so that the Cathedral Quarter will not become isolated from future developments in that part of the city. PRIMARY ROUTE SECONDARY ROUTE

LANDMARK NODE

TERTIARY ROUTE

LEGIBILITY MAP OF CATHEDRAL QUARTER

PEDESTRIAN ROUTE

EDGE

CHARACTER AREAS

UNIVERSITY AREA

PRINT INDUSTRY

CATHEDRAL & WRITER’S SQUARE

UNDERUSED LAND

ST ANNE’S SQUARE

DUNBAR LINK

CULTURAL QUARTER DERELICT AREA

CORE RETAIL AREA

COMMERCIAL

This graphic displays the division of the Cathedral Quarter into distinct character areas. As the categories show, a congruous character area may be defined by a dominant architectural style or a dominant land use. In some areas the edges between character areas may not be concrete.

ACTIVITY

RO YA L

AV E

YO RK

ACTIVE FRONTAGES

ACTIVE FRONTAGES ALONG ROYAL AVENUE

TR LS

GA NE

VEN AL A ROY

YS AR

M SE

LOW

MEDIUM

HIGH

INACTIVE FRONTAGES ALONG HILL STREET

Mapping active frontages allows us to locate those areas where opportunities exist for activity to spill out onto pavements through shop displays, cafĂŠs and other transparent frontages.

ISSUE

The main areas of activity are along Royal Avenue and stretch westward through High St and Rosemary St towards North Street. The north-east part of the site is largely inactive, most notably the Cultural Quarter around Hill Street; the success of which will depend on increased footfall. There is a moderate level of activity where Royal Avenue turns north-east and becomes York Street influenced by the activity surrounding the University of Ulster.

MANY STREETS IN THE CULTURAL QUARTER HAVE LOW LEVELS OF ANIMATION AND ACTIVITY

The concept plan should include elements to increase activity and activate frontages along the key arteries of the Cathedral Quarter. This will do much to increase the sense of security and vitality.

PERMEABILITY The Cathedral Quarter is permeated by a number of routes with reasonably good accessibility for the pedestrian and motorised vehicles. DUNBAR LINK DONEGALL ST

A break in permeability is visible in the block between Donegall Street and North Street. Although Writer’s Square allows for daytime passage, the archway is gated at night which breaks the connectivity. Skirting the eastern perimeter and defining the limits of the area is the Dunbar Link. It is a dual-carriageway inner ring road built in the late 1970’s connecting York Street to Victoria Street. While it allows the majority of vehicular traffic to avoid the inner reaches of the site, it prevents ease of pedestrian movement across the divide towards the waterfront.

NORTH ST

ISSUE THE DUNBAR LINK SEVERS PEDESTRIAN ROUTES TOWARDS THE WATERFRONT AREA.

ISSUE THERE IS A BREAK IN THE PEDESTRIAN ROUTE NETWORK BETWEEN NORTH STREET AND DONEGALL STREET.

The concept plan should devise a solution to reconnect the Cathedral Quarter beyond the confines of the Dunbar Link. It should also address the need for a permanent all hours right of way through the North Street - Donegall block structure.

STREET LAYOUT

OPEN SPACE

INACTIVE FRONTAGES ALONG HILL STREET

BUILT HERITAGE BELFAST EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD

ST ANNEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CATHEDRAL

COTTON HOUSE

SINCLAIR HOUSE

TRANSPORT HOUSE

NORTH ST ARCADE

NATIONAL BANK

ASSEMBLY ROOMS

LISTED BUILDING

CONSERVATION AREA

The location and extent of the Cathedral Conservation Area is illustrated in this graphic. It indicates the dispersion of listed buildings throughout the site. This buildings are amongst those that give the strongest sense of the character of the Cathedral Quarter. It is important to consider the listed buildings and configure ways to enhance their influence on their surroundings in the concept plan.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS CASE STUDIES BELFAST BILBAO BREMEN BRISTOL CARDIFF DUBLIN DUNDEE

GLASGOW LIVERPOOL MANCHESTER MILAN NEWCASTLE NOTTINGHAM SHEFFIELD

This report will now investigate the processes and outcomes of regeneration attempts as they have been experienced in various cities, both in the UK and further afield. The focus will be on those elements that are comparable to the conditions in the Cathedral Quarter or Belfast in order to extract a series of lessons from the 14 case studies which can be applied to the Cathedral Quarter regeneration strategy.

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND Belfast has been included as a comparative case study in order to examine other regeneration efforts which have been undertaken in the city. This insight into the Belfast experience of regeneration will help determine how the development of a Cathedral Quarter Regeneration Strategy can be informed by the lessons which have been learned in the past within the same local context. As the capital city of Northern Ireland and the second city on the island of Ireland, the importance of Belfast to the wider economic region is significant. Strikingly, Belfastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population has experienced a persistent decline from a pre-World War One level of 400,000 to a mid-year estimate of 268,323 in 2008. This in combination with the consequences of the Troubles from the late 1960s onwards resulted in a city largely blighted by decline and lack of investment. As documented in the institutional analysis, Laganside Corporation was established in 1989 and undertook an expansive programme of waterside regeneration which became a catalyst for the reimaging of Belfast as an attractive place to live, work and invest. The Department of the Environment and the Department of Social Development worked in partnership to manage the plans and finance across a number of sites. Each project focussed on maximising the benefits accruing to local communities and extending accessibility for all Belfast residents.

CITY LOCATION

BELFAST LAGANSIDE

LAGANSIDE APARTMENTS

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND WATERFRONT HALL The Waterfront Hall provided an excellent new public building. It attracted half a million people every year. It is situated just off the waterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edge and provides a major service to the public. The waterside location of this beautiful hall was instrumental in attracting more investment into the area. The Hilton Hotel, Northbrook Technology, and the BT tower are in the area now providing Belfast with a majestic skyline that could not have been imagined some years before.

WATERFRONT HALL

WATERFRONT HALL AT NIGHT

ODYSSEY COMPLEX The Odyssey complex was built on the site of the old coal quay which was used for coal in the days of the ship building in the famous Harland and Wolff yard. The complex provides a wide range of entertainment and leisure activities. This arena is also used for concerts and has attracted many worldwide famous stars. The educational W5 Interactive Discovery Centre is located in the complex and has proven to be a popular place for family and school visits.

ODYSSEY ARENA

ODYSSEY ARENA SIGNAGE

ODYSSEY ARENA RIVER VIEW

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND THE GASWORKS

LESSONS LEARNED [1] FOCUS ON NATURAL ASSETS

When Laganside Corporation was set up the late 1980s the old gasworks site was beyond use, uneconomical and regarded as an ‘eyesore’. The park’s distinctive funnel and clock tower mark the site where the city’s gas-making industry began production in the 19th century. The Corporation along with Belfast City Council decided to regenerate the whole site. Public opinion was sought in order to see what would best fit the area and following this a development plan was prepared. The regeneration of the gasworks was completed in 2001. Many new buildings were constructed as well as a new public walkway and cycle route. Together they provided over 2000 jobs for the area.

Focusing regeneration around a prominent natural asset proved very successful. The significance of the Lagan and its associated waters to Belfast’s traditional shipbuilding industry could not be overlooked, nor indeed its strategic location. Laganside built upon this potential to give a new vibrancy to the Belfast waterfront through harnessing the natural attraction of water for social and economic activities. [2] POTENTIAL OF DERELICT BUILDINGS

STONE COLUMNS

The refurbishment of derelict buildings at The Gasworks was instrumental in retaining the sense of history and continuity with the original site. They provide for an attractive mix of building types in the development and ensure that the architectural quality of the previous era is retained. This example of restoration can be applied to the Cathedral Quarter where there is scope for similar regeneration of unused derelict buildings which give parts of the Quarter a ‘run down’ appearance. [3] IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY HOUSING

GASWORKS RAILINGS

RADISSON HOTEL

Greater attention should have been afforded to attracting city centre residents. Concerns regarding whom the houses would be allocated to in Laganside resulted in low housing provision initially, resulting in quiet streets on weeknights. Efforts to attract residents should be increased in the Cathedral Quarter, with a clear emphasis on a diversified population to maintaining activity at all hours of the day.

BILBAO, SPAIN Bilbao, the economic, social and cultural centre of the Basque Country in Northern Spain has in recent years been immersed in an unprecedented process of transformation and modernisation. The image of Bilbao known only for its industry, its shipyards and steel mills has been left behind. As late as the mid-Nineties, Bilbao was mired in industrial decay. But less than 20 years on, chic restaurants and dramatic architectural statements dot its centre. The opening of its artistic totem — the Museo Guggenheim — in 1997 was the catalyst for this regeneration. Bilbao’s urban regeneration process has been widely marketed on an international scale, as a unique example of “best practice” in urban regeneration and a model to be imitated by other cities undergoing similar destructuring and socio-economic and urban decline problems.

ENTREPRENEURIAL APPROACH CITY LOCATION

GUGGENHEIM FROM THE NERVION RIVER

This example of regeneration was achieved through a new set of practices, known as the entrepreneurial approach, which focusses on property led place marketing exercises. It frequently involves the insertion of a landmark building designed by a star-architect to stimulate a re-branding of the city identity in order to encourage private spin off investment. New policy instruments were developed to spearhead urban revitalization, notably: the new Municipal Urban Plan (1989), the Metropolitan Spatial Plan (1994) and the Strategic Plan for Metropolitan Revitalization (1992). In addition, Bilbao’s urban regeneration process relied heavily upon critical institutional and urban governance innovations, especially the creation of Bilbao Ría 2000 in November 1992, a private firm of public shareholders set up to carry out integrated urban redevelopment initiatives in the metropolitan area of Bilbao, and Metropoli 30, a public-private partnership, established to implement and give continuity to the process of strategic planning.

PANORAMA OF BILBAO CITY

BILBAO, SPAIN INFRASTRUCTURE The third lynchpin of urban regeneration in Bilbao has been massive investment in large-scale transport and infrastructure projects. These projects included a new metro system, the expansion of the outer port, the new airport terminal, new railway lines, the Guggenheim Museum, the Euskalduna Concert and Congress Hall, and a new Business Exhibit Centre. Over 4 billion euro of investment was injected into Bilbao in less than a decade.

LESSONS LEARNED [1] STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN The importance of a strategic development plan to act as a catalyst for city regeneration. [2] NEED FOR REGENERATION

BILBAO PORT

[3] LONG TERM INVESTMENT

ABANDOIBARRA Abandoibarra was the most emblematic project taken on by BILBAO RĂa 2000 within the Bilbao regeneration framework. This area was crafted into the centre of Bilbao as the natural continuation of the Ensanche area, and constitutes a city model for the 21st century with almost 350,000 square metres of land. In accordance with the Master Plan drawn up by the architect Cesar Pelli, there is room for leisure, business, culture, green spaces, housing and an expanse of water which no longer acts as a barrier, but has rather been transformed into an axis stretching across the city.

The surface appearance of an area must be transformed but so too must the underlying economic characteristics that created the need for regeneration in the first instance.

Concern was expressed about the high level of investment required to produce cultural events and infrastructures. It was argued that the long term legacy of these events should secure a balanced spatial and social distribution of benefits. [4] BRANDING THE EUSKALDUNA AT NIGHT

The Guggenheim Museum which is often credited with the cities success is good for Bilbaoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s city branding but not per se for its urban revitalization. [5] PRIVATE / PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS The rise of private-public partnerships in the planning system has promoted new speculative and exclusive spaces (e.g. Abandoibarra), whilst the rest of the urban fabric has been forgotten.

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM

BREMEN, GERMANY In the 1970s, the city of Bremen began to lose its role as a prime location for retail, office and residential uses, although the city centre still had 8,800 inhabitants. Local experts identified at least three drivers of decline. First, residential and retail suburbanisation increased rapidly from the 1970s, meaning that the city centre now has to compete with massive shopping centres outside its boundaries. Second, from the 1970s, Bremen followed a polycentric model of land-use planning, giving intermediate centres equal status with the city centre. This was only reversed in 1992. Third, structural economic change undermined the harbour and trade-related businesses, making the old central port infrastructure obsolete. In the city centre, approximately 20,000 service sector jobs disappeared in the 1970s and 1980s, many related to harbour activities, such as logistics, trading, transportation, storage. Consequently many buildings fell into disuse, especially in the Schlachte area on the river Weser.

ISSUES FACED BY BREMEN

CITY LOCATION

[1] [2] [3] [4]

Loss of jobs in all sectors Economic decline Unable to compete with retail parks and shopping centres on periphery Derelict buildings

In a bid to remedy the crippling economic losses faced by Bremen throughout the 1970s, it was at this point that the decision was made to initiate a profound “change of direction” in the economic focus of the city. The accompanying strategy to the plan was hence to transform Bremen from a “harbour city” to a modern, re-vamped “city of science” This was carried out through a number of measures such as an Economic Policy Action Programme (WAP) Special Investment programme (ISP) as well as through “Innovation 2010” which was designed to ensure the continuing development of its innovation and technical focus. BREMEN WATERFRONT AT NIGHT

BREMEN, GERMANY LESSONS LEARNED

URBAN II COMMUNITY INITIATIVE

[1] DERELICT BUILDINGS

In order to address the problems facing Bremen, a scheme entitled the URBAN II Community Initiative was launched. It offered a creative and innovative approach to regeneration, with a clear emphasis on a strong grassroots approach which would involve local people in every stage of the decision making process. The programme had three priorities: [1] DEVELOPMENT OF A TECHNOLOGY PARK.

BREMEN TOWN HALL

[2] ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING

A historic building at the harbour site will be turned into a business accommodation centre for starting entrepreneurs in the multimedia and information technology sector. [2] FUNDING SOCIAL CAPITAL The second emphasis would focus on funding for local employment, social activities and training actions with a focus on developing an ‘information society’. This would be coupled with neighbourhood management and the stimulation of start-ups.

Alongside the restoration of the centre, the city began reinvesting in its inner and outer neighbourhoods which implied linking funds to target the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Indeed, similar action should be taken when regarding the Cathedral Quarter on account of the vast potential for housing in this area.

CITY CENTRE MARKETPLACE

Despite the massive economic losses and dramatic deindustrialisation which occurred throughout the 1970s, today Bremen remains one of the country’s major industrial cities with studies showing the massive impact of technology-focused investment in the country. Through this, it is seen as essential that industry in this part of Belfast be dramatically improved [3] INWARD INVESTMENT Bremen has experienced certain economic losses on account of large retail parks on the city’s edge as well as through neighbouring cities such as Delmenhorst and FahrLobbendorf in much the same way Belfast has had to compete with Lisburn and Sprucefield. In this manner, retail in the city centre should be rejuvenated and more openly encouraged.

[3] RECONSTRUCTING OLD MARKET PLACE Additionally, green areas would be expanded for recreational use. All of the above objectives are strongly underpinned by local partnership principles, and it is hoped that this scheme will make a substantial contribution to urban regeneration in Bremen. BREMEN TECHNOLOGY PARK

BRISTOL, ENGLAND Bristol is the sixth largest City in England with a population of 382,000, including 36,000 students at two universities. It has prospered in recent decades due to the cultivation of a knowledge based mixed economy, and because it has not relied on declining manufacturing industries. This has lead it to become the strongest economy in England outside of London based on GDP per capita. However Bristol is now experiencing economic pressures and its growing population adds to these in terms of affordability and sustainability. There are social problems in the inner city and adjoining estates, marked by pockets of deprivation which threaten the continued prosperity of the city as a whole. European Union funding was leveraged and the Bristol Objective 2 Regeneration Plan was proposed to stimulate growth with the following strategic objectives: [1]

Develop the potential of the local community

[2] Address social, economic and environmental decline and disadvantage [3] Remove barriers to employment and training for disadvantaged groups

CITY LOCATION

IMAGES OF BRISTOL

BRISTOL, ENGLAND CHALLENGES FACED

LESSONS LEARNED

Successful regeneration of the area had some significant hurdles to overcome such as the area experiencing social and economic decline, low levels of employment and serious environmental deprivation. The commercial sector was also seriously suffering from competition from suburban retail centres. Bristol’s new £500m shopping and leisure district, opened in September 2008. It was the city’s largest regeneration scheme since the post-World War II reconstruction, covering 1 million square feet of high quality retail and leisure space. Highlights of the development include: 120 new stores, over 200 new homes (including 24 affordable homes), three new pedestrian streets and new dedicated open spaces, improved access by public transport, including new cycle routes, and the creation of over 4000 jobs in the city.

[1] INCLUSION AND INTEGRATION

CITY CENTRE AT NIGHT

The building programmes were largely run by Bristol City Council, and did not directly involve existing community based organisations. Some of this work could have been contracted out to Bristol’s voluntary, community and social economy (VCSE) infrastructure organisations, thus reaching out to excluded communities and fostering greater public engagement. The importance of the VCSE organisations should be recognised and included in the Cathedral Quarter. [2] EMPLOYMENT

ELEVATED VIEW OF CITY AT NIGHT

A number of projects worked hard to maximise local employment and business opportunities during and after the build phase. However, Government benefits were considered a barrier to engaging residents in employment schemes. It was felt that more social enterprises should have been set up to encourage job creation to ensure a viable and sustainable development [3] NEW AND REFURBISHED BUILDINGS

CABOT CIRCUS SHOPPING CENTRE

FOUNTAIN IN CITY CENTRE

The project provided many new buildings though some of them are perhaps less viable or sustainable than was initially envisaged. It is important that the derelict buildings in the Cathedral Quarter are refurbished to a high standard so that they are sustainable, durable and add value to the Quarter.

CARDIFF, WALES By the end of the nineteenth century, South Wales was one of the leading exporters of coal and steel in the world. Though it did economically diversify in time, its growth was modest for most of the twentieth century. As the coal trade declined, South Cardiff and the Waterfront were largely ignored to focus on a service economy for the rest of the city. The property crash of 1973 ruined massive modernist redevelopment plans for the city. However Cardiff has been described as the archetypal ‘urban renaissance’ city due it a number of its characteristics influencing its resilience. These include a competitive ethos, resurgent growth, high-density and entirely brownfield development. With the coal docks falling into dereliction and the steel works closing in 1978 the city councils looked to regenerate South Cardiff. The Cardiff Bay Development Corporation was established in 1987 in order to redevelop one sixth of the area of Cardiff to create Cardiff Bay in partnership with Cardiff Council. The CBDC’s mission statement was set out as the following: “To put Cardiff on the international map as a superlative maritime city which will stand comparison with any such city in the world, thereby enhancing the image and economic well-being of Cardiff and Wales as a whole.”

CITY LOCATION

CARDIFF COAL DOCKS

CARDIFF BAY

CARDIFF, WALES CHALLENGES There were many challenges, such as the sheer size of the 1,092 hectare area, a difficult development climate, and aiming to achieve targets in a short space of time meant that much design advice was progressively disregarded. Despite this, there were many architecturally distinctive buildings, though they were few and far between. By 2000 the Inner Harbour and the Oval Basin were very successful and according to Punter “the subsequent completion of the Wales Millennium Centre and Senedd, two national projects, gave the bay two genuine icons” (2010: 286). By the late 1990s Cardiff was enjoying a housing boom but there was not enough growth to feed two office cores in the bay and the city centre, so only one could be kept going at a slow rate. Even by 2005, despite outline approval being given for eleven major office buildings behind the Wales Millennium Centre, there was little demand for such space. The secondary office market, consisting of twenty to thirty year old buildings in the city centre collapsed at the end of the 1990s, so the buildings were sold on for institutional use (such as universities) or converted into apartments or hotels, leading to new residential areas on the southern and eastern edges of the city centre.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR WALES

THE MILLENIUM CENTRE

LESSONS LEARNED [1] FOCUS OF REDEVELOPMENT Cardiff’s redevelopment has been focused on the waterfront, rather than the city centre, partly due to them being geographically quite far apart. The Cathedral Quarter however, occupies the middle ground between the city centre and the waterfront, and it is therefore possible and very important to ensure successful regeneration and development of the whole area [2] GROWING STUDENT POPULATION The relocation of the Jordanstown campus to the existing University of Ulster site in the Cathedral Quarter will see an influx of some 12,000 students in need of need accommodation, facilities and amenities. In Cardiff, student accommodation has become an important design control issue, and therefore particular attention must be paid to any accommodation development in the Cathedral Quarter. [3] ICONIC DESIGN The Roald Dahl Plass (formerly the Oval Basin) and the Senedd (National Assembly for Wales) are two examples of internationally recognisable iconic design within Cardiff. As the Cathedral Quarter already has a rich cultural history, creating an iconic building will further enhance the area.

LANDSCAPING - MILLENIUM CENTRE

ELEVATED VIEW OF CARDIFF BAY

DUBLIN, IRELAND The renewal of Temple Bar involved the regeneration of an underutilised and rundown area (28 acres) in the centre of Dublin city. In the late 1980s, the area was characterised by widespread dereliction and decay. The area lacked significant investment and was blighted by the threat of the development of a central bus station, as CIE had bought up large tracts of land for this purpose. The area was dotted with derelict sites used as surface car parking and many poorly maintained buildings. Much of the property was leased short term to retailers, artists and musicians. This imbued the area with an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;avant gardeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and bohemian atmosphere and a plethora of cultural activities colonized the area. Following opposition to the bus station development, the government reassessed the plans for the area. Dublin City Council prepared an Action Area plan in 1990 which recommended a strategy to conserve and revitalise the area. The regeneration focussed on enhancing cultural and historical heritage, overseen by two newly established semi state companies - Temple Bar Properties Ltd. and Temple Bar Renewal Ltd.

CITY LOCATION

OLD TEMPLE BAR

TEMPLE BAR NOW

DUBLIN, IRELAND THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT Linking the area successfully into the surrounding environment, creating new connections within the area, and introducing a greater residential component into the area were key objectives. The result has been the creation of a 24 hour mixed-use area, which includes entertainment, residential, commercial and cultural functions. Attempts to increase the residential population in the area have been successful, growing from 250 residents in 1990 to over 2,500 today. This demonstrates the success of mixing uses on different floors with inner courtyards and roof gardens to provide private space for residents. The creation of two new public spaces, Meeting House Square and Temple Bar Square created new focal points and meeting places. The area was transformed into a dedicated pedestrian enclave with traffic calmed through the widening of footpaths and tree planting. A new bridge was built to connect to the Henry Street shopping area on the North of the Liffey.

LESSONS LEARNED [1] COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT The Temple Bar experience highlights the importance of actively involving community residents and enterprises. Local businesses became disillusioned as they felt that Temple Bar Properties Ltd were only concerned with supporting new enterprise, failing to support established businesses as the renewal project gained momentum. [2] VIABLE AMENITIES The experience shows also that a small area can only hope to support a certain number of large centres and that there is a need to carefully consider the viability of various enterprises. [3] OVER SATURATION Temple Bar warns of the dangers of over-provision of certain uses e.g. pub spaces. The area has become somewhat blighted by a hen and stag night culture. To avoid conflict between residential and pub and other late night uses, they should be concentrated along specific routes. Student housing may be appropriate where residential use and late night uses are provided side by side. [4] QUALITY SPACE

TEMPLE BAR 1980â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

VIBRANT CULTURAL QUARTER

It is vital that the quality that makes a place unique in the first instance is not lost through gentrification. Small scale artists studios and small entrepreneurial initiatives have been pushed out of Temple Bar as higher order retail units take over. Culture in Temple Bar has become somewhat sanitised and that the production of art has been replaced by consumption.

DUNDEE, SCOTLAND In the nineteenth and early twentieth century Dundee was established as an important industrial and trading centre. Its industrial strength was based on manufacturing of goods thanks to trading links, local agricultural produce and industry such as shipbuilding and engineering. In the 1920s and 1930s Dundee experienced economic decline due to a global recession, falling demand for its products and a lack of inward investment. This decline, restructuring, and re-configuration still continues to this day. In the early nineteenth century Dundee was effectively a one industry-city, as it was heavily dependent on the manufacturing and trade of jute, and was vulnerable to its decline right up to 1945. Employment in textiles and clothing accounted for over 50% of the labour force. The industry was highly vulnerable to outside influences, such as overseas competition. The economy continued this decline in the post war period.

DUNDEE JUTE MILL

DUNDEE CITY CENTRE

THREE PHASES OF REVIVAL

CITY LOCATION

Three phases of revival occurred since 1945. The first ran from 1945-1970 and saw a period of assertive planning for Dundee city and the region as a whole. The Town and Country Planning Act 1947 allowed for the possibility to change the city. In the 1950s and 1960s the Tay Valley Plan and the Dobson Chapman Plan advocated improvement of working class housing in the city centre together with the construction of peripheral housing estates.

DUNDEE, SCOTLAND The second phase took place from 1970-1980 which tried to address the industrial legacy through physical regeneration. The Blackness industrial area was highlighted for improvement. Once an important industrial site, the area was experiencing sharp decline. The Blackness Project involved the coordination of infrastructure improvements in the area, such as upgrading individual buildings and sites, and conversion of redundant buildings for more productive use by small businesses. The project demonstrated that coordinated and concerted action could create clear benefits for defined localities and an integrated approach to policy formulation and implementation across the city.

LESSONS LEARNED [1] DEVELOPMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE The establishment of a new contemporary arts centre has invigorated the area as a cultural hub and created a new focal point for the arts in the area. A similar scheme in the Cathedral Quarter would help to regenerate the area. [2] CO-OPERATION AND CO-ORDINATION Successful co-ordination and co-operation between the various bodies involved has created a prosperous environment for regeneration of the area as whole. The many bodies with interests in the Cathedral Quarter should work together to ensure the maximum benefit for the area. [3] REGENERATION OF DERELICT BUILDINGS

BLACKNESS INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS

CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTRE

THE DUNDEE PARTNERSHIP The third phase ran from the 1980s to the present which saw Dundee focus on development agency intervention and was characterised by partnership. The Dundee Partnership was an informal institutional arrangement between key players in the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy. In terms of restructuring Dundee, there has been an emphasis on its development through arts and culture strategy. Launched in 1994, the Arts Strategy aims to develop Dundee as a regional centre for the arts. This led to the new Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre which hopefully allows the recognition of the city as a major international centre for the visual arts. Using the centre as a focus, the plan also aims to create a cultural quarter around the area beside the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s central waterfront.

By converting derelict buildings for new uses, the area is reinvigorated and helps both the aesthetic quality of the streetscape and overall character of the area. There are many derelict buildings within the Cathedral Quarter that can be redeveloped.

DUNDEE WATERFRONT PANORAMA

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND Over the last 20 years, Glasgow has gained a reputation for innovative and successful urban regeneration. A number of strategic priorities for action have been identified by the Council that relate to the core aims of improving the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s physical environment and quality of life; increasing economic investment and the numbers of jobs; and stemming population loss from the City. These aims are being realised through the implementation of a number of key development programmes, all which involve the Council working with its partners to deliver successful and sustainable regeneration within Glasgow.

ISSUES FACED IN GLASGOW CITY CENTRE

CITY LOCATION

[1]

Severe economic decline within the city centre.

[2]

920 sites of vacant land within city centre and surrounding area.

[3]

Widespread dereliction and contaminated land.

[4]

Poor built environment amongst inner city housing tenements.

[5]

High crime rates, including drug and alcohol abuse in the city centre.

[6]

Increasing competition from out of town retailers.

SALTMARKET REGENERATION SITE

GLASGOW HARBOUR APARTMENTS

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND LESSONS LEARNED

DEVELOPMENT NETWORKS In an effort to remedy the issues noted above which were extensive and widespread throughout the 1980’s, in 1986 Glasgow began to take initiative, and in doing so began to evolve the most extensive area-based economic development network of any city in Europe, offering tailored, innovative local solutions to local problems. Throughout the next 14 years, numerous Local Development Companies were set up all over the city, the first of these being the Govan Initiative (1986) and such companies are still operating across the whole of Glasgow to this day. The work delivered by these development and regeneration companies has proved to be an unforeseen success and the work has extended to multi-million pound urban renewal projects including Zaha Hadid’s plans for the new Riverside Museum and the Clyde Waterfront which has brought together the public and private sectors to rejuvenate a 20km stretch of land alongside the river.

[1] ECONOMIC DECLINE The growing number of business and retail parks located on the periphery of Belfast is drawing consumer activity away from the retail core as was the case in Glasgow, leading to economic decline in the centre. Efforts in the Cathedral Quarter need to focus on rejuvenating the area through niche shopping outlets harnessing the creative capacity of the area, rather than attempting to compete directly with adjacent Victoria Square and Castlecourt. [2] DERELICT BUILDINGS Due to the large amount of unused buildings throughout the Cathedral Quarter, efforts should be made to conduct work in a similar vein to the LDCs operating in Glasgow to develop these existing buildings to be fit for use once more. [3] HOUSING Throughout the 1980s, a large proportion of slum tenement buildings were built across Glasgow to provide improved sanitary living conditions. However, these fell into disrepair because rent levels were too low to meet the required maintenance costs of good management. Presently, the total value of completed houses has increased to £1,251 million. This is a lesson which should be kept in mind when increasing the housing stock in the Cathedral Quarter. [4] OFFICE INVESTMENT

RIVERSIDE MUSEUM BY ZAHA HADID

Glasgow saw a steady increase in office development over the three years 2004-2007 (£49.1 to £71.8 million). The Cathedral Quarter should seek to promote its potential for primely located office space as Glasgow has done. This will help deliver employment and establish an active daytime population, which will create vibrancy in the streets and public spaces.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND Liverpool lost one quarter of its population and more than one half of its manufacturing industry since 1971. In the 1970s the government identified the main causes of inner city deprivation to be economic and structural rather than social and local issues. In response, Liverpool has employed various methods to encourage urban regeneration.

ISSUES FACED BY LIVERPOOL CITY CENTRE [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Fewer people living in the city centre Falling office and commercial employment rate Increasing competition from out of town retail centres Increasing volumes of traffic Environmental Degradation

MERSEYSIDE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

The Merseyside Development Corporation (MDC) was created in 1981 to regenerate the area. The MDC was initially criticised for a lack of local accountability and poor coordination with other local agencies. For example the 1984 International Garden Festival was a great success but lacked any arrangements for continued funding and operation at the end of the festival The site was then closed and served as a reminder of the consequences of a lack of forward planning.. The MDC has had great success though, particularly with the Albert Dock complex, which became home to the Merseyside Maritime Museum, the Tate Gallery as well as various offices, luxury apartments and retail outlets.

CITY LOCATION GARDEN FESTIVAL DOME 2006

ALBERT DOCK AT NIGHT

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND CITY CHALLENGE In 1990 local authorities in England were invited to bid for City Challenge funds for regeneration of their respective area. These would be prepared by local authorities who would collaborate with other local partners. The City Challenge team achieved a great deal of physical change, such as the Queen Square redevelopment which included a new hotel and refurbished offices for the city council. Liverpool’s City Challenge team focused on vacant and derelict buildings, rather than land. Many large prestigious buildings occupying key sites in and around the city centre were regenerated. Although this was only one part of a larger strategy it was a key driver of change in the area. Liverpool’s regeneration has according to Couch “Been characterised by both by heavy central government intervention and by a fragmentation of responsibility among an array of public and community- based organisations” (2003: 54).

LESSONS LEARNED [1] DERELICT BUILDINGS The City Challenge team targeted the regeneration of derelict buildings as one of the most effective ways to improve the run down appearance of the city centre. This highlights the importance of targeting sites of derelictions within the Cathedral Quarter. [2] HOUSING Encouraging more people to live within Liverpool city centre was a key goal. Many people work in Belfast City Centre, but very few live there. Efforts should be made to increase the housing stock of an affordable and good quality nature. [3] INWARD INVESTMENT Like Liverpool, Belfast faces competition from other neighbouring cities such as Lisburn, and from out of town retails outlets at Sprucefield. Investment should be encouraged and directed inwards to help reinvigorate the area. [4] CO-OPERATION AND CO-ORDINATION Liverpool suffered from a lack of co-ordination and co-operation between organisations. It is vital to ensure that all bodies involved in the Cathedral Quarter have their roles and responsibilities clear in relation to each other and in relation to the regeneration of the area as a whole.

QUEEN SQUARE

QUEEN SQUARE AT NIGHT

[5] FORWARD PLANNING Forward planning is incredibly important and provision much be put in place to ensure the maintenance and funding of any public spaces and amenities to ensure they do not become neglected.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND Manchester originated as a Roman city but is renowned for being the first industrial city in the world. Much of Manchester’s history is concerned with textile manufacture and cotton processing specifically during the Industrial Revolution. Regeneration of Manchester began in the late 1980s, with initiatives such as the Metrolink, the Bridgewater Concert Hall, the Manchester Evening News Arena, and in Salford the rebranding of the port as “Salford Quays”. The Central Manchester Development Corporation was established in 1988. The role of the CMDC was to encourage the overall growth of economic activity potential in the central city through direct investment. Manchester’s city centre redevelopment has involved a complex array of development opportunities and realised investment potential.The development of Manchester’s City Centre has involved strategies to promote growth in private sector development. Perhaps no better example of private/ public infusion in the Manchester context is Salford Quays. This area is an attempt by central government, private investors and urbanists to restore Salford as a centerpiece within the ‘New Manchester’. Salford was in need of drastic regeneration as it was in decline during the 1980s. Following the regeneration and redevelopment of the area it is now a thriving hub of cultural activity.

CITY LOCATION

VIEW OF MANCHESTER

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND SALFORD QUAYS Salford Quays is the product of private/public partnership, spearheaded by the central government to create the necessary conditions that would ensure the desired end result. The area has seen the addition of a £70 million leisure complex and a £28 million Imperial War Museum of the North. The Lowry Gallery has also proven to be the ideal addition to the redeveloped Salford Quays. It is the pinnacle of the efforts to achieve a well-rounded complex of buildings and associated uses. Investment became available for millennium projects and other developments in the form of EU funding, government monies and private investment also. This enabled successful regeneration in Manchester.

LESSONS LEARNED

[1] PUBLIC PRIVATE CO-ORDINATION The importance of public and private collaboration in the regeneration of cities is paramount. The Salford Quays has proved to be a great success and this is largely due to a strong public and private collaboration [2] COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT In order to ensure a lasting impact is made in the regenerated areas it is essential that the local community remains empower and it is not socially excluded. For the regeneration of Hulme to be a success, community participation was critical. A positive response from the local community in the Cathedral Quarter in response to any development will be very important.

A final example of regeneration in Manchester is Hulme. This was a run down area, with poor living conditions. The area was dilapidated and in need of redevelopment. The reestablishment of connectivity with Manchester’s city centre is a fundamental component of the urban regeneration project in Hulme. The Hulme City Challenge also helped physically redesign a significant portion of Manchester incorporating 3,000 dwellings units, improvements to infrastructure and provisions for retail and commercial development. The City Challenge bid allocated £7.5 million per annum for five years to aid the transformation in Hulme. A joint venture was set up to secure funds for housing, highways and the extension of the metro system. Over £110 million has been raised from both the public and private sector to rebuild the entire community. Upon regeneration of the area ‘The Hulme arch’ was erected, this is a symbol of reconnection and a landmark for the city.

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM

HULME ARCH

SALFORD QUAYS

CITY OF MANCHESTER

MILAN, ITALY In the past, Milan had experienced a plethora of issues which it is still working towards remedying even today. However, these problems stemmed, not from Milan alone, but were part of a larger crisis which was gripping Italy at the time. This included falls in industrial production and GDP, lower investment, lower consumption of families as well as falling employment rates. In a bid to work through these problems, effort with regards to urban regeneration was being tackled throughout Milan, with policy makers being advised to pursue a systematic and bottom-up approach as well as a call for them to make it easier for companies and individuals to invest in people and research and development.

WIDESPREAD FOCUS

CITY LOCATION

SHOPPING MALL ADJACENT TO DUOMO

At present, the Milan municipality has been pursuing a massive process of re-concentration in every sector, including the residential, retail, culture and university sectors. At the same time, Sesto S. Giovanni and the surrounding municipalities have set up several strategic documents for strengthening inter-communal cooperation: the strategic plan for Sesto, Cinisello, Bresso and Cologno led by the North Milan Development Agency (1996).

MILAN SKYLINE

VIA PALAZZI HOUSING

MILAN, ITALY The Agency has also called for a need to create an alliance between “those who really care for the city”, public institutions, third sector, productive and financial establishments. Also with regards to Milan’s city centre, it is generally regarded that there has been a loss of the area’s cultural and historic character. Currently, the architectural image of the city is very much that of the late 19th century when the city was transformed by largescale demolition, coupled with the fact that the historic centre no longer has a medieval character to it, having been reorganised and rebuilt in the 1880s and then the subject of major monumental interventions during fascism.

CANAL NETWORK The restoration of Milan’s canal network is one project the city authorities are hoping to develop in the pursuit of inner city regeneration. Milan boasts 94 miles of historic shipping canals, 3 times the mileage of Venice. However, this network has fallen into a serious state of disrepair. Regional leaders see the potential to follow the European example and refurbish the network as a tourist attraction and green asset for Italy’s industrial and financial hub. Building on the fact that the construction of these canals was overseen by Leonardo Da Vinci, there is great potential to restore this network to its full capacity and in doing so preserve a great example of renaissance urban design.

LESSONS LEARNED [1] PRESERVATION OF CHARACTER In this case, Milan could be seen as a model for ‘how not to redevelop’ due to the harsh criticisms which have come from planners about the senseless bulldozing of buildings in historically sensitive areas. It is vital that sensitive treatment of the built environment be applied to the Cathedral Quarter redevelopment [2] CONGESTION It is commonly perceived that Milan is one of the most congested cities in Europe within the city centre, which slows down commuter times whilst also making journeys particularly less pleasant. For Belfast’s city centre it is thus a requirement to strike the correct balance between encouraging people into the city centre without bringing in needless volumes of traffic [3] FORWARD PLANNING With the introduction of the aforementioned long-term strategic plans, Milan has now shown itself to be a city which is trying to rebuild itself economically after the factory closures in the area which occurred throughout the 1990s. [4] NEED FOR GREATER CO-ORDINATION The NeT-TOPIC project within Milan seeks to enhance the role of peripheral areas in territorial governance and urban planning processes to achieve a desirable new city model. The lesson for Belfast in this instance should thus be to avoid fragmentation and urban division in peripheral areas of the city as it will lead to greater levels of cohesion ultimately

NAVIGLION GRANDE CANAL

MILAN DUOMO

NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND The development of Newcastle-Gateshead offers an example of an iconic culture-led urban regeneration project. It also is an example of two areas coming together for the benefit of the city; i.e. the marriage between Newcastle and Gateshead. Newcastle in the early 20th Century experienced decline in its main industries such as coal, chemicals, shipbuilding and engineering. However Newcastle perhaps suffered less than most towns and cities throughout Britain because its service industries were more highly developed and its economy was more broadly based. Traditional forms of employment in the city have largely been replaced by more retail and service industries. In the 1990’s and through in to the 21st century Newcastle has been undergoing considerable regeneration to re-establish the city as a vibrant and stylish regional capital and halt the population decline. Selected areas have been the focus of regeneration schemes including the inner city, the West End and East End. The main aims of regeneration were to strengthen the cities economy, make the city safe and inclusive, create cohesive communities and create economic diversity through a mix and diversity of businesses. Grainger Town in Newcastle is the city’s historical centre. It has been revitalised as a mixed-use historic urban quarter as part of Newcastle City Council’s City Centre Action Plan, a six year regeneration programme from 1996 – 2002. To the west of the city an Arts and Leisure Centre has been created with the Theatre Village and China Town area being redeveloped. Between 1992 and 1997 the West End underwent urban regeneration as part of a City Challenge initiative and Ouseburn, and the east was developed as an urban village as part of a five year Single Regeneration Bid programme between 1997 and 2002. CITY LOCATION

NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND GOING FOR GROWTH

LESSONS LEARNED

Newcastle City Council’s ‘Going for Growth’; a twenty year regeneration programme (2000 – 2020) aims to create jobs and sustainable mixed communities. This includes further development in the East and West Ends of the city, embracing the key elements of housing, shopping, business, green space and transport. Newcastle Great Park, a residential and business development to the north and Newburn Haugh, a business development along the riverside around Lemington and Newburn are intended to attract business to the area and stimulate economic growth.

[1] PARTNERSHIPS

Overall Newcastle-Gateshead has seen a remarkable transformation. Millions of pounds of public and private investment have revitalised the Quayside. Overall this revitalisation centres around three iconic pieces of architecture: the BALTIC Contemporary Art Gallery built for £46 million; the Sage Gateshead Music Centre designed by Foster and Partners at a cost of £70 million and the Gateshead Millennium Bridge built at a cost of £22 million which in combination have served to redeﬁne an area of industrial decline.

Newcastle has highlighted the importance of having a cohesive strategy for regeneration in place. In doing so, the principal aims of strengthening the city’s economy, making the city safe and inclusive, and fostering economic diversity can be achieved. This outcome could not be achieved so successfully if regeneration falls between fragmented policy documents and institutions.

City councils are limited in what they can achieve acting in isolation. This example has reiterated the importance of partnerships in bringing in additional investment, and highlighting the importance of investment in culture and regeneration. [2] COHESIVE REGENERATION STRATEGIES

The reinvention of Gateshead Quay, which also includes residential developments and two international hotels, is linked to the Newcastle side of the Tyne by the Millennium Bridge, the world’s ﬁrst tilting bridge which was opened in September 2001 and won the RIBA Stirling Prize for architecture in 2002. In combination, these developments have given new life to Newcastle-Gateshead Quayside, providing the region with a renewed public focal point.

SAGE CONCERT HALL

BALTIC ART GALLERY

THE MILLENNIUM BRIDGE

NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND THE LACE MARKET The Lace Market district on the southern fringe of Nottingham city centre was historically the centre of production for the global lace industry from the late 19th until the mid-20th centuries. It is a densely gridded area of imposing impressive warehouses and industrial units, merging into Hockley, a shopping district linking the Lace Market to the city centre. The spatial identification of the Lace Market as a special and ‘creative quarter’ can be traced to 1969 when the district was designated as a Conservation Area. Recent regeneration efforts have targeted the ‘Lace Market’ cultural quarter as a catalyst for development. Throughout the 1980s the Lace Market was steadily renovated as developers began to recognise its commercial potential. This process was accelerated in 1989 with the creation of the Lace Market Development Company (LMDC), a public-private partnership led by Nottingham City Council to renovate the area as a specialist cultural and heritage district. Today the prosperous attractive Lace Market district boasts over 450 firms, a quarter related to fashion design and production, with the remainder a mix of cultural production (arts and media, architecture, visual communications) and consumption (alternative shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, an arts cinema).

CITY LOCATION

NOTTINGHAM

SKYLINE OF LACE MARKET

NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND Employment has been created through developing creative industry clusters which focus on the areas unique asset - its clothing and fashion heritage. This has crafted the place-image of the Lace Market as an exciting and place to work and - increasingly - to live. The Lace Market regeneration has been one of the most visible successes in attracting residents back into the city centre, demonstrated for example through the popularity of spectacular regenerated lofts. Another regeneration initiative of note was brought about under the direction of Nottingham Regeneration Ltd. Established in 1998, this pioneering public-private sector partnership was tasked with promoting physical and economic regeneration in Nottingham, based on a division of the city into the Eastside, Southside and Waterside.

SNEINTON MARKET As part of its ‘Connecting Eastside’ project, Sneinton Market received a £6.8 million redevelopment. A large public performance space was created to cater for markets, festivals and community events. An artistic installation of apple trees known as ‘The Orchard’ was planted in the new square, intended for community use and enjoyment and to celebrate the area’s history as a wholesale market. The Connecting Eastside project also radically enhanced pedestrian connections between the city centre and Sneinton, while improving transport links for cyclists and traffic too.

THE LACE MARKET

THE ORCHARD

LESSONS LEARNED [1] ADEQUATE TIMEFRAME Lace Market demonstrates the lengthy timescale over which cultural quarters develop. Capacity to sustain the growth is built over time and an adequate timeframe should elapse before fair judgements can be made about the success of initiatives in the Cathedral Quarter. [2] PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP Once again, the establishment of a public private dedicated body was the boost needed to accelerate the development. The importance of maintaining a low rent atmosphere was demonstrated again. [3] MIXTURE OF FEATURES The hybrid of aesthetics and functionality in the Sneinton Market apple tree installation illustrates an effective way to improve the environment while engaging public interest. The remodelling of the space to cater for more than just the traditional market opened it up to a range of new activities such as festivals which allows for an expansion of economic activities.

SNEINTON MARKET

SNEINTON MARKET LAYOUT

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND Sheffield was one of the leading cities of the industrial revolution, which began in Britain in the late 18th century. The city is renowned world-wide for its history regarding steel, cutlery, engineering and tool-making industries. However the steel industry collapsed in the early 1980s and as a result Sheffield City Council was one of the first in the UK to turn to the cultural industries as an alternative source of employment creation and urban regeneration. The Council set up its own Department for Employment and Economic Development (DEED) in 1981 with a strategy to develop local cultural and media industries. The cultural strategy led to the creation of a Cultural Industries Quarter in a centrecity neighbourhood of disused metal workshops, to house smallscale businesses. This helped create employment and revive and rejuvenate the area. Sheffield had resisted the imposition of an Urban Development Corporation (UDC) from their creation in 1981 but finally, in 1988, the Sheffield Development Corporation (SDC) was formed to take in hand the regeneration of the city’s industrial heartland, the Lower Don Valley. This meant the Council losing its planning powers to the Sheffield UDC.

CITY LOCATION

The Sheffield Development Corporation was not linked into any city-wide strategy, and was free to decide its own agenda. It was given planning powers over a 2,000-acre stretch of land on the lefthand side of the Lower Don Valley. With a budget of £50 million, it demolished most of the valley’s abandoned steel mills, laid a major road down the middle to improve access, and created a new lowdensity landscape of commercial, conference and music venues. At the time of its dissolution in 1997, Sheffield UDC was seen to have been instrumental to securing the physical regeneration of the valley.

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND SHEFFIELD ONE Sheffield One, one of three urban regeneration companies in England, was furthermore launched in 2000 as a partnership between Sheffield City Council, Yorkshire Forward (the regional redevelopment agency) and English Partnership. Sheffield One developed a city centre masterplan for the planning and regeneration of Sheffield. The masterplan divides the city into various quarters for regeneration. The Castlegate Quarter, Cathedral Quarter, Devonshire Quarter and Heart of the City Quarter are just a few of the various quarters that exist throughout the city. The ‘Heart of the City Quarter’ is home to the Millennium Galleries, a flagship cultural attraction built by Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust and the Winter Garden, an indoor public space owned and managed by the city council. This specific quarter has undergone significant regeneration in recent years and is now deemed the ‘cultural centre of Sheffield’.

LESSONS LEARNED [1] LOCAL LEADERSHIP The importance of leadership on a local level is imperative. Sheffield City Council had the vision and determination to see the city grow and prosper once more. It realised that transferring planning powers to the UDC would ultimately prove in the best interest of the regeneration effort. This demonstrates the efficacy of dedicated regeneration bodies in achieving a level of co-ordination and drive beyond that of a single government department [2] CULTURAL INDUSTRY Sheffield demonstrates the role a flagship cultural centre plays in underpinning cultural quarters. Such a centre is currently lacking in the Cathedral Quarter and may prove instrumental in the regeneration of the area in line with the Sheffield example

THE MILLENNIUM GALLERIES

[3] CREATING LINKS

THE WINTER GARDEN

THE HEART OF THE CITY QUARTER

Innovative structures like the Winter Garden can create interesting new links through the city. One of the largest temperate glasshouses to be built in the UK during the last hundred years, the Winter Garden has created a green world in the heart of the city. Adjacent to the Millennium Gardens, it provides visitors with a unique pedestrian link through the city centre.

RECOMMENDATIONS

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS INTRODUCTION

LEISURE AND RECREATION

Many valuable lessons were gleaned from reviewing several regeneration projects in other UK cities. These lessons will be considered and the most relevant ones will be incorporated into recommendations for the Cathedral Quarter in Belfast. It is important that the character, culture and quality of the Cathedral Quarter is taken into account at all stages of the plan for regeneration of the area. Not paying attention to this in the past led to the failure of the previous regeneration project.

The area is known for its interesting nightlife which is largely due to the entertainment provided by the Duke of York, Social 21, and the bar and nightclub in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Merchant Hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. These social and night life facilities can be further extended with the addition of more bars, cafes and clubs. They will be required for the new student population. It is also proposed to add some bars along Gordon Street as it is close to the already thriving Commercial Court.

HOUSING AND ACCOMMODATION

As the area will soon become more populated and full of bustle due to the opening of the new University of Ulster it is recommended that a gym and sports centre be provided as they would be a huge asset to the area. The ideal location for them would be on the corner of Great Patrick Street and York Street. This would be a very convenient location for students as well as giving easy access to the workers in the nearby offices and to the public in general.

The Cathedral Quarter regeneration proposal should ensure that there is adequate housing for all; business people, students and families. Quality housing is important as a way of attracting investment and activity into the area by attracting a resident and consumer place.

Each recommendation and proposal mentioned above has been given careful consideration especially with regard to its suitability for the character of the area. Very valuable information was gained from other regeneration schemes. If all these recommendations and proposals are put in place the CQ should be a vibrant hub for social, cultural and economic life.

The new University of Ulster campus, due to open in 2018, will increase the need for housing and accommodation in the area because of the transfer of almost 27,000 students from the existing Jordanstown campus. In order to be ready for this large influx of students, accommodation should be provided in the area to encourage walkable commutes. This large area is very suitable for such accommodation as it is close to the new University and very convenient to the City centre. The student population will give an added boost to the area and attract more investment into the Cathedral Quarter.

RETAIL To attract people to the area many more retail spaces are required as currently there is not nearly enough. People are generally attracted to good shopping areas so it is recommended that many more retail outlets are provided. It is proposed that the North Street Arcade should house a number of retail units along with a range of food outlets. North Street would then become a prime location between the main retail area and the newly proposed retail area. The resulting increase in people then passing through the area should greatly enhance the Cathedral Quarter.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TRANSPORT

CONNECTING LINKAGES AND ACCESS

The Cathedral Quarter is well linked to the City centre at present but it is still disadvantaged by the small number of people coming into and passing through the area. There are major roads surrounding the four sides of the Cathedral Quarter. These routes are important to its development but they must be utilised to their full potential.

As seen from other regeneration projects the linkages to newly developed areas need to be adequate and provide ease of access. The same applies to the Cathedral Quarter. The links need to be attractive and encourage people into the area. The most important links would be with the Laganside area and the main retail areas of Belfast. The Cathedral Quarter is already very accessible from the city centre.

It is recommended that a tram line be introduced to the area. This would utilise the narrow streets to their full potential as buses and cars are not able to enter them currently because of their limited width. Pedestrian links should be added where possible. There is a major need for a new stop on the train system that already links the main areas of Belfast. The increase of student numbers to the new university in 2018 will make such a stop essential. This stop would also link other university areas, for example, Queens University, as there is a train link on Botanic Avenue which is close to the Queens campus. Many students live in close proximity to this area as well. Bicycles are a very suitable mode of transport for the CQ as they will be able to move down narrow streets and navigate across areas where the tram cannot go. It is recommended that a bicycle bank be built at two points within the area. One should be in the ‘Dunbar Park’ and the other in Writers Square. This will encourage people to hire a bicycle to use as transport through the city. This system was put in place in Dublin and it was a huge success so there is no reason why it cannot be adopted in the Cathedral Quarter area. The other big advantage of using bicycles as a mode of transport is that they do not require fuel and, therefore, would save users money, as the price of fuel for other forms of transport, is increasing significantly. It would also help the cyclists reduce their carbon footprint.

Dunbar Link is situated to the east side of the Cathedral Quarter and therefore acts as a physical barrier to people trying to access it. In order to improve accessibility a proposed link over the Dunbar Link should be designed in the form of a footbridge so that access can be easily gained into the area. This would greatly enhance the CQ as a larger number of people would be able to access it more easily. A footbridge over the River Lagan was put in place to link the Odyssey with the City centre. This was a huge success. It is recommended that a similar footbridge should be installed over the Dunbar link as this would increase the Cathedral Quarter’s accessibility to the major attractions on the East side of Belfast, such as, the Odyssey and Waterfront hall. Consideration was given to a link, in the form of an attractive grass and shrub lined pathway, under the road which would extend right across to the other side of the Dunbar Link. However, due to the sheer scale and cost of this, it was felt it could not go ahead. It may be just as well as further research shows that many people feel that pathways under roads are unsafe, especially, if not properly lit.

CONCEPT PLAN

WRITER’S SQUARE PRECEDENTS

SITE PHOTOS

WRITER’S SQUARE

PNC FIRSTSIDE PARK, PITTSBURGH

Writer’s Square is an underutilized and underappreciated space with large amounts of potential. Used more as a thoroughfare than as a final destination; or indeed even a stopping destination; the area is largely devoid of activity and life. Despite its strategic location and view of the Cathedral, the space fails to attract much activity. This plan seeks to reconfigure the space to make it more attractive.

ARCHWAY INTO NORTH STREET

PNC FIRSTSIDE PARK, PITTSBURGH

Built by the PNC Financial Services Group in Pittsburgh and seen as a green gateway to Downtown, this 1.5 acre park consists of many winding paths complete with benches and both deciduous and ornamental trees. The PNC Firstside Park serves as a precedent of a very successful public space in a built up area.

PANORAMA OF WRITER’S SQUARE

WRITERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SQUARE EXISTING CONDITIONS AND PROPOSED VISION The proposed landscaping for the area seeks to focus attention to key features of the area by creating paths towards them. The tree-lined paths will provide plentiful benches for public seating will be able to accommodate the influx of people. A new entrance archway into the reopened North Street Arcade will be created which will further enhance vibrancy and activity in the area. The attraction of a water fountain will be used as the centrepiece of the proposal. It will create a pleasing visual quality and character for the area and the soothing noise of running water will help mask any urban noise. People are also encouraged to relax on the grass watch the world go by. The overall Cathedral Quarter is noticeably lacking in green space but it is hoped that the reconfigured greener Writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Square will address this gap.

WRITER’S SQUARE WRITER’S SQUARE PROPOSAL IMAGES

AERIAL PERSPECTIVE

VIEW OF THE TREE LINED PATHS

THE FOUNTAIN AT THE HEART OF THE SITE

VIEW OF THE NEW ARCHWAY LINKING INTO NORTH STREET ARCADE

STUDENT VILLAGE COMPLEX CHANGING BUILT FORM The relocation of the University of Ulster’s Jordanstown campus to the existing campus in the Cathedral Quarter will see an influx of twenty seven thousand students into the area. Many of these students will require accommodation and it would be highly preferable if this accommodation was in close proximity to the campus. CURRENT BUILT FORM

BUILDINGS IN RED TO BE REMOVED

By removing those buildings in both North Street and Donegall Street than have been identified in the contextual analysis as being derelict and underused, this will create much needed space for student accommodation and promote a denser built form.

PROPOSED STUDENT ACCOMMODATION

The design of the block form will take influence from the Queen’s University student accommodation Elms Village. This satellite image shows how the buildings have been arranged into a community like square, rather than imposing large blocks. By creating a community like space, this layout will encourage interaction and provide for outdoor social encounters. SATELLITE PHOTO OF ELMS VILLAGE

PROPOSED BUILT FORM

STUDENT VILLAGE COMPLEX EXISTING SITE CONDITIONS This proposal centres on providing for the significant numbers of students which will require housing and facilities in the Cathedral Quarter with the consolidation of the University of Ulster. The largest site of vacant and derelict land in the area is the North Street carpark. Currently a blight on the area, this concept plan recognises that it has the potential to accomodate a significant number of student apartments.

ASSEMBLY ROOMS (LISTED BUILDING)

VIEW OF DONEGALL STREET

VIEW OF NORTH STREET

In order to create a measure of self containment and sustainability, and in respect of the policy recommendations and comparative lessons which highlighted the need for mixed use development, it is proposed to mix upper level residential land use with retail and services on the ground floor. This will revitalise a key site and activate this key artery of the Cathedral Quarter.

VIEW OF DERELICT BUILDING AND VAST UNDERUSED NORTH STREET CARPARK

STUDENT VILLAGE COMPLEX PRECEDENT - ELMS VILLAGE Elms Village in Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University Belfast was selected as a suitable precedent for our proposal due to the style and character of the development. As the photos demonstrate, the buildings are predominantly red brick and 3 to 5 storeys high. This is similar to the character and scale of an appropriate infill building to the Cathedral Quarter. The student apartments overlooking the public areas will create passive surveillance to regulate anti social behaviour in the student community. The surveillance will also allow residents to feel involved with life on the street and participate with cultural events that may take place in these spaces. This will foster an engaged, participatory and lively communty.

STUDENT VILLAGE COMPLEX EXISTING CONDITIONS AND PROPOSED VISION

COMPARISON OF EXISTING VERSUS NEW DEVELOPMENT ALONG DONEGALL STREET

COMPARISON OF EXISTING VERSUS NEW DEVELOPMENT ALONG NORTH STREET

STUDENT VILLAGE COMSTUDENT ACCOMMODATION PROPOSAL IMAGES

GROUND VIEW OF THE DONEGALL STREET COURTYARD

AERIAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE NORTH STREET STUDENT ACCOMMODATION

VIEW OF THE DONEGALL STREET COURTYARD

PLAN VIEW OF THE PROPOSAL LAYOUT

BRIDGING THE DUNBAR LINK PRECEDENTS The Roden Street pedestrian bridge in Belfast has a distinctive tubular shape and allows people to cross the Westlink.

Crossing the Dunbar Link is very difficult due to a combination of four lane traffic and a distinct lack of traffic lights. There is an underground tunnel in existence which runs from High Street to Custom house Square but it is highly imposing and is a very unattractive option to would be users.

SITE PHOTOS

RODEN STREET PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

The Washington Avenue Bridge at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis carries County Road 122 across the Mississippi River on the lower deck and connects the East Bank and West Bank portions of the University of Minnesotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main campus via the upper pedestrian deck.

HIGH STREET AND CUSTOM HOUSE SQUARE UNDERGROUND TUNNEL ENTRANCES

WASHINGTON AVENUE BRIDGE

PANORAMA OF THE DUNBAR LINK

BRIDGING THE DUNBAR LINK Rather than employ various traffic calming measures that would disrupt the vital transport artery that is the Dunbar Link, it is proposed that a pedestrian bridge/overpass be created. This would allow pedestrians to safely and quickly navigate the Dunbar Link. It should run over the Dunbar link from Talbot Street to the Exchange Street car park.

DUNBAR LINK PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE PROPOSAL IMAGES

SATELLITE IMAGE OF PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE LOCATION

PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

VIEW OF WHERE THE PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE WILL CROSS OVER THE DUNBAR LINK

PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE LINKS THE TWO DIVIDED SIDES OF THE DUNBAR LINK

UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER PARK PREDECENT - COLLEGE GREEN, BRISTOL

College Green is a public space in Bristol covering an area of 2.7 acres. The College Green Road forms the north-eastern boundary, the Cathedral marks the southern boundary and the Council Houses closes the Green in an arc to the north-west. This is a highly successful public space and a very useful precedent when considering how to best utilize the area outside the University of Ulster Currently the site hosts very poor public artwork which is not immediately legible. It is also very underused, and the space desperately needs to be reconfigured to be more inviting. Nothing about the space encourages the passer by to linger or spend some time

SITE PHOTOS

UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER BUILDING TUNNEL

PANORAMA OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER SQUARE

VIEW OF UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER PARK SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISONS

The proposal for the University of Ulster is a continuation of the landscape design for Writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Square. With the influx of twenty seven thousand new students, this is the space most immediate to them when they enter and leave the building. By creating a more attractive layout and creating a focal point the reconfigured green space will draw in both students and passers-by The pathways cutting through the area are designed with this in mind to encourage people to use the space rather than avoid it by walking all the way around, as is the case at the minute.

UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER PARK UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER PROPOSAL IMAGES

RECONFIGURED LAYOUT IN UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER PARK

ACTIVITY AND MOVEMENT IN THE PARK

CLOSE UP OF FOCAL POINT

PEOPLE DRAWN IN TO THE PARK FROM OUTSIDE CATHEDRAL QUARTER

GATEWAY TO THE CATHEDRAL QUARTER PRECEDENTS It would be fitting that the landmark building in such a prominently significant location retains some of the characteristic features of the Cathedral Quarter. This includes, for example the vertical emphasis of the pillars in St. Anne’s Square, and the archways of the Central Library A key component of the concept plan is re-establishing the Four Corners as a site of great significance by creating a gateway into Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. To do this it is proposed that a landmark building be inserted to signal the transition.

THE CENTRAL LIBRARY

ST. ANNE’S SQUARE

THE MERCHANT HOTEL

As the existing building does little to enhance the dominant architectural character of the Cathedral Quarter, this plan proposes the insertion of a modern interpretation of a Gateway Building - One that will orientate the passer by and signal a sense of arrival. In addition to the landmark building the transition will be highlighted by a change of surfacing to indicate the beginning of a pedestrian zone This will give the pedestrian the sense that they are entering into a distinct area with its own unique identity.

LIVERPOOL MEDICAL INSTITUTION

MITCHELL LIBRARY, GLASGOW

GARDENER’S WAREHOUSE, GLASGOW

GATEWAY TO THE CATHEDRAL QUARTER SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISONS

CURRENT VIEW OF SITE

CURRENT APPROACH GIVES NO SENSE OF ARRIVAL

At present, the approach is dilapidated and uninviting. The creation of an attractive landmark building in conjunction with the transition into a pedestrian zone will create a recognisable point of entrance to the Cathedral Quarter and reinforce its self contained identity.

CONCEPTUAL GRAPHIC OF LANDMARK BUILDING IN FOUR CORNERS

NORTH STREET PEDESTRIANISATION SCHEME PRECEDENTS

MCCLAY LIBRARY, PEDESTRIANISATION KIERAN ST, KILKENNY, PEDESTRIANISED

These images provide precedents for a pedestrianisation scheme to be inserted into the Cathedral Quarter. All the examples demonstrate an attractive safe environment where shopping and socialising can take place unimpeded by the dangers, noises and smells of vehicular traffic.

PLEASANT PEDESTRIANISED AREAS ON LOWER GARFIELD ST (LEFT) AND OUSTIDE THE MCLAY LIBRARY (RIGHT)

The high quality of surfacing and streetscaping detail will encourage a high quality of building facades and in doing so, it will inspire spin off regenerative effects in the built fabric of the Cathedral Quarter.

PANORAMA OF THE PEDESTRIANISED PUBLIC REALM AT ROSEMARY STREET AND LOMBARD STREET

NORTH STREET PEDESTRIANISATION SCHEME PROPOSAL

PEDESTRIANS FREE TO SHOP AND EXPLORE THE CATHEDRAL QUARTER FREE FROM THE THREAT OF TRAFFIC

AERIAL PERSPECTIVE SHOWING TRANSITION PONT INTO PEDESTRIANISATION SCHEME

In order to signal the transition through the Four Corners into the Cathedral Quarter, a pedestrianisation scheme has been proposed for the length of North Street. Combined with the imposing landmark building indicated in gold, the passer by will have a clear sense of arrival and transition as they move into the area. Aside from this perceptual function, the pedestrianisation scheme will create a more pleasant street environment along this key axis of the Cathedral Quarter. With the negative impacts of traffic removed from the thoroughfare, the space will be freed up to allow creative expression and foster the kind of activities fitting of an up and coming cultural quarter. GREEN SPACE INTERACTING WITH THE PEDESTRIANISED STREET CREATES AN INVITING SAFE CITY QUARTER

NORTH STREET ARCADE SITE PHOTOS The restoration of North Street Arcade is a cornerstone project within the concept plan. The retention of this unique historic structure will re-open a key link between North Street and Donegall Street, create a new connection and activate Writer’s Square and create attractive alternative commercial capacity in the heart of Cathedral Quarter. An arson attack in 2004 left the structure in ruins and under proposals for the Royal Exchange Scheme, the covered pedestrian route would cease to exist being built over by an anchor store. Rather than demolition, its retention and INTERIOR OF THE NORTH STREET ARCADE NORTH STREET FAÇADE OF THE ARCADE reopening would achieve many objectives for the revitalisation of the Cathedral Quarter and as such we have incorporated this into our concept. While high street retail demand is saturated by adjacent Castlecourt and nearby Victoria Square, North Street Arcade presents an opportunity to establish a hub of niche retail units to cater to the anticipated population growth amongst the ‘creative class’.

NORTH STREET FAÇADE OF THE NORTH STREET ARCADE

The introduction of a new pedestrian route will increase permeability through the site and create an interesting destination to attract shoppers from the wider city area. The importance of restoring the original structure and design is evidenced in the lessons learned from other cities. North Street Arcade, with its quirky Modernistic elevations to both North St and Donegall Street is the only example of a 1930s shopping arcade in Northern Ireland and one of only a handful left in the whole of the UK. A unique architectural asset of this kind must be capitalised on in order to create a tangible identity for the area.

INSIDE THE NORTH STREET ARCADE BEFORE THE FIRE

CORNER RESTORATION OF LOWER GARFIELD STREET PRECEDENTS To address the dereliction and disuse that for many years had plagued Perry Street in Dungannon, the ‘virtual street’ scheme was launched in June 2011. While the building themselves still have no practical use, their façades have been regenerated and new shop fronts have been visually created to create a sense of reality and create the impression that the buildings are actually occupied.

Despite its immediate proximity to the entrance of Castlecourt, Lower Garfield Street has fallen into disuse and dereliction. People may see Castlecourt as their final destination and feel no need to walk that little bit further to Lower Garfield Street. Those leaving Castlecourt may also desire to go towards away from Lower Garfield Street and towards City Hall and the rest of the commercial core. CASTLECOURT

LOWER GARFIELD STREET

PERRY STREET BEFORE REGENERATION

CASTLECOURT

PERRY STREET AFTER REGENERATION

LOWER GARFIELD STREET

CORNER RESTORATION OF LOWER GARFIELD STREET SITE PHOTOS

PANORAMA OF LOWER GARFIELD STREET

The majority of the retail outlets in Lower Garfield Street are closed, and their faรงades have become vandalized and covered in graffiti. This demand for creative expression could be harnessed through the provision of public art boards which will allow residents to make their mark on their new community This plan proposes the complete restoration of this landmark corner building which will both re-energize this portion of North Street and lift the veil of dereliction from this historic quarter. The revitalisation of this building will encourage businesses to relocate along this strategic artery of the Cathedral Quarter. It will provide the precedent of modern retailing embedded within an attractive historic shell. DERELICTION AND GRAFITTI ON LOWER GARFIELD STREET FAร ADES

This report has been produced at Queen’s University Belfast by the following: EILISH O’LOUGHLIN CONOR COREY JAMES DEVLIN KIERAN JENNINGS PAUL SCULLION