Communities Minister has welcomed the launch of a
new plan to support the growth of the Greater Shankill area in
Belfast.
Shankill: A Plan to Grow brought together local residents,
community groups, and statutory agencies including the Department
for Communities, Belfast City Council and the Northern Ireland
Housing Executive; utilising the newly developed Ministerial
Advisory Group (MAG) Living Highstreets Craft kit to produce a
community-led plan for the area, thereby enabling the local
community to have their say in shaping the physical environment
in which they live, work and come together
This work followed that undertaken by the ‘BUILD' group (Better
Understanding in Local Development), made up of community leaders
in the Greater Shankill area. The group focuses on tackling
physical dereliction and campaigns for the development of sites
for housing and community facilities in the area. Members of
BUILD also now lead the ‘Local Action Group,' which helps deliver
actions produced by the Shankill: A Plan to Grow.
Minister Lyons said: “I am pleased my department has supported
the delivery of the Shankill: A Plan to Grow. This is a genuine
community-led approach to placemaking, ensuring that local people
are at the heart of shaping change in their area. With strong
community leadership, committed partners, and a clear vision for
the future, the Greater Shankill is well positioned to build a
more sustainable, resilient and thriving community.”
Billy Drummond from the Shankill Local Action Group said:
“The Shankill Plan Grow report is a key milestone for BUILD
Shankill in lobbying for physical regeneration and investment in
the Greater Shankill. Through the DfC CraftKit process we have
consulted extensively across all our neighbourhoods to inform
this community led Plan. The essential part of any plan is
delivery, and we look forward to our continued work with
statutory partners to address the challenges and seize the
opportunities that this plan sets out.”
Belfast Lord Mayor Councillor , said: “It's wonderful to see
the level of community leadership and the partnership approach
demonstrated in Shankill: A Plan to Grow. As a council, we're
committed to making Belfast a great place to live and work for
everyone. We've been supportive of the ambition and approach
adopted to developing this cohesive, pragmatic plan, which will
make an important contribution to improving residents' quality of
life.”
Housing Executive Chief Executive Grainia Long, said; “This
type of community development activity is inspiring and the level
of collaboration taking place is an excellent model for future
work. We wish the Shankill community every success on their
journey and we will continue to use our expertise to help
facilitate positive activity in the time ahead.”
Shankill: A Plan to Grow can be found here
Notes to Editors:
- Following an extensive community engagement programme, 5
strategic objectives, supported by 21 strategies and 64 actions
have been developed as part of the Shankill: A Plan to Grow.
- The ‘MAG Living High Streets Craft Kit' was developed as a
resource to help communities develop a shared understanding of
their needs and assets. It uses a series of community workshops
and specific questions to guide conversations about shaping the
future High Street to produce a co-designed Framework.
