West Belfast Community Unveils Ambitious Regeneration Plan: Thousands of New Homes and Revitalised Neighbourhoods
A vibrant community in west Belfast has put forward a visionary plan for regeneration, identifying a staggering amount of derelict land ripe for development. The Greater Shankill’s Plan to Grow, the product of five years of intensive community-led effort, has pinpointed enough underutilised space to build over 3,300 new homes, an area equivalent to 62 football pitches, located mere yards from the bustling city centre.
Billy Drummond, a key figure with Build Shankill, an organisation instrumental in spearheading this initiative, highlighted the sheer scale of the opportunity that has, until now, been largely overlooked. "We've identified 82 derelict sites," Drummond stated, "collectively covering the space of 62 football pitches, presenting the potential to construct more than 3,300 homes – and that's a conservative estimate."
This comprehensive plan, which has garnered significant backing from Belfast City Council, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the Department for Communities, and Queen’s University Belfast, outlines a holistic vision for the rejuvenation of six distinct neighbourhoods within the Greater Shankill area.
A Community-Driven Approach to Planning
Drummond emphasised that the methodology behind the Plan to Grow deliberately diverged from previous, less successful top-down planning exercises. "Many master plans tend to be imposed upon communities," he explained. "However, our approach has been about mobilising neighbourhoods from the ground up."
The process involved cultivating strong relationships across Belfast, studying best practices from various locations, and drawing inspiration from international examples. The initiative also actively engaged expertise from the private sector and international universities to refine the strategy. "We've been working from the bottom up, rather than the top down," Drummond reiterated.
Addressing Basic Amenities and Housing Shortages
One of the most striking revelations from the report is the stark reality faced by the Glencairn neighbourhood. Despite a population of 3,000 residents, the area currently lacks any dedicated retail outlets. "We have a neighbourhood in Glencairn with 3,000 people, and not a single shop," Drummond pointed out. "While it's wonderful to celebrate the city centre's £100 million tourist attractions, which are fantastic for Belfast, it's fundamentally unfair if neighbourhoods within that same city are deprived of basic amenities."
The plan directly challenges statutory agencies regarding what Drummond described as chronic and counterproductive underinvestment in social housing. "The level of investment in social housing has been abysmal," he asserted. "They frequently claim there's no demand, but this is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The lack of desire to live in these areas stems from years of neglect and decline. Nobody would have put their name on a waiting list until investment was seen in areas like Titanic Quarter. While that's commendable, there are estates on the Shankill Road without even a shop, where children rely on two converted flats serving as their community centre and youth club. This is simply not acceptable."
Unlocking Tourism Potential and Preserving Heritage
Beyond housing, the plan proposes a dedicated tourism strategy designed to connect the Greater Shankill area with "Belfast Stories," the £100 million visitor attraction currently being developed in a former Bank of Ireland building in the city centre, just a short distance from the Shankill Road.
Drummond underscored the historical significance of the Shankill, stating, "The Shankill is, in fact, the oldest area of the city; it predates Belfast itself." He added, "A simple walk up the main arterial route reveals 17 derelict sites. This is unacceptable when there's a £100 million investment for visitors just 500 metres away."
The tourism potential of the area, Drummond believes, is already evident but has been severely under-resourced. "You can take my word for it, or you can look at the statistics," he said. "Thousands of tourists from across the globe traverse the Shankill, yet there are currently no hotels in the area for them to stay."
The vision for the future includes establishing accommodation for visitors, with a commitment to a non-profit model to prevent gentrification.
The Path Forward: From Planning to Action
Drummond concluded by emphasising that the Plan to Grow represents the culmination of five years of dedicated community effort. "The community has achieved so much over the past five years," he stated. "We raised the issue for three years, and subsequently developed a comprehensive plan in partnership with a wide array of stakeholders. The next crucial stage is to secure additional resources to bring these ambitious plans to fruition."
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