Plans Approved for Cathedral Gardens and Divis & Black Mountain Redevelopments

Belfast City Council has approved plans to transform Cathedral Gardens into a vibrant civic space. The redevelopment will feature a public plaza for events, an urban woodland garden, a children’s play zone with digital art, and improved lighting, seating, and planting. A new Belfast Blitz memorial, including a bronze frieze and mirrored wall, will also be installed, while the Rinty Monaghan memorial will be relocated within the gardens.

Additionally, the National Trust has received approval to refurbish and repurpose three buildings at Divis and Black Mountain. The project includes a new visitor centre with a kiosk, exhibition space, accessible facilities, and upgrades to paths, signage, and furniture.

Councillor Arder Carson highlighted that the Cathedral Gardens project is part of a wider effort to enhance Belfast’s city centre, complementing investments near Ulster University and the upcoming Belfast Stories attraction.

About the Draft Policy

The draft policy outlines how Belfast City Council intends to promote and incorporate the Irish language across our services. This includes translation and interpretation services, key documents and publications, our council website, facility signage, and elements of our corporate identity, such as the council logo.

In April 2024, elected council members approved this draft policy for public consultation and are now seeking your feedback on the proposed approach.  Your input will guide elected members in determining the next steps toward finalising the Irish language policy.

How to Respond

The consultation is open from 22 August until midnight on 28 November 2024. You can complete the survey online in either English or Irish. Before responding, please review the following documents:

• Draft Irish Language Policy

• Draft Equality Impact Assessment

• Draft Rural Needs Impact Assessment

• Frequently Asked Questions

You can also send feedback via email at consult@belfastcity.gov.uk, write to us at:
Draft Irish Language Policy Consultation, Legal and Civic Services Department, City Hall, BT1 5GS.

Alternatively, join us at a public information session to share your views: 

• Location: Skainos Center / East Belfast Mission.

• Date: Thursday, 14 November, 6:00 pm.

Please register in advance. Each event covers the same information, so attending more than one is not necessary.

Objectives – Declutter and Personalise

Zone 1 – Pedestrian entrance to Lancaster Street from York Street, c100m2.

Zone 2 – Segregated space to Lancaster Street Car Park, c 85m2.

Zone 3 – High Level Security fencing, c40m.

Zone 1 – Pedestrian entrance to Lancaster Street from York Street, c100m2. Create gateway entrance point to Lancaster Street, by:

• Replacing existing brick paving with natural stone paving (as per Little Patrick / Little York Street Proposals).

• Removal of brick planter.

• Relocation of BT Pole.

• Removal / amendments to low level curved wall (pending landowner agreement) to remove potential dwell space.

• Removal of low level demarcation brick wall and demarcate land ownerships boundary via pavement detail.

• Level adjustment / localised retaining solution to provide uniform levels.

• Re-set of existing utility covers.

• Mural opportunity for (grey) gable wall (pending community consultation).

• Mural opportunity for brick wall (pending community consultation).

• Traffic restriction solutions via bollards / art work (pending community consultation).

The proposal information shown has been provided by the Belfast City Council Regeneration Team.