Council Projects News

Cathedral Gardens

News Upload Date: 13th February, 2025








Plans Approved for Cathedral Gardens Transformation

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.

Irish Language Policy

News Upload Date: 6th November, 2024








Draft Irish Language Policy

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:

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: 

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

Cathedral Garden Project

News Upload Date: 11th July, 2024








Multi-Million Pound Project To Transform City Space 

An urban forest, a large multi-use events space and a permanent memorial to the Belfast Blitz are just some of the features included in ambitious plans unveiled for the multi-million-pound redevelopment of Cathedral Gardens.  

Belfast City Council aims to transform the area between St Anne’s Cathedral and Ulster University’s Belfast campus into a unique world class public space.

Building upon the historic Cathedral area, other proposed features in the redevelopment include garden ‘rooms’ located under the canopies of the mature trees in the urban forest, public art, interactive audio-visual water and lighting features, outdoor dining areas and a range of play features for young children. (more information)

Council's Regeneration Proposal

News Upload Date: 29th January, 2024

Lancaster Street Regeneration Proposal

Belfast City Council Regeneration Team have a design team appointed who are looking to bring Lancaster Street proposals forward in conjunction with the works to LYS-LPS i.e. as one tender package and one contractor.  They would like to present regeneration proposal drawings to local stakeholders and local residents. 

See below for the proposal document information provided by the Belfast City Council Regeneration Team.

Proposal Objectives

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.

Regeneration Zones

Ariel View Lancaster Area/ York Street.

Regeneraltion Zones

Ariel View Lancaster Area/ York Street.

Primary Proposals - Zone 1

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).

Primary Proposals - Zone 2

Zone 2 – Segregated space to Lancaster Street Car Park, c 85m2. Removing segregation and maximise future public realm space by:

• Removal of heras fencing demarcating public footpath (presumed DfI Roads ownership) and Belfast City Council owned land within carpark.

• Re-establish demarcation in pavement make up (e.g., pin kerb).

• Re-surface hard standing in asphalt / traditional pavement make-up (future proofing for the instance of future strategic road improvements).

• Replace existing bollards with new bollards / art work (pending community consultation).

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

Primary Proposals - Zone 3

Zone 3 – High Level Security fencing, c40m.

Removing segregation and maximise future public realm space by:

• Replace security fencing to top of brick wallin consultation with landowners / residents. Materiality TBC.

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