An international design competition for the former site of the Andersonstown PSNI station has been launched,

Social Development Minister Alex Attwood has announced that the Department for Social Development (DSD), working with the West Belfast Partnership Board and PLACE, the Centre for Architecture and the Built Environment, have invited expressions of interest from architect-led design teams.

Mr Attwood said: "Earlier this year, the West Belfast partnership and PLACE carried out extensive community engagement on behalf of my Department. The result was a design brief for a building of real quality: a new landmark for West Belfast that could house regeneration, arts and cultural activity. The West needs a landmark building and this could be the opportunity.

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"I gave a commitment in August this year that I would champion this project during my time as Minister for Social Development, and the competition that begins today is a key milestone. I am confident that the competition will stimulate the thinking of the world's most creative architects and produce some striking and practical designs. At the same time, the local community must be at the heart of the process."

The process launched will have two distinct stages. Firstly, brief expressions of interest will be sought and these will be shortlisted by a panel of judges in the New Year. The shortlist of 5 design teams will then be asked to produce detailed proposals over a five-month period, with the leading design selected in the summer of 2011. The world's foremost practising architect, Daniel Libeskind, has agreed to preside over the judging panel.

The international design competition is being conducted on behalf of the DSD by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

(CD/BMcC)