Earlier this year, Belfast City Council, in partnership with the Housing Executive agreed to a request from Belfast South Community Resources to co-fund a feasibility study looking at the potential for redevelopment at the former Gilpin`s site in Sandy Row.
The council has now established a steering group and appointed consultants to undertake an 'options appraisal' to determine potential future uses of the site, which for many years was a major retail outlet on Sandy Row before it closed in 2007.
The steering group, chaired by Alderman Christopher Stalford, Chairman of the council`s Development Committee, has been established on a multi agency basis to oversee the development of the feasibility study. As well as local councillors, the group comprises officers from Belfast City Council, the Department of Social Development, and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, along with representatives from the Belfast South Community Resources, Sandy Row Community Forum and the South West Belfast Neighbourhood Partnership.
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In considering the potential for redevelopment at the former Gilpin's Site, the steering group will seek to identify proposals that would maximise the potential for regeneration and local economic and social impact. In addition to the option appraisal, the consultants will carry out a technical assessment of the existing building fabric and identify any physical constraints on its future development potential.
The consultants, working with the steering group, will identify needs and aspirations for the site through a comprehensive and inclusive consultation process. This will allow a series of recommendations to be developed, based upon strategic reviews and consultations on the preferred future and sustainability of the proposed options.
Alderman Christopher Stalford, Chairman of the new steering group, said: "Sandy Row is a vital part of the fabric of Belfast, which unfortunately has suffered neglect in recent years. Through projects such as this, coupled with work being undertaken as part of both our ongoing `Renewing The Routes' initiative and the Integrated Strategic Tourism Framework, Belfast City Council is committed to playing its part in the regeneration of the area and driving this project forward."
(CD/GK)
