PLANS are underway to develop allotments and a shared community area in Short Strand’s Pairc an Glas on Mountpottinger Road.
The project, which is being led by Community Restorative Justice Ireland (CRJI), seeks to build the new shared space on a site which was formerly an interface area and hub of anti-social behaviour.
Michael George from Community Restorative Justice Ireland said: “The land is currently owned by the Housing Executive, but we’ve been consulting with residents, and community groups, including Belfast City Council and the NI Executive Office, and all these groups are committed to moving the project forward.”
The project has already been endorsed by Minister for Communities Deirdre Hargey and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill and has been designed with the help of students from Queen's University Belfast.
Michael added: “This project was widely supported during our community consultations, and we are going to have another consultation to go over plans again this autumn. We are hoping to see funding for this secured for 2022 through the Executive’s Good Relations Programme.”
A trial feeder garden has already been planted on the grounds of St Matthew’s Church and has been popular and well received by local residents.
