THE Belfast North constituency could be set for a huge shake-up after proposals for new boundaries were revealed.
The initial proposals by the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland are for new UK Parliamentary constituency boundaries in the North, which are also used for Assembly elections here.
The proposed constituency of Belfast North has an electorate of 70,361 and is designated as a borough constituency.
The existing constituency of Belfast North has an electorate of 72,332, which is within the statutory electorate range.
The constituency is adjacent to the under-range constituencies of East Antrim and Belfast West.
Under the proposals, Ballyhenry, Carnmoney Hill and Hightown, formerly of South Antrim would become part of Belfast North.
Belfast North would also gain Forth River from Belfast West, with Shankill and Woodvale moving to Belfast West.
Belfast North would also lose Abbey to East Antrim and Burnthill, Carnmoney and Fairview to South Antrim.
The Boundary Commission said the proposals have been drawn up “having considered the need to satisfy the statutory electorate range in each constituency, and a balancing of factors, in particular the built-up areas located around the Newtownabbey area, and being mindful of undue disruption to existing constituency boundaries.”
An eight-week public consultation is now open for members of the public, political parties and wider civic society to share their views on the plans until December 15 online here.
A Sinn Féin spokesperson said: “We are examining the boundary commission proposals in detail currently.
“There are certainly some concerns in relation to rule seven the so-called gerrymander rule.
“We will be responding in detail in due course once we have fully considered them in detail and how they would relate to North Belfast.”
A DUP spokesman said: “The DUP notes the publication of the initial proposals by the Boundary Commission. The party will take time to study the detail of and will engage fully in the consultation process at all stages of the review.”