We look at the stories that were making the news headlines this week in 1984
New Belfast Urban Area Plan
DIRECT rulers in Stormont are about to announce that work is to commence on a new Belfast Urban Area Plan. This move is seen as an effort to paper over the cracks and to justify some of the decisions made during recent years.
The current plan for the city was prepared by the British-based consultancy firm Building Design Partnership in 1969. At that time it was intended that the overall plan for the city would be complemented by a series of local plans for the Redevelopment areas.
However, with the start of Direct Rule and the Department of the Environment takeover of planning, no further progress was made. Direct Rule politicians ignored the wishes of Belfast City Council and proceeded to plan the city as they thought fit. The rules of the game were changed to:
1) No Democratic decision making;
2) No weight given to local views;
3) A strong British Army/RUC influence on town planning decisions.
Within the next few weeks, however, the intention to make a new plan will be announced. This plan will be an overall strategy to guide the development of Belfast for the remainder of the century. It will include important proposals on many important topics such as:
1) Where housing developments will be;
2) Where industry will be located;
3) Where new roads will be laid out;
4) Where shopping and office development will go.
It is believed that the new plan will attempt to justify and regularise the political decisions which have resulted in such fiascos as:
1) The green belt being breached for private enterprise gain;
2) The spending of half a million pounds on "peace" walls – as an aid to military control of the city.
Two bjg questions remain – will the plan be prepared by the DoE's own planners, or will it become yet another cash bonanza for British consultants?
Committee ‘Yes’ but Council ‘No’ to Andytown News?
BELFAST City Council's Leisure Services Committee has decided to overthrow a ruling which prevented local leisure centres from advertising in Andersonstown News.
However hard-line Loyalists are expected to make a bid to overturn this decision at the next full meeting of Belfast City Council in December.
Present at Tuesday night's Leisure Services Committee were Mary Muldoon (S.D.L.P.), Brian Feeney (S.D.L.P.), Donal Deaney (Alliance), Pauline Whitley (D.U.P) Frank Millar (Independent).
After a brief but heated debate councillors voted four to three to resume advertising in this paper. In March 1983 City Councillors had voted to ban all Leisure Centre Advertisements because of the editorial stance of the Andersonstown News in particular during the 1981 Hunger Strike. At the Leisure Services Committee, Councillor Frank Millar raged that the Andersonstown News was a "Republican rag" and "a vehicle for Republican propaganda". A letter from the North Belfast Independent Unionist Association was read out urging councillors to continue the Andersonstown News ban.
Only half of the councillors entitled to attend the meeting were actually present. Minutes after the Andersonstown News decision was taken Councillor Seawright and Miller stormed out of the meeting following an argument over the Whiterock Leisure Centre.
The next meeting of the City Council will be on Monday, 3rd. December.
LOOKING BACK: Mary Lennon shows off an emerald Claddagh ring from a new collection of Thomas Gear jewellery which had just been obtained by her father, jeweller Tommy Lennon, back in November 1984
Best foot forward for Clonard women
A GROUP of local women from the Clonard area of Belfast have been running an unique exercise class over the past few months.
Dancercise is a method of exercising to music not involving floor work of strenuous physical exercise. It is instead a series of inter-linked dance rountines lasting just over an hour with a brief break of 5-10 minutes. Dancercise is suitable for any age group.
The women's group is trying to encourage more women to attend the weekly sessions on Monday nights at 8.00 p.m. in Clonard Hall. An improved attendance will allow the Women's Group to gauge the potential for the creation of further vocational and educational classes.
Any women interested should contact the organisers at Clonard Hall any Monday night at 8.00 p.m. The cost of the Dancercise session is £1.00.
