PLANS for a new greenway in South Belfast have moved a step closer.
Blackstaff Greenway would follow the route of the Blackstaff River from Stockmans Way roundabout through Boucher Road playing fields and continuing through the Boucher Estate terminating at the ‘Rise’ sculpture. Details of the project have been published on Belfast City Council's website in a document produced by walking, cycling and wheeling charity Sustrans.
The 29-page feasibility presentation document describes the area, which consists mainly of commercial and industrial businesses, is “vehicle dominated,” has “low permeability and limited green space” and has "limited" existing cycle infrastructure.
Sustrans say there is a growing active travel demand in Belfast, with 30 per cent of residents wanting to drive less. They point out that there have been 31 collisions between 2017 and 2019 in the greenway study area.
The document says many living in the area are without access to a car in an area which includes one school, the Olympia Leisure Centre, Windsor Park Stadium, Adelaide train station, Boucher playing fields and an enormous amount of retail outlets and industrial concerns.
They estimate the total cost of the greenway, excluding VAT and inflation, at just under £8 million. The project would take just under two and a half years to complete, it's claimed.
Alliance Balmoral Councillor Tara Brooks has welcomed the release of the greenway information to the public.
“Having sufficient access to parks and green spaces throughout the city is absolutely essential in improving people's quality of life and we’re extremely pleased to see this feasibility study going ahead," she said. “We’ve seen the great success and popularity of other greenways right across Belfast and want to extend those benefits to as many residents as possible.
"With these plans, we’re exploring the possibility of creating space for more active and sustainable transport in the area, strengthening the south-west greenway links, and re-instating access to the Blackstaff River, as well as just generally giving the community better access to our natural world.
“While this is still at an early stage of development, we’re engaging with and consulting a number of different of organisations including Sustrans, Translink, Department for Instructure, as well as local residents and businesses, in order to ensure everyone’s voice is heard and that we’re best serving the community at the heart of this project, and we will continue to do so.
“Alliance is committed to both improving the lives of everyone in Belfast and helping our environment in tandem, and we look forward to the outcome of this study.”
