A top Danish design and urban development team is behind a new plan to bring fresh life back to Belfast's waterfront - and knit it to its neighbouring communities.

And Oliver Schulze of Copenhagen's Schulze + Grassov consultancy says the visionary makeover for the areas around Belfast Port and the Lagan is just the start of a transformation process. 

The Belfast Waterfront Promenade provides a framework to ensure that future regeneration of the city’s waterfront, one of the largest in Europe, follows an agreed set of design principles.

GENERATIONAL CHANGE: An artist's impression of the rejuvenated waterfront
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GENERATIONAL CHANGE: An artist's impression of the rejuvenated waterfront

Stretching from Sailortown to Ormeau Park, over half of the 10,000m waterfront remains available for development. Those behind the Promenade plan believe this is a generational opportunity to reshape Belfast’s relationship with its waterfront and maximise the area’s potential to provide economic and social benefits for all of Northern Ireland.

Kerrie Sweeney, CEO of Maritime Belfast Trust, said: “Over the past 30 years Belfast has rediscovered its waterfront with projects such as the Lagan Weir, ICC Belfast, Odyssey Arena, Titanic Quarter and City Quays. Such is its scale, however, over half of the city’s waterfront area remains to be regenerated.

"It won’t happen overnight, but there’s no reason why Belfast can’t be a great people-centric waterfront city on par with locations such as Copenhagen, Stockholm or Seattle.”

That view was echoed by Sinn Féin councillor Clíodhna Nic Bhranair who said the project was "an unparalleled opportunity to turn towards the river and connect right through the heart of the city along both sides of its waterfront."

She added: “Our waterfront is an amazing natural asset for Belfast and its regeneration can help to reconnect and revitalise existing communities, create new communities and support jobs, tourism, and investment. Belfast City Council is already exploring funding options for a new bridge linking Sailortown to Titanic Quarter – and through the Belfast HUB-IN project, we’re working in partnership with the Maritime Belfast Trust to animate the unique heritage of our Maritime Mile through digital innovation.

“Communities, particularly those that bound the river need to also have ownership of the regeneration, feel the direct benefits and have direct say and involvement in decisions going forward including representation on the Waterfront Task Group. “

STARTING POINT: Oliver Schulze
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STARTING POINT: Oliver Schulze

Leading the initiative to transform the port area is the Belfast Waterfront Task Group which is made up of representatives from charity Maritime Belfast Trust, Belfast City Council, Belfast Harbour, Titanic Quarter Limited, Tourism NI and the Departments for Communities, Infrastructure, the Economy and of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs.

NEW ERA: Areas of character proposed for the new promenade
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NEW ERA: Areas of character proposed for the new promenade