Creating a liveable and connected, vibrant and competitive city

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Belfast is a ‘right-size’ city: big enough for a buzzing city vibe; small enough to feel you belong.

We’ve come a long way but there is still much work to be done to attract 66,000 more residents, build more homes, keep our city centre and neighbourhoods thriving whilst making sure that everyone is actively and sustainably connected.

We have identified three priorities under this theme:

  1. Housing-led regeneration
  2. Connectivity, active and sustainable travel
  3. Future city centre and wider city regeneration and investment

We have created detailed action plans for each of these priorities, which can be viewed by clicking on the 'action plans' links on this page.

Measures of success

The things we want to achieve by 2028 include:

  • increasing the number of homes by 6,000 units across all types of property.
  • starting to build 400 social homes per year across the council area.
  • drafting local planning policies in line with the timescale identified in the Belfast Local Development Plan (LDP).
  • retrofitting 745 homes.
  • delivering the Department for Infrastructure’s Eastern Transport Plan.
  • increasing the percentage of people who walk or wheel (wheeling includes people who use wheelchairs, mobility scooters, prams and buggies or any other wheeled mobility aid) up to five days a week from 54% to 70%.
  • averaging 70 public transport journeys per person per year by 2030.
  • reducing the number of vacant units within the city centre by 5%, from a current baseline of 23.41%.


Use the "Stay Informed" link to be kept up to date with engagements and updates relating to this theme.

Belfast is a ‘right-size’ city: big enough for a buzzing city vibe; small enough to feel you belong.

We’ve come a long way but there is still much work to be done to attract 66,000 more residents, build more homes, keep our city centre and neighbourhoods thriving whilst making sure that everyone is actively and sustainably connected.

We have identified three priorities under this theme:

  1. Housing-led regeneration
  2. Connectivity, active and sustainable travel
  3. Future city centre and wider city regeneration and investment

We have created detailed action plans for each of these priorities, which can be viewed by clicking on the 'action plans' links on this page.

Measures of success

The things we want to achieve by 2028 include:

  • increasing the number of homes by 6,000 units across all types of property.
  • starting to build 400 social homes per year across the council area.
  • drafting local planning policies in line with the timescale identified in the Belfast Local Development Plan (LDP).
  • retrofitting 745 homes.
  • delivering the Department for Infrastructure’s Eastern Transport Plan.
  • increasing the percentage of people who walk or wheel (wheeling includes people who use wheelchairs, mobility scooters, prams and buggies or any other wheeled mobility aid) up to five days a week from 54% to 70%.
  • averaging 70 public transport journeys per person per year by 2030.
  • reducing the number of vacant units within the city centre by 5%, from a current baseline of 23.41%.


Use the "Stay Informed" link to be kept up to date with engagements and updates relating to this theme.

Comments or questions about our place

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  • Share What powers does Belfast City Council have to increase city centre living, reuse of existing vacant buildings, rezoning to create more mixed use, increase walkability/reduced car presence/increased public transport facilities on Facebook Share What powers does Belfast City Council have to increase city centre living, reuse of existing vacant buildings, rezoning to create more mixed use, increase walkability/reduced car presence/increased public transport facilities on Twitter Share What powers does Belfast City Council have to increase city centre living, reuse of existing vacant buildings, rezoning to create more mixed use, increase walkability/reduced car presence/increased public transport facilities on Linkedin Email What powers does Belfast City Council have to increase city centre living, reuse of existing vacant buildings, rezoning to create more mixed use, increase walkability/reduced car presence/increased public transport facilities link

    What powers does Belfast City Council have to increase city centre living, reuse of existing vacant buildings, rezoning to create more mixed use, increase walkability/reduced car presence/increased public transport facilities

    Lafrowna asked 25 days ago

    Belfast City Council are directly responsible for a range of service areas.  Details on the full range of services, roles and responsibilities that Council’s in Northern Ireland have can be found at the following link  https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/local-councils .   Where we do not have specific powers, Belfast City Council works in partnership with a range of statutory and non-statutory partners to achieve the outcomes in the Belfast Agenda, the city’s community plan.

     Belfast’s Local Development Plan (LDP) which was adopted in May 2023 is the spatial articulation of the Belfast Agenda, our community plan, and creates a clear vision of how the council area should develop and what it will look like in years to come. The Plan Strategy consists of five parts, flowing from the overarching vision for the district: 

    1. Vision, Aims and Objectives
    2. Strategic policies
    3. Spatial development strategy
    4. Topic-based policies
    5. Delivery (ie details of how specific policies will be applied and proposals implemented)

    A full copy of the adopted LDP can be accessed here: https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/getmedia/bba4bd89-157d-4209-8d5e-8a6eb58dd760/PS001-Plan-Strategy-Final-Web-May2023.pdf 

Page last updated: 22 Mar 2024, 01:09 PM