28 June 2000

LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS ARE THE WAY FORWARD - DODDS

A comprehensive Community Plan for the Lower North Belfast Area of York Road and Shore Road, based on the views of local residents and businesses, was launched today by the Minister for Social Development, Nigel Dodds MLA.

Speaking at the launch in Grove Community Centre, the Minister congratulated all those involved and said that the key to successful urban regeneration lay in creating partnerships.

"The challenge of working in partnerships is to devise new ways of delivering services which bring added value to the outcomes and produce real benefits for people.

"This report itself was the result of a partnership between the Lower North Belfast Community Council, my Department's Belfast Regeneration Office, the Housing Executive and North Belfast's Traders Association.

"Its success in addressing issues such as roads and traffic, the use of open space, environmental improvement and the development of shopping, housing and community facilities will also depend on working closely with all the interested parties," he said.

The community plan was jointly commissioned by the Lower North Belfast Community Council (LNBCC), which represents more than 100 local groups in the area, and the North Belfast Traders Association, with the support of the Belfast Regeneration Office of the Department for Social Development.

Cathy Dornan, Director of the LNBCC, welcomed the Minister, who represents the area in the Assembly and City Council. She said:

"The production of this plan has given added impetus to the local community. We are active partners in the Four Cities Project, an Interreg project which empowers local people in the field of planning and urban regeneration. We will be developing and strengthening existing links with service providers and agencies."

Colin Campbell, a local businessman and spokesman for North Belfast Traders Association also welcomed the plan and said that it meant that local traders, who have been the backbone of the community, now had a voice in the regeneration of the area.

The Community Plan document features artwork by local children who also had an input to the consultations.