Agenda item

(Councillor Kelly attended in connection with this item).

The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1       To consider a request to rename a section of Durham Street between Glengall Street and Hope Street

2.0       Recommendation

2.1       Based on the information presented, the Committee can either:

·        grant the renaming of the section of Durham Street between Glengall Street and Hope Street to Boyne Bridge Place or

·        refuse the request.

3.0       Main Report

            Key Issues

3.1       The power for the Council to name streets is contained in Article 11 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (NI) Order 1995. Belfast City Council’s Street naming policy also considers requests to rename streets.

3.2       A request has been received from Blackstaff Residents Association to rename the section of Durham Street between Glengall Street and the junction with Hope Street. The proposed name is Boyne Bridge Place. 

3.3       In line with the street naming policy any request for the renaming of a street must consider the impact on occupiers who reside on the street and who would be affected by the subsequent change to their address.  The policy indicates that any application/request for re-naming of a street should be accompanied by an initial petition of not less than one third of residents of the street showing a positive interest in changing the street name. Following a review of the section of road being considered, the Building Control Service has concluded that there are no residents who occupy this part of the Durham Street and who would be affected by this name change, including the businesses which have access from Durham Street. Therefore, no petition is possible in the specific circumstances of this request.

3.4       In addition, the policy requires two thirds of the residents of the street who appear on the electoral list to be in support of the renaming.  No survey has been conducted as indicated by the policy as there are no residents residing in this portion of the street and who would be affected by this proposal.

3.5       Officers have spoken to businesses in the Murrays Exchange building who have confirmed that while access to the building is provided from the section of Durham Street under consideration, none use this for addressing purposes.

3.6       The new Grand Central Station is addressed off the section of Durham Street between the Grosvenor Road and Glengall Street and is therefore not affected by the proposed renaming. Officers have also consulted with Royal Mail who have confirmed that they have no objections to the proposed name, which is not contained in the Council’s Streets Register and does not duplicate existing approved street names in the city.

3.7       Blackstaff Residents Association have advised that the name is proposed for this section of Durham Street to preserve and promote the history of the area, due to it being the site of the Boyne Bridge, which is due to be demolished as part of the ongoing construction work at Grand Central Station.

            Financial and Resource Implications

3.10      There are no Financial, Human Resources, Assets and other implications in this report.

            Equality or Good Relations Implications/

            Rural Needs Assessment

3.11      There are no direct Equality or Good Relations implications.”

            In accordance with Standing Order 42, the Chairperson invited Councillor Kelly to address the Committee in respect of the proposal to rename the section of Durham Street. Councillor Kelly informed the Members that she and several other locally-elected representatives were in support of the request submitted by the Blackstaff Residents’ Association.  She pointed out that the section of the street in question had, for many decades, been referred to simply as ‘the Boyne Bridge’ - and not Durham Street - thus the renaming would be in keeping with past and current practice.

            Councillor Kelly added that, should the Committee accede to the request to adopt the name Boyne Bridge Place, it would preserve the historical significance of the Boyne Bridge and safeguard the legacy of the landmark in accordance with the views of local residents. 

   Proposal

            Moved by Councillor Maskey,

            Seconded by Councillor Black,

      That the Committee agrees to defer consideration of the renaming of a section of Durham Street to enable an Equality Impact Assessment to be undertaken in respect of the overall context of renaming streets within Belfast.

 Amendment

Moved by Councillor Bunting,

Seconded by Councillor I. McLaughlin,

      That the proposal be amended to provide that no Equality Impact Assessment be conducted in respect of the renaming of the section of Durham Street and, accordingly, the Committee agrees that the section of the street in question be renamed Boyne Bridge Place.

            On a recorded vote, ten Members voted for the amendment and seven against and it was declared carried.

            The amendment was thereupon put to the Committee as the substantive motion and passed.                        

            Arising from discussion, the Director of Planning and Building Control undertook to consult with the Council’s Equality Unit in respect of the requirement to undertake an EQIA regarding the renaming of streets.