Agenda item

            The Director of City Regeneration and Development submitted the following report for the Committee’s consideration:

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to provide Members with an update on the Belfast Regeneration Place Based Growth Proposition.

2.0       Recommendation

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

                                          I.        Note the update on the Belfast Place Based Growth Proposition, including the completion of the business Case for Place-Based Investment which has been forwarded to UK Government for consideration.

                                        II.        Note the update on ongoing strategic engagement with the UK Government in Westminster, including recent attendance at the Scottish Cities Alliance Devolution focused roundtable.

                                       III.        Approve attendance of the Chair of the City Growth & Regeneration Committee and the Council’s nominated Elected Member / Chair of the BRCD Council Panel to attend UKREiiF as part of the Belfast City & Region Place Partnership Delegation.   As noted below this would include attendance at a planned Devolved Nations Political Leaders Meeting, and also provide an opportunity to participate in advocacy and engagement activities to support the Belfast Place Based Growth Proposition.

                                      IV.        Note the continued role for Members in terms of political party engagement at local, MP and ministerial level. 

3.0       Background

3.1       The Committee will recall receiving an update in September 2025, followed by a further report to the SP&R Committee in November 2025, on the Belfast Place-Based Growth Proposition. The Proposition sets out the case for enhanced regeneration funding consistent with other UK cities, and aligned with a growth proposition which is underpinned by a full Business Case and aligned to city regeneration priorities. 

3.2       As previously reported to Committee, Belfast faces a structural regeneration deficit that cannot be addressed through existing funding mechanisms. The city has experienced long-term underinvestment specifically aimed at regeneration, limited devolved powers and stalled development activity. Public spending on regeneration is approximately half that of comparable English cities, and key funding streams available elsewhere in the UK have not been extended to Northern Ireland, resulting in missed economic and social opportunities. The English Devolution White Paper signalled a significant shift in funding and powers for English cities. Without parity of targeted regeneration investment, Belfast risks falling even further behind in terms of growth and city competitiveness.

3.3       The Proposition seeks to secure targeted regeneration funding from the UK Government to support housing-led regeneration across all tenures; tackle dereliction; enhance infrastructure, connectivity, public realm and placemaking; unlock major regeneration schemes; and deliver high quality public and green spaces.

3.4       Development of the Proposition has been informed by extensive engagement with cross-sector stakeholders and aligns with the findings of the Belfast City Centre Regeneration & Investment Strategy (BCCRIS) Stocktake, which received political and stakeholder endorsement. 

4.0       Main Report

4.1       Belfast Business Case for Place-Based Investment

            As noted to Committee in September 2025, the Place Proposition is supported by a full five-part business case outlining the strategic, economic, commercial, financial and management cases supporting the request to Westminster. It sets out how the Council has spent the past 18 months laying the groundwork to develop the Proposition and establish the conditions for successful delivery.

4.2       The business case sets out that the Council is seeking the powers and responsibilities required to drive growth and investment in the city, including the establishment of a new £250m City Regeneration Fund (CRF). The Fund is designed to deliver catalytic change through targeted investment in housing-led regeneration, green urban infrastructure, placemaking and the unlocking of strategic regeneration schemes. The Proposition and business case are framed as a Barnett Bypass, meaning it will not affect the core settlement, while highlighting that the Council remains committed to working in partnership with the Executive if successful, through a new model of collaboration.

            Advocacy & Engagement

4.3       Engagement and advocacy activities to support the Proposition are ongoing, including engagement with the NI Executive and Westminster via Belfast MPs, government officials and elected representatives.

4.4       Attendance at the UK Government Investment Summit in September 2025 and the Labour Party Annual Conference in October 2025 facilitated engagement with senior party officials and representatives from HM Treasury, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), and the Northern Ireland Office. 

4.5       Following completion of the business case in November 2025, it was submitted to the UK Government for consideration. Work continues at official and political levels to advance the Proposition, including a forthcoming meeting with the Northern Ireland Secretary of State. An update on the Proposition was provided to Belfast MPs in January and follow up discussions are on-going to support continued engagement at Westminster.

4.6       As previously reported, a joint Ministerial meeting with the Ministers for Finance, Economy, Infrastructure and Communities, held in conjunction with the Belfast City & Region Place Partnership, took place in September 2025, and the business case has been shared with senior departmental officials for consideration.

4.7       A wider communication and engagement plan, supported by messaging aligned to the business case findings, is being progressed. Continued support from Members in advocating for the Proposition, particularly through party political channels, will be important in raising its visibility within the NI Executive and Westminster at local, MP / MLA and Ministerial levels.

            Scottish Cities Alliance

4.8       Following approval at SP&R Committee in November 2025, the Lord Mayor, the Council’s nominated Elected Member BCRD Lead, and senior officers attended a devolution-focused roundtable with city leaders from Scotland and Wales in London in January 2026. The meeting was convened by the Scottish Cities Alliance (SCA), a collaboration between Scotland’s eight cities and the Scottish Government. It brought together representatives from the SCA, the Cardiff Capital Region, and Belfast City Council to discuss evolving city-regional governance and devolution arrangements across the UK.

4.9       The discussion considered the implications of the accelerating programme of English devolution, particularly the establishment of Mayoral Combined Authorities, for the competitive positioning, investment prospects, and reform capacity of cities in the devolved nations. Attendees noted the increasing momentum behind English devolution deals, the continued extension of mayoral powers, and growing alignment between English city regions and UK Government funding, policy development, and institutional focus.

4.10     The meeting concluded that, without coordinated action, the pace and scale of English devolution has the potential to reshape the UK’s economic and institutional landscape in ways that could disadvantage cities in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It was recognised, however, that through joint case-making, strategic advocacy, and confidence in diverse governance models, there is a strong opportunity to secure deeper, fairer, and more effective city-level devolution across the devolved nations, reflecting their respective strengths and circumstances.

4.11     Work is ongoing with representatives of the SCA and Cardiff Capital Region on a continued programme of engagement including plans for a follow-up Political Leaders meeting at UKREiiF.

4.12     UKREiiF, the UK real estate, investment and infrastructure Forum, will take place in Leeds from 19 to 21 May 2026. The annual event brings together more than 16,000 representatives from local authorities, government, institutional investors and developers to drive regeneration, development, and infrastructure investment. It is a key investment focussed showcase event within the Belfast City & Region Place Partnership (BCRPP) annual programme of activity, which the Council supports.

4.13     The Scotland and Wales delegations at UKREiiF will include central government officials, city leaders and senior officers from their respective devolved nations and cities. Committee approval is sought for the Chair of City Growth and Regeneration Committee and the Council’s nominated Elected Member / Chair of the BRCD Council Panel to attend UKREiiF.  Senior Council officers will also be in attendance. It is proposed that Members will attend a planned Devolved Nations Political Leaders Meeting and participate in wider BCRPP activity at UKREiiF, including attendance at a Belfast City Region Showcase event.

5.0       Financial and Resource Implications

5.1       Financial impact directly associated with the proposition and business case recommendations will be brought back to Committee in due course following consideration by UK Government.

5.2       Costs including travel and subsistence for Members attendance at UKREiiF will be met from the existing City Regeneration & Development Budget.

6.0       Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

            None associated with this report.”

The Committee:

i.       noted the update on the Belfast Place Based Growth Proposition, including the completion of the business Case for Place-Based Investment which had been forwarded to the UK Government for consideration;

ii.      noted the update on the ongoing strategic engagement with the UK Government, including the recent attendance at the Scottish Cities Alliance Devolution focused roundtable;

iii.     approved the attendance of the Chairperson, and the Council’s nominated elected Member/Chair of the Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) Council Panel, to attend the UK's Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) as part of a Belfast City and Region Place Partnership delegation, which would include attendance at a planned Devolved Nations Political Leaders meeting and provide an opportunity to participate in advocacy and engagement activities to support the Belfast Place Based Growth Proposition; and

iv.    noted the continued role for Members in terms of political party engagement at local, MP and ministerial level.