Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported on behalf of the High Sheriff (Councillor McAteer) and Councillors McCormick and Murray.

There were no declarations of interest.

            The Director of City Regeneration and Development submitted a report which provided an update on the Urban Planning 2030 (UP2030) project and set out a final UP2030 Belfast Net Zero (NZ) Neighbourhood Framework for the Committee’s consideration. It was reported that, subject to the Committee’s approval of the Framework and ratification by the Council, the Framework would be submitted to the UP2030 Horizon Europe Consortium in December.

            The Director reminded the Committee that the Council had been involved in the three-year Horizon Europe consortium programme, UP2030, which aimed to guide cities through the transitions required to meet their climate neutrality ambitions, and that Belfast was one of eleven pilot cities within a large consortium of forty-seven partners across fourteen countries. She informed the Committee that the project would support the Council’s NZ Roadmap, the city’s Resilience Strategy, the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, and the city’s ambition to become net zero by 2050.

            She advised the Committee that the joint project, between the City Regeneration and Development team and the Climate team, developed the Framework with a focus based on the three thematic areas of active travel, greening and retrofit, and that those themes were underpinned by the UP2030 pillars of a fair and just transition, carbon neutrality and resilience. It was reported that during the development of the Framework, communication, engagement and capacity building were identified as critical areas that required additional focus.

            She highlighted the significant engagement that had been undertaken with local communities, city partners and Members to help shape the final framework. She highlighted that, although the geographic area of the UP2030 pilot, which was agreed at the Committee meeting in March 2023, had covered the Linen Quarter and surrounding city centre communities of Barrack Street, Sandy Row, Donegall Pass and the Markets, the Framework had been developed to be transferable and used to assist in other areas and communities.

            The City Regeneration Development Manager, the Regeneration Project Officer, and the Climate Project Support Officer presented the Committee with a detailed overview of the Belfast NZ Neighbourhood Framework’s seven main sections:

1.      Climate change in Belfast - The role of cities in achieving net zero, climate and health, climate and urban design, the Local Development Plan and climate measures;

2.      The Neighbourhood – engagement with community stakeholders within the pilot area to understand the lived experience of residents and the challenges that exist;

3.      Vision, Themes and Pillars – The vision would be to create a net zero neighbourhood that adapts and mitigates climate risks through increased greening, better active and sustainable transport, and more energy efficient low-carbon buildings. Three interconnected themes of Retrofit, Active Travel and Greening would be underpinned by the UP2030 pillars of a fair and just transition, carbon neutrality and resilience;

4.      Communication and engagement in the Neighbourhood – key findings from communication and engagement with local communities to support a fair and just transition and to help communities understand climate change through a horizontal priority approach of engaging, educating, elevating,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

            The Chairperson welcomed the following Department for Infrastructure (DfI) Roads officials to the meeting:

·        Mr. S. Wells, Divisional Roads Manager;

·        Mr. P. King, Network Development Manager; and

·        Mr. J. Torney, Belfast North Section Engineer.

            The DfI officials submitted for the Committee’s information the 2025/26 DfI Roads Annual Report on the works completed across the Council area during 2024/25 and the initial proposals for schemes to be undertaken in 2025/26.

            Mr. Wells highlighted that funding continued to be the main challenge for DfI in maintaining and improving road infrastructure. He highlighted the 2019 Review of Structural Maintenance Funding, which recommended that DfI Roads required £140m (approximately £200m today) per annum for structural maintenance. He reported that the opening 2025/26 Capital budget for structural maintenance of the road network was £68m, which would enable the delivery of the highest priority resurfacing, roadside stability and drainage projects.

            He advised the Committee that, in addition to the schemes outlined within the report, DfI had identified other resurfacing schemes within the Council area, and that should additional funding be made available, those schemes would be prepared for delivery.

            In relation to revenue funding for essential maintenance operations, Mr. Wells stated that, regrettably, DfI has had to continue with a limited maintenance service policy and in combination with funding constraints, this has resulted in a gradual deterioration in the condition of the road assets. He assured the Committee that the DfI Roads team would continue to manage the road network in the most efficient and effective manner.

            The Committee was provided with a brief overview of the works completed in 2024/25, which included the resurfacing of 31 lane-km of road and 21.5km of footways, with the most significant scheme being that of the Sydenham Bypass resurfacing. Mr. Wells reported that, for 2025/26, DfI would soon have completed 23.3 lane-km of resurfacing roads and 14.7km of footways, and that the two remaining projects to complete with the allocated funding were the resurfacing of Sydenham Avenue and Norglen Parade.

            Mr. Wells also provided the Committee with an update on the following:

·        the establishment of a multi-agency City Centre Task and Finish Group to address issues within the city centre;

·        the extension of bus lane hours on key routes within South Belfast affected by congestion;

·        the progress of Active Travel Schemes including Lagmore Avenue, Island Street and the first phase of the West Belfast Greenway;

·        the £2.4m junction improvement at McKinstry Road/Derriaghy Road/ the Cutts to improve safety for car users and pedestrians;

·        the new 20mph zones at primary schools within the city;

·        the Belfast Rapid Transport Phase 2;

·        the Lagan Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge;

·        The Transport Strategy 2035; and

·        The Regional Strategic Transport Plan.

            During discussion, the DfI officials answered a range of questions from the Members in relation to the following issues:

Knockbreda Road Crossing

A Member expressed frustration regarding the delay in its delivery. In response, Mr. Wells acknowledged the delay and advised that, due to an adjacent residential planning application, the crossing had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3a

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

The purpose of this report is to share an updated version of the draft approach to council’s engagement in international activity for the coming three-year period following discussion at the August, October and November committee meetings, and to propose a new framework for engagement, taking account of the comments received. 

2.0       Recommendations

            Members are asked to:

·       Note the amendments to the previous version, set out in section 3.5 of the report

·       Approve the proposed approach to council activity in international engagement work for the coming three years, as well as the annual action plan for the current financial year.

3.0       Main report

3.1       At the August and October 2025 meetings of the City Growth and Regeneration Committee, members received draft versions of the proposed International Relations Framework 2025 – 2028 along with an action plan for 2025/26 activity.  At both meetings, there was discussion that led to specific proposals for amendments to the draft document.  It was agreed that officers would incorporate those amendments into a revised version of both the framework and action plan and that these would be shared at a future meeting. 

3.2 At the October 2025 meeting of the Committee, the specific decisions included:

·       Agreement to continue Belfast City Council participation in the Eurocities network

·       Agreement to explore opportunities for collaboration with Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels and other relevant partners, in relation to the potential for an annual event to be held as part of the European Week of Regions and Cities

·       Agreement to establish an EU stakeholder group

·       Agreement to extend invitations to attend international engagement stakeholder groups to Members of the City Growth and Regeneration Committee.

3.3       Members also asked that the framework was updated to specifically identify how ethical and environmental considerations were taken into account in international relations activity.  Finally, they noted that they wished to defer consideration of the proposed approach to Council international engagement work activity for 2025-28 and the Annual Action plan for 2025/26, to enable an updated draft International Relations Framework 2025-2028 to be submitted.

3.4       In November, Members again agreed to defer as although the framework had been updated in relation to ethical and environmental considerations and the action plan had been amended to reflect the above decisions in relation to the EU, the framework had not been updated to reflect the decisions on EU matters.

3.5       Taking account of the points raised above, the revised draft approach to council-led international engagement activity for the coming three-year period is set out in Appendix 1 and the supporting delivery plan for year one (2025-26) is set out in Appendix 2.  The three-year “framework” document is intended to be a supporting document to other key strategies and plans such as the Belfast Agenda, the Corporate Plan and Local Development Plan – setting out how priority objectives and ambitions in those documents can be supported through international connections, networks and opportunities.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

            In accordance with Standing Order 14, the Committee agreed that, as the meeting had been held later than seven clear days before the meeting of the Council, the minutes of the meeting be submitted to the Council on 1st December, 2025, for ratification.