Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to update Members on the City Cemetery Heritage Project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Belfast City Council. Members are asked to note a request for drone footage to record restorations. Members are also asked to note the recent correspondence from Ards and North Down Borough Council.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

1.     Note the update on the City Cemetery Heritage Lottery Fund Visitor Centre

2.     Give special permission to allow the operation of a drone within City Cemetery during the reinstatement of the two restored Victorian Fountains, in the absence of an agreed Council Drone Policy.

3.      Note the correspondence from Ards and North Down Borough Council and the update on application of return imminent residency circumstances.

3.0       Main report

            Update on City Cemetery Project

3.1       The Visitor Centre internal fit out has been completed. In tandem with the Visitor Centre build, restoration works on several of the sites most historically significant listed assets including the Central Steps, Mortuary Tower, Jewish Cemetery and Foxes Lodge have been completed. These structures have been restored to their former glory and have greatly enhanced the visual aesthetics of the site. The two Victorian Fountains are currently being restored off site and are expected to be reinstalled in August 2022. The final element of the project relates to genealogy offering visitors the opportunity to search and interact with the cemetery’s burial records.

3.2       Following a decision by Strategic Policy & Resource committee in June regarding bilingual content proposals are being finalised on signage, interpretative panels, digital content, tours and stakeholder engagement and timelines are being explored. Given the scope and lead-in times for the different aspects it is likely that this will require a phased approach in terms of roll-out. These proposals will be presented to the Strategic Crematorium and Cemeteries Working Group Members in the first instance and a further report tabled at People and Communities Committee.

3.3       Community Engagement, which is central to this project has continued over the summer months including tours of City Cemetery for primary school children, older people and summer schemes. The new outdoor classroom facility which forms part of the new Visitor Centre has been utilised for these engagements. A programme of engagement activities is currently being worked on for the Autumn including European Heritage Open Day at City Cemetery on 11th September as well as speakers for an autumn and winter lecture series.

3.4       There will be a launch event for this project as it reaches completion.

            Request for drone use

3.5       Members may recall considering a request for drone use in City Cemetery in February 2020 relating to aerial digital mapping as part of the City Cemetery Heritage Project. This piece of work has been successfully completed and now forms part of the interactive panels which will be experienced by users when the Visitor Centre opens to the public. This aerial photography and geo-tagging of graves and monuments means that graves are not only much easier for cemetery visitors to physically locate, but also that pictures of each and every grave/monument within the site can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

3.6       As the restoration works near completion Members are requested to consider granting special permission for drone use in City Cemetery during the reinstatement of the two Victorian Fountains.

            Correspondence from Ards and North Down Council

3.7       Members will note the correspondence attached in Appendix 1 related to an unusual and sad case of imminent residency related to their Borough. The correspondence outlines the criteria suggested and used by their Council in making a decision on this specific request. Members are advised that there is existing delegated authority to the Director within the polices and approaches by CNS to apply discretion should a similar case arise in Belfast.

            Financial and Resource Implications

3.8       Bilingual signage – costs being worked up.

3.9       The costs of the drone footage capture will be delivered within existing budgets for the overall project.

Equality or Good Relations Implications/

Rural Needs Assessment

3.10      None.”

            The Committee:

·        noted the update on the City Cemetery Heritage Lottery Fund Visitor Centre;

·        granted special permission to permit the operation of a drone within the City Cemetery during the reinstatement of the two restored Victorian Fountains, in the absence of an agreed Council Drone Policy; and

·        noted the correspondence from Ards and North Down Borough Council and the update on application of return imminent residency circumstances and that delegated authority had previously been granted to the Director to apply discretion should a similar case arise in Belfast.