|
In planning today, several goals exist. Maintaining the greenbelt and natural amenities is key; the city already extends roughly 30 miles in all directions from the city center and will only continue to grow should the Peace Process succeed, attracting outside investment and population growth. This expansion requires modest plans, prohibiting growth in some areas, such as the greenbelt, and guiding it to other areas where desirable amounts of growth may not naturally occur. Secondly, city center redevelopment has emerged as a core development interest. Several projects have been completed in recent years, including the Waterfront Concert Hall, and others such as the Laganside amenity, residential, and business area, are currently under development. In addition to much-needed repairs and development, focusing on the city center helps to create a positive outlook to Belfast's future for both inhabitants and the entire world. |
Belfast, with a city population of about 300,000 and nearly
1,000,000 in the BUA, presents a nearly ideal city region both for livability
and planning purposes. A city this size is large enough to offer a wide
range of lifestyle choices while still small enough to remain easily accessible
and fairly uncongested. Additionally, its compact nature aids planners;
they work with a very limited area allowing focused planning and monitoring
of results.