DoE invites ideas for the development of Belfast in 21st century

The Department of Environment Minister Sam Foster has urged individuals and groups to get involved in plans to change and develop the city of Belfast and its surrounding council areas during the next century.

At an event hosted in Crawfordsburn Countryside Centre on Friday December 7 the Minister launched the Issues Paper for the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP) which will provide a framework covering the Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and North Down Borough Councils.

The document, according Mr Foster, seeks to improve the economic growth and quality of life for the area’s 650,000 citizens, and will provide a planning framework, which gives everyone the opportunity to have his or her say on the future development of the Metropolitan Area.

Stressing the importance of planning for the future Mr Foster said: “I am calling on community, voluntary and environmental groups, the trade and industry sector, elected representatives and members of the general public to respond to this Issues Paper. It is their area; it is their future.

“Responses need not be confined to issues, which have been raised in the Issues Paper. The BMAP team is keen to receive any views and suggestions, relevant to the development plan, in regard to the future development of the Metropolitan Area.”

All responses must however, be submitted to the Department not later than 22 March 2002.

The Department has appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers in association with staff from Queens University and the Urban Institute at the University of Ulster to undertake, early in the New Year, a comprehensive and wide-ranging public consultation on the Issues Paper.

In this way, the Minister explained, “we hope that all sections of the community could help to shape the policies of BMAP and therefore play a key role in developing a new inclusive vision for the Belfast Metropolitan Area.” (AMcE)