Holylands conference to tackle local issues

A conference is being held in Belfast’s Holyland area this week to discuss relationships between university students and local residents.

The conference comes as an audit aimed at identifying the needs and concerns of all people living in the Holyland nears its conclusion.

The audit, part of the Need to Know initiative, targeted more than 1,500 households in the area in a door-to-door canvass and focus groups.

Carried out by Extern, the Need to Know initiative will enable the targeting of further funding to address problems in the area and to facilitate the development of a representative community infrastructure and an improvement in community relations.

Some of the issues which have arisen during the project are problems with bins and litter, levels of crime and anti-social behaviour and noise nuisance.

These issues will be addressed at the workshops running as part of the conference.

Residents, students, voluntary and statutory agencies, the University of Ulster, Queen’s University, Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education, landlords and the PSNI will take part in the conference and associated workshops.

(MB)