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| Belfast City Council outlines details of £233m plan for city | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Belfast City Council has announced an investment programme worth £233m over the next three years. | |
| Plans include a £20m extension to the Waterfront Hall to make it an international convention venue. | Plans include a £20m extension to the Waterfront Hall to make it an international convention venue. |
| On Wednesday, the council agreed a rates rise of 2.6% from April to help fund the project. They said it was the lowest increase in a decade. | On Wednesday, the council agreed a rates rise of 2.6% from April to help fund the project. They said it was the lowest increase in a decade. |
| It will mean the average household bill going up by 35p per week and £2.86 for businesses. | It will mean the average household bill going up by 35p per week and £2.86 for businesses. |
| The council said the rise was well below the rate of inflation. | The council said the rise was well below the rate of inflation. |
| It said the money would go into the investment programme and insisted its services would not be cut as a result. | |
| However, money for the project would not just come from rates, but also from Europe and Stormont. | |
| 'Overall benefit' | |
| First Minister Peter Robinson said the benefits would be felt outside Belfast. | |
| "It will create jobs in the construction industry, but improve the infrastructure of any city or any country and you improve its job potential and attractiveness to foreign direct investment. | |
| "So it has an overall benefit to the Northern Ireland economy as well as having a direct benefit for the Belfast economy," he said. | |
| Of the £233m, a sum of £150m will be invested in capital projects, £75m will be spent on city regeneration. | Of the £233m, a sum of £150m will be invested in capital projects, £75m will be spent on city regeneration. |
| The Waterfront Hall will be just one of a number of areas to benefit, with significant spending also earmarked for council leisure facilities and the old Floral Hall building within the grounds of Belfast Zoo. | The Waterfront Hall will be just one of a number of areas to benefit, with significant spending also earmarked for council leisure facilities and the old Floral Hall building within the grounds of Belfast Zoo. |
| There will also be a £3m upgrade to the Mary Peters Athletics track. | |
| A total of £34m is pledged to support economic growth and £29m for community development. | A total of £34m is pledged to support economic growth and £29m for community development. |
| Projects include making a new welcome centre for visitors, sprucing up parks, building new sports pitches and providing more alley gates across the city. | Projects include making a new welcome centre for visitors, sprucing up parks, building new sports pitches and providing more alley gates across the city. |
| The aim of the programme is to support business and create employment. It has cross-party support. | The aim of the programme is to support business and create employment. It has cross-party support. |
| Overhaul | Overhaul |
| Tim Attwood, SDLP, said it was a remarkable moment. | Tim Attwood, SDLP, said it was a remarkable moment. |
| "We have to have ambition for this city," he said. | "We have to have ambition for this city," he said. |
| "This is only the beginning of the journey, hopefully, that collectively this council can now start looking at a 20-year plan and set out a vision for that." | "This is only the beginning of the journey, hopefully, that collectively this council can now start looking at a 20-year plan and set out a vision for that." |
| John Armstrong of the Construction Employers Federation said the announcement was "an excellent start" and "very positive news". | John Armstrong of the Construction Employers Federation said the announcement was "an excellent start" and "very positive news". |
| "It is great news and not just from the perspective of the construction industry," he said. | "It is great news and not just from the perspective of the construction industry," he said. |
| "This is key to getting the economy going. Belfast City Council is setting a great example that we hope other councils will follow." | "This is key to getting the economy going. Belfast City Council is setting a great example that we hope other councils will follow." |
| Mr Armstrong said it would create employment quickly at a time when unemployment, particularly among young people, is high. | Mr Armstrong said it would create employment quickly at a time when unemployment, particularly among young people, is high. |
| "It creates investment and it gets people back into work," he said. | "It creates investment and it gets people back into work," he said. |
| Roger Pollen of the Federation of Small Businesses said: "This is a remarkable coming together of different bodies, organisations and political mindsets. | Roger Pollen of the Federation of Small Businesses said: "This is a remarkable coming together of different bodies, organisations and political mindsets. |
| "We would like to see other councils taking the lead set by Belfast." | "We would like to see other councils taking the lead set by Belfast." |
| The full extent of the multi-million pounds development was revealed to political and business leaders at the Waterfront Hall later on Thursday. |