the BeLfAst MAnifestO Our vision for the future

the BeLfAst MAnifestO Our vision for the future

BLUEPRINT CLEAR AND CONCISE FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS

BELFAST THE HEART OF NORTHERN IRELAND Belfast is a great city. The Belfast Chamber for Trade and Commerce celebrates Belfast s success and looks forward with optimism to Belfast s future. We should be justly proud of our transforming city, from the redeveloping waterfront to the regenerating city quarters, with world leading businesses in the fields of film, tech, finance, tourism, retail and many more. But it can t stop there. Recent years have seen growth stalling because of worldwide economic upheaval and competition from other destinations. Internet retailing presents a challenge to the traditional city centre. In recent months Brexit has created new uncertainties and opportunities. Let s look to the future and seize the opportunities that it presents. We understand that the city is the pulse, the beating heart of Northern Ireland. When Belfast is healthy then so too is the rest of the country. This is our plan - the Belfast Manifesto: it is a clear and concise blueprint for the next 10 years for Northern Ireland s capital city. The heart of Northern Ireland

400 MORE THAN CURRENT MEMBERS Focussed on lobbying and support

BELFAST S CHAMBER FOR BUSINESS Belfast Chamber for Trade and Commerce is the voice of business in Belfast. We have been representing businesses in the city since 1912 and we have more than 400 members. Our members include the full range of commercial enterprises, from retailers to hoteliers, solicitors to estate agents, property developers to media, tech companies to transport providers. Businesses join Belfast Chamber because they recognise that we are the only business organisation that is focussed on lobbying for and supporting all businesses within the entire city of Belfast. We put Belfast First. We passionately believe that the voice of business in Belfast must be listened to by policy makers and politicians in order to build the strongest possible framework for investment and business growth. We want those policymakers to put Belfast First. Our membership is growing and our voice is being heard.

SUCCESSFULLY THE CHAMBER LOBBIES ON A RANGE OF ISSUES

SUPPORTING BUSINESS IN BELFAST Belfast Chamber actively supports and represents the business interests of our members in a number of ways. LOBBYING GOvERNMENT AND POLICY MAkERS Belfast Chamber is proud to hold an impressive track record in lobbying on behalf of our members. successfully lobbied for the development of Victoria Square Shopping Centre work with DSD (now Department for Communities) to enhance the public realm in the City Centre, including the Streets Ahead project, Bank Square and College Square instigated the Backin Belfast campaign We work closely with politicians, government departments and other organisations interested in the further development of Belfast as a vibrant capital of a prosperous Northern Ireland. We facilitate regular, vital and productive meetings with Ministers, MLAs and Councillors. The Chamber lobbies successfully on a diverse and important range of issues that affect a wide range of business people across the city. Among our success stories we: delivered the rates reduction of 50% for businesses occupying units that have been vacant for over a year influence the timing of parades through and events in the City Centre to minimise the disruption to the business community Promoting the City Centre We played a vital part in creating the thriving City Centre that we now enjoy We worked with Visit Belfast to secure 1m funding over five years, to promote the city as a major retail and leisure destination. This funding has been used for Christmas campaigns and marketing initiatives throughout each year We were instrumental in setting up the Backin Belfast campaign. This was a crucial step at a difficult time, and our influence was brought to bear on the City Council, Government Departments and Agencies to generate funding for a unified campaign to attract visitors back into the city Connecting Businesses

UNIQUE NETWORkING OUR MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO ENJOY OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING OUR BI-MONTHLY OPEN HOUSE AND BUSINESS BREAkFAST EvENTS Making Belfast Great

SUPPORTING BUSINESS IN BELFAST Belfast Chamber is responsible for securing funding for a dedicated full time police presence in the City Centre, which would otherwise not exist. This City Centre Beat scheme has been successful in eliminating illegal street trading and creating a safe and secure environment We also set up a radio-link scheme for retailers and bars to help them communicate with each other and control potential issues and threats We have been instrumental in the delivery and funding of the Christmas lights and decorations Belfast Chamber helped establish Belfast City Centre Management Ltd Connecting Businesses in the City We help to provide a fertile business environment. Our members are able to enjoy unique networking opportunities including our Open House and Business Breakfast events, to develop and grow their businesses We are an integral partner in the strategic alliance of major stakeholders who work hard to help Belfast thrive and flourish. Our partners include the City Council, Government Departments, Belfast City Centre Management, Belfast One and Visit Belfast We hold training and information workshops for all members to help them learn and develop their skill sets Celebrating Belfast Business We believe business in Belfast is a great story that needs to be celebrated: Our annual Belfast Business Awards is a showcase gala event, highlighting the great strength and diversity of business in Belfast across all sectors We also celebrate success and achievement with our prestigious President s Awards, which are awarded to individuals and organisations who make a significant contribution to the business scene in the city

BeLfAst MAnifestO

THE MANIFESTO Our policy and aim is to make Northern Ireland an excellent place for business by ensuring that Belfast thrives. The success of Belfast is a pre-requisite for a dynamic province and these policies are designed to ensure the secure long-term growth of our city. The Belfast Metropolitan Area has a population of 580,000 out of Northern Ireland s total population of 1.811m. This centre of population is the gateway for business and economic activity for the whole region. The Brexit vote creates new challenges and opportunities for Belfast as the capital of the region. Putting Belfast First, means getting the best for Northern Ireland, the only UK region neighbouring the European Union. Great Cities have strong democratic governance. Our great city deserves its own fully empowered and fully accountable City Council. 2.Access and Infrastructure Belfast needs a world-class sustainable transport system if it is to achieve the growth that is planned in future years. On a positive note we welcome: the planned Rapid Transit System and look forward to it becoming operational by September 2018 government support for the proposed Transport Interchange at Great Victoria Street Rail/Bus Stations. This is a priority for the city and our Executive must deliver on its commitment as soon as possible 1. A Self-Governing City Belfast City Council must be the dominant authority for Belfast. The existing arrangement of several central government departments competing with local government should be replaced by the Council as the sole cohesive body. This will mean the City Council taking over economic development and regeneration powers as well as control over roads to complement its planning powers. Re-invent The City Building on these initiatives the City needs: an hourly Enterprise service connecting Belfast to Dublin at peak times a proper and independent review of the bus lanes, speed limits and car parking in the City Centre. People in cars should not be seen as the enemy, rather as potential clients, customers, investors and visitors.

THE MANIFESTO Transport NI should: - standardise the times of bus lanes to weekday and peak times only and permit use by taxis and cyclists - specify and advertise arterial routes that are free of bus lanes - implement smart car park signage - develop, with City Council, a long term car park strategy for the City which will encourage economically efficient use of on-street and other public parking - enforce existing regulations to achieve a proper level of on-street car parking turnover Increased air connectivity The chamber supports: the expansion and development of Belfast International Airport and George Best Belfast City Airport more air transport slots for Belfast from London airports abolition of Air Passenger Duty on all flights into Northern Ireland from Great Britain and on all direct flights from Northern Ireland to any destination Roads connectivity The chamber supports the development of the roads infrastructure throughout Northern Ireland to give better connection between the regions and the capital city and in particular full motorway connectivity to both Newry and Derry~Londonderry. 3. A Tech City Belfast is emerging as a world-class destination for hightech and media investment. We need to build upon this base and create the environment and culture to continue this growth. The Chamber celebrates the fact that Belfast has been ranked as the second fastest broadband city in the UK; but we are slower than Dublin and many other leading European cities. Investment is needed to give Belfast the fastest internet download speeds on the island of Ireland. This is an essential modern requirement for attracting investors who are willing to set up business and bring employees to the City. The City is facing a skills shortage. Chamber supports education tailored to the needs of our members. We will work with schools, Belfast Met, Queen s University, Ulster University and the Department of Education to ensure that courses meet the needs of employers. Express our Culture

THE MANIFESTO Belfast needs to create a welcoming environment for foreign skilled workers. The City Centre needs to develop its attractiveness as a place to live with residential quarters that have facilities for young families such as pocket parks and daycare. 4. Fairer Rates and Taxes The businesses in Belfast City Centre contribute 65% of the rates income of the entire City Council. The Chamber is entitled to expect a recognition from the City Council of the fact that the business community is fundamental to meeting many of the Council s other policies and objectives. High levels of rates deter investment in the City Centre and actually reduce Council income because of vacancies. We will continue to resist rates on businesses becoming the easy tax for the Northern Ireland Assembly. Proper rates policy can be used to stimulate growth by: encouraging more residential accommodation in the City Centre incentivising occupation of vacant buildings incentivising new development and capital investment The proposed reduction in Corporation Tax remains an opportunity to attract business headquarters to Belfast. Following Brexit, the Northern Ireland Executive should be working to secure the early introduction of the Corporation Tax change. Each new business setting up home in Belfast will require top quality services, resources and support in our high quality and sustainable environment. 5. Reinvent the City Centre The traditional retail core in the City Centre is changing due to the combination of out-of-town and suburban malls and internet retailing. The Chamber challenges any factors which may negatively impact people accessing and moving around the city. The following policies are designed to work with our infrastructure changes to put Belfast at the forefront of 21st century cities. Retail The Chamber s aim is to move Belfast from the 19th most popular retail destination in the United Kingdom into one of the top ten positions. Our policies to achieve this are: the Royal Exchange project must be prioritised and Sprucefield Park should not be allowed to develop beyond bulky-goods retailing

THE MANIFESTO to encourage the growth of locally owned independent retailers throughout the city through rates incentives and local business assistance to extend Sunday trading hours in the city to allow earlier opening to fully pedestrianise Donegall Place but make other parts of the City Centre open to private cars. The pedestrianised area in the City Centre is too large for a city of the size of Belfast. This inhibits non-retail uses and is a cause of the lack of activity in the evening Commerce and Business The Chamber has a clear policy that Belfast s main commercial and business district should be in the centre of the city and not be allowed to move to the waterfront. The area south of City Hall should be the priority and policies such as the new transport hub in Great Victoria Street are essential to support this. There is an urgent need to regenerate the south of the City Centre, including Great Victoria Street, Shaftesbury Square, Bradbury Place and the surrounding streets. Priority should be given to investment for this area. City Living It s time to see more people living in the City Centre again. Policies, such as: reduced car parking requirements for City Centre housing rates incentives for new residential development in the City Centre long term rates reliefs for City Centre upper floor housing should be introduced with a target of trebling the number of people living in the City Centre within 10 years. The City Council should abandon its policy of imposing developer contributions by using s76 of the Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 for residential planning permissions within the City Centre.

THE MANIFESTO Hospitality The international success of Belfast s nightlife and hospitality sector will grow even further if our historic licensing laws, which date from 1902, are properly modernised. The Chamber supports the licensing industry s call for laws which reflect the changing needs of our society. Public Events The use of the City Centre for public events should be managed to be fair to all users. Events should be organised in a manner which is considerate to business owners, customers and clients. Processions, protests and parades should be organised to be clear of the City Centre and its main accesses by 12 noon on trading days. In particular we support moving the Belfast City Marathon to a Sunday. Culture and Sport Belfast deserves the ornamentation of more public art to express the character, identity and creativity of this great city. The Chamber supports the work of the City s cultural organisations in all that they do to in stimulating the creativity that will make Belfast a city for the 21st century. It is essential that any major new sporting stadium for Northern Ireland is located in the City. In the link between culture and commerce we would support a campaign for Belfast to achieve UNESCO World Heritage status for our shipbuilding history. Put Belfast First We want to see Northern Ireland flourish. To make this happen our government must put Belfast at the heart of all policies for Northern Ireland. As the home of our legislature, gateway to the province and our largest population and business centre, Belfast can be Northern Ireland s world class city with all of the benefits that brings for the region as a whole. Policies for relocation of government departments away from Belfast should be reversed. Instead investment should be made in improving connections between our major cities and towns. Belfast is the hub of Northern Ireland. Make Belfast great and the rest of the region will follow. Be Inspired

testimonials

PARTNERSHIP The PSNI have been pleased to work in partnership with Belfast Chamber on a range of initiatives to tackle crime, reduce tension and make the city a safer place for everyone. We will continue to work together to ensure the safety of the community that makes up our capital city. ROBERT MURDIE, CHIEF INSPECTOR, PSNI LOBBYING The efforts of Belfast Chamber mean our business people are united in the way they tackle problems and build for the future. The Chamber has created a level of co-ordination that is key to driving the city forward. BILL WOLSEY, MERCHANT HOTEL NETWORkING My experience of Belfast Chamber is that they want to make a positive difference for business through networking and influencing others! MICHELLE GREEvES, victoria SQUARE LOBBYING I have every confidence that the Chamber will continue to make a significant contribution to the future of Belfast. The Department for Communities looks forward to working with the Chamber on the challenges ahead. MARk O DONNELL, DEPARTMENT FOR COMMUNITIES LOBBYING The well-established credibility of Belfast Chamber gives us a powerful platform on which to lobby local and central government about what matters to members. Thanks to the Chamber our leaders will always know about the issues affecting the Business people of Belfast. CHRISTOPHER MCCAUSLAND, value CABS LOBBYING It is vital that Belfast City Council has direct links into the business community of Belfast and vice versa. Our collaboration with the Belfast Chamber ensures we keep in touch with the views of our business people who are vital to the success of Belfast. SUzANNE WYLIE, BELFAST CITY COUNCIL LOBBYING My experience with Belfast Chamber is that they are an organisation not just about identifying problems but one which likes to come up with solutions that will help on the way forward. LOBBYING The Belfast Chamber provides a voice for the business community to help shape the future of our city and it provides a wide range of opportunities to engage with business, civic and political leaders at every level to ensure we achieve our goals. MINISTER MáIRTíN Ó MUILLEOIR, DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE PAUL MCMAHON, CASTLECOURT

summary

SUMMARY This is a carefully considered plan to capitalise on Belfast s key strengths and unlock barriers to growth in the city. We have addressed governance, the skills shortage, planning policy, business rates, infrastructure, access and commuting issues. The vision is simple and straightforward Put Belfast first and make Belfast a World Class City.

Sinclair House, Second Floor, 95-101 Royal Avenue, Belfast BTl lfe T: 028 9033 1399 F: 028 9023 0809 W: www.belfastchamber.com E: membership@belfastctc.com