On Saturday, February 22, 2025, the Belfast Telegraph (Sam McQuade) published a compelling piece titled “Belfast is a great city, but swathes of it are crumbling…”, in this he is referring to our listed buildings in the main, but by inference to the general state of Belfast.

The article boiled down to two main ideas:

1. Belfast’s crumbling buildings and neglected areas
2. Why do the authorities seem powerless to halt the decay?

Like many cities, Belfast has always been a hub of change, shaped by shifts in population, employment, and development. Yes, our history is marked by the Troubles, which devastated both people and infrastructure. But Belfast has shown resilience, bouncing back with new developments like Castle Court, the Victoria Centre, and the Waterfront. Still, vast parts of the city remain overlooked, opportunities lost.

Take, for example, the area between the Short Strand and the Lagan, or the Tribecca site between Donegall Street, Rosemary Street, and Royal Avenue. I’m not here to rewrite the article, but what struck me most was the missed opportunities—funding sitting idle in bank accounts for years, generating interest, while nothing materialises on the ground.

The planning department seems to lack a clear, coherent strategy to preserve what heritage remains. Meanwhile, politicians at Stormont appear to play at politics, failing repeatedly to safeguard Belfast’s history, its fabric, and its future.

Then there’s the case of the Victorian houses in the University area, recommended for listed status as of March 15, 2025. They’re interesting, no doubt, but what really caught my attention was the broader context: Northern Ireland currently has 9,000 listed buildings, yet this is only the second survey since 1974—that’s 51 years between checks. That’s simply too long.

Some experts understand the intricacies of our listed building process better than I do, but even I can see that without a cohesive, forward-thinking plan—beyond mere politics—the gaps in protecting our city’s heritage are glaring.

 

 

Links:

• Belfast is a great city, but swathes of it are crumbling, the dereliction is getting worse – and the authorities seem powerless
• Three Victorian houses in Belfast’s university area proposed for listing#
• Assembly Rooms could be cultural oasis in city centre
• Ed Reynolds – Artist – About Belfast