Stakeholder

Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce have met with Environment Minister Edwin Poots MLA to discuss legislative and policy barriers to Belfast City Centre’s growth as a retail economic driver to recovery. 

 

 

 

High on the agenda was the issue of draft retailing Planning Policy Statement 5 with Chamber President John Moore urging the minister to press ahead with its official publication.

Mr Moore said, “It is clear the continued stasis of PPS 5 is holding up private investment in our town and city centres. We expressed our concern that without the policy receiving official weight many responsible retail developers were adopting a ‘wait and see’ approach. Pushing ahead would break the siege that town and city centres are experiencing right across Northern Ireland from inappropriate out of town developments trying to seek planning approval before PPS5’s final publication.”

The delegation also took the opportunity to raise issues around the taxi industry with the Minister and highlight how they affected business and traffic around the city centre.

John Moore said “I explained to the Minister that our engagement with the Taxi industry had already produced significant results with both sides keen to understand each others concerns particularly on safety around public hire ranks. First impressions of visitors to Belfast are vital for retail tourism and we urged the Minister to look at the option of PSV licensing to introduce a formal qualification as a means of ensuring we have the best standards on offer to visitors and shoppers alike. Considerable progress has been made on the issue of taxis recently with the introduction of the Taxi Act 2008 and we lobbied the minister to speed up the policy framework that would give effect to the legislation’s intent.”

Speaking in his new role as the Regional Chairman for Ireland of the Association of Town Centre Management, Belfast City Centre Manager Andrew Irvine spoke to the minister about the need to introduce Business Improvement Districts.

Mr Irvine said, “The recent report from the Social Development Committee into town centres that was warmly welcomed by businesses right across Northern Ireland included the introduction of BIDs as a key recommendation. We asked the Minister for his support to introduce enabling legislation and tackle the competitive disadvantage that Northern Ireland’s town and city centres experience compared with their counterparts in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland, most of whom operate Business Improvement Districts.

The schemes operate to collect an extra 1-1.5% in the rateable value of the commercial property with the approval of the local business community, and use it in a central fund for the overall improvement of town and city street-scapes.

Responding to the delegation’s concerns the Minister said afterwards, “Work has been ongoing on draft Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 5 – Retail, Town Centres and Commercial Leisure Development since DOE assumed responsibility for its preparation, from the Department for Regional Development (DRD), on 15th January 2008.  

On 14th April 2008 leave was granted for a Judicial Review of draft PPS 5

which was heard in the High Court in January 2009. The outcome of this

judicial challenge, which has potential implications for both the timing and

content of the PPS, is still awaited.       

“The implementation of the Taxis Act is already underway with strengthening of enforcement powers for DVA and PSNI, the transfer of powers relating to taxi ranks to DRD and the launch of a voluntary operator registration scheme as a forerunner to full operator licensing. Other measures will be spread over the next few years at a pace that is tailored to the industry needs and its ability to comply with the new requirements.”

The Minister also added that he was aware of the benefit that Business Improvement Districts can bring to local towns and cities and that he was fully supportive of their introduction.