Debate contribution: Urban Villages: Update
Debate contribution by Ms Aisling Reilly on .
- MLA
- Ms Aisling Reilly
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 3 March 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Urban Villages: Update
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4825835
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for her question. In general terms, the Urban Villages initiative has supported a range of community-led, cross-cutting and capital projects to improve good relations outcomes and to develop thriving places where there has been a history of deprivation and community tension. As of 31 January 2025, there has been £49·8 million in capital investment, revenue investment sits at £15 million, the number of event attendees has reached in excess of 1·1 million, and almost 3,500 training courses, with almost 4,000 workshops, have been delivered. The additional £9 million investment will allow Urban Villages to develop four new capital projects: the Realm, in Derry, which will see a range of high-quality public realm improvements across the Fountain, the Bogside and Bishop Street; Westland Community Centre in north Belfast, which will deliver a new community centre, providing an innovative community-led service for the area; and the market arches in the Markets area of Belfast, where eight tunnels in former railway arches will be regenerated, providing new social and commercial spaces. Lastly, the former School of Music in Donegall Pass in south Belfast will be home to a range of social economy, charitable and creative ventures. Those investments are making a real, tangible difference to the communities in which they are located.
213 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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