Sailortown in the context of wider City development.

Area-based deprivation

Sailortown is located within Duncairn 2 (SOA) It sits on the boundary of BT1 and BT15

SRG currently use the Church to provide a range of services within one of the worst areas in terms of socio economic deprivation in Northern Ireland. This delivery is of critical importance in making a positive social and economic impact in an area experiencing such long term and pronounced need.

 Linking areas of need and areas of opportunity.

Connectivity is a huge issue as the area was cut off from its natural hinterland by the M3 Motorway in the 1970’s. Despite being BT1 and having huge heritage significance it has suffered from lack of investment for 50 years. It is in close proximity to Titanic Quarter, UU and City Quays; has circa 1,000 people living locally and a high number of young people. (25% of those in our social housing are under 25)

 In 2018 a PHA Healthy Cities report highlighted residents call for investment in accessibility, traffic management, Road safety and safe spaces

 A 2019 Community Places survey highlighted residents need for safe community spaces and investment in public realm, connectivity and local facilities. Respondents from Sailortown prioritised the development of Green space (83%) (trees, planters, baskets and grass) to improve well-being and support wildlife; a Community Space (72%) accessible to all. Over half of respondents were supportive of seasonal events, community celebration events and cultural and historical events.

2018 – 2021 a QUB Dept Arch project led by Dr Agustina Martire worked with SRG to identify residents ideas for the development of Sailortown. Workshops id’d the need for investment in Placemaking for successful neighbourhoods. The results of this work are online at https://www.streetspace-sailortown.com/

https://pure.qub.ac.uk/files/553399243/The_streets_that_were.pdf

The loss of Sailortown’s terraced streets had a significant impact on its social and urban fabric. A more thorough and people-focused understanding of the complexity of everyday streets could prevent such large-scale planning mistakes from occurring in the future. Alternative approaches to urban design and street design are currently emerging all over the world, prioritising pedestrians and cyclists and paying greater attention to street life and its links to people and programmes. Focusing on streets to start conversations with local current and former residents facilitated the unravelling of Sailortown’s stories, enabling them to take a spatial form and giving value to the fabric of Sailortown’s streets. This method could enable a more people focused and participatory process in the development of future streets and urban spaces.

‘It’s born in you, it’s in your blood.’ (Seánie)

 Strengthening the competitiveness of our towns and cities

Sailortown’s social, industrial and maritime heritage has been utilised by academic researchers and cultural commentators for many years. As an iconic space with great acoustics it is becoming much in demand by Culture and arts groups. We are working on developng these relationships to bring in venue hire for Community programming.

Creating Cohesive and engaged communities

SRG have been working towards regenerating Sailortown since 1999. Driven by ex residents Social Housing was built alongside private apartments in 2010. However, lack of facilities have limited its potential to become a thriving neighbourhood. SRG have now established strong relationships with local businesses and residents as well as a range of public and private stakeholders.

SRG are currently a Non Profit Charity organisation.

Over the next few years it is intended to transition the St Joseph’s project to a Social Enterprise with effective revenue streams underpinning local training and employment. The Project will act as an Anchor Institution driving forward community wealth creation.

 Social Economy

We use local businesses at every opportunity. Events and meetings hospitality are provided by the American Bar, Grateful Bread and Benny’s Café in Sailortown. We use the locally based Seafarers Mission, Dockers, McKenna’s and Barrow Square when we need alternative spaces.

Over the last few years SRG have engaged with QUB and UU and a range of UK and USA institutions to offer learning opportunities to a range of 3rd level students in Arch, town planning, Construction, Engineering, History, Marketing, Arts and Community development.

Local young people have engaged in skills learning with Lagan Sailability, Beat Carnival, Circus School, Yoga/Meditation workshops and a range of Environmental, sports and Arts/Drama workshops.

Local residents assist with volunteering clean-ups, hospitality and event facilitation.

As capacity grows curriculum based educational and training opportunities will be made available for  local schools and colleges.

Community wellbeing services are been delivered and will be developed by an in-house Community Development post supported by a 3 year DfC grant.

We are working with New Lodge Safer Streets and Duncairn Healthy Living to instigate facilitating regular sessions using the Church Space in the coming months.

Environmental Sustainability

SRG installed a DfC funded Parklet in 2021 with 10 Bcc LHLH funded wildlife friendly planters

We are working with QUB to explore eco friendly construction materials and responses to Climate Change. We have investigated the possibility of investing in Wind powered electric, but so far it is exorbitantly expensive.

We are keen to install an e-bike solar powered charging dock as the Lagan Walk and Cycle trail goes through Sailortown and is becoming very popular

 Neighbourhood Tourism

Sailortown is no.1 area of focus on the developing Maritime Mile. Since 2018 SRG have worked closely with Maritime Belfast Trust and formerly Titanic Foundation on their destination forum, Maritime Festival and Heritage Focus Groups.

In 2021 SRG’s collection of heritage material was curated as an accessible archive for use through a Covid Recovery Grant. There are a growing number of local Tourism groups requesting tours of the area

Belfast Archive Project partner group have produced a range of printed booklets showcasing Belfast Heritage

During Covid the rise in walkers and cyclists in the Sailortown Area rose exponentially with many calling in to our Church space and expressing their admiration for our work and heritage information

Many workers in the adjacent City Quays offices travel through our area from York Gate Station and Corporation St bus stop; these frequently indicate a desire to have more lunchtime and evening activities available.

The Harbour are developing a major City Quays Gardens project and have SRG that Barrow Square and Prince’s Dock St will be in included in Stage 3 of these plans. We have Harbour permission to use Barrow Square and have done so for the Maritime Festivals and other events

SRG Hold an annual 3 day festival in June which will attracts a large number of visitors. This is supported by BCC and MBT as well as local businesses

improving Sailortown’s physical environment by regenerating 2 listed Heritage buildings,

The Church is Grade B+ listed, designed in Italian Romanesque style, with early French gothic detail. BHARNI Reg: HB26/50/095

The house is listed grade B1 (HB26/50/095B), indicating that it is of local importance and is listed by virtue of its architecture, history and group value with the Church. BARNI (buildings at risk NI) Register Ref 26/50/022.Restoring the Parochial House will provide a new City Centre iconic space in Sailortown.

The long term plan is to reconnect the Church and house as a central spine between Pilot St and Prince’s Dock St as an anchor institution in a developing neighbourhood In the Short term this will provide employment to local builders and trainees

Medium term it will provide improved space for events and community activities

Long term it will add the the City’s services by providing office space for Startups businesses and/or a centre of excellence for Arts and Heritage

SRG have already hosted many local creatives by providing an iconic space for them to produce material for dissemination Sailortown is becoming well known across Belfast and beyond; referred to as the New Cathedral Quarter by many.

In recent years SRG have been approached on many occasions enquiring about rental space in the area for a variety of local entrepreneurs; these include food prep, lighting, IT firms and artisans (City centre office costs are too high for these fledgling businesses. The American Bar is an exemplar on this front; reopening 5 years ago it now contains a beer garden, Gig space, Rehearsal room and 2 permanent Social enterprises with kitchen and recording studio.

Maritime Heritage

Many ex residents of Sailortown were seamen coming home only on leave. This is the docks area and most families had a seafaring tradition going back generations. Belfast focuses on its docks and shipyards and forgets this history. Some men spent their whole working lives away and others settled back into family life after a number of years at sea. We are aware of a number of these through our ex residents and they are keen to meet up on a regular basis to reminisce and have their memories passed on to their families and friends.  

When St. Joseph’s is opened for activities we will arrange ‘get togethers’ for ex seamen and their families. We are already having an exhibition with 60 names of Sailortown WW1 Sailors. This is from a database and includes photos, addresses and next of kin.

We want to give their descendants the opportunity to share their stories and look into their family trees as well as celebrate and commemorate lives at sea. 

Belfast Urban Regeneration

Belfast has experienced a huge growth in Regeneration over the last 20 years. Belfast’s ‘Temple Bar’ aka the Cathedral Quarter attracts tourists, socialisers and has a range of Cultural and Arts events.

There are huge building projects happening around Sailortown the largest of which is the York Street Interchange proposal, an outdated and outmoded project. The M2 was the cause of the destruction of the Sailortown Community when their homes were vested in the early 1970’s.

The York St Interchange Placemaking review offers an opportunity to redress this wrong and link Sailortown back into the surrounding City.

The New University of Ulster Campus

The New University of Ulster Campus is on our doorstep. It is bringing 15,000 students into the North end of the City Centre with associated business and leisure outlets. We have worked with a wide range of UU and QUB departments enabling Students to gain practical experience. In particular with UU Architecture on Urban Greenways QUB Arch on Street spaces, QUB Community Development on Urban Planning and are currently working on Environmental Sustainability with both Universities.

City Quays

City Quays is a mixed-use regeneration project, providing a mix of commercial offices, retail restaurants, apartments and an AC Marriott Hotel on the Sailortown side of the Lagan Waterfront. It is being developed by the Harbour Commissioners who were set up in 1847 to develop and improve Belfast Port. Belfast Port covers 400 years of mercantile industry and shipbuilding in which the Sailortown community played a central role. The Harbour is one of our key stakeholders; are building 69 new housing units in Sailortown later this year and recently opened a new community garden as part of their Greening strategy.

Belfast Maritime Trust: https://www.maritimebelfast.com/

Formerly the Titanic Foundation, MBT led on the development and extension of the Titanic Museum and Hotel. We are working in partnership with them to ensure that Sailortown is centrally included in the Waterfront Destination plans. We have collaborated with them on a number of projects including design of the Waterfront Promenade Framework, Copenhagen Study Visit, Blueway Accreditation Feasibility Study and more recently represent North Belfast Inner City Communities on the Waterfront Task Group.

MBT also sponsor us for a range of Arts Culture and Heritage events/Activities: The Belfast Maritime Festival, our local Annual Festival in June, Sundays on the Maritime Mile and the Hub-In Project: https://hubin-project.eu/belfasts-hub-in-where-culture-meets-commerce/