The Laganside Corporation was a
non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, non-departmental public body (NDPB) is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to public sector organisations that have a role in the process of n ...
formed by the Laganside Development (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 with the goal of regenerating large sections of land in
Belfast
Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...
,
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
adjacent to the
River Lagan
The River Lagan (; Ulster Scots: ''Lagan Wattèr'') is a major river in Northern Ireland which runs 53.5 miles (86 km) from the Slieve Croob mountain in County Down to Belfast where it enters Belfast Lough, an inlet of the Irish Sea. The ...
. This development area was expanded in 1996 to include areas closer to the city centre.
The Lagan riverside suffered in particular from poor environmental conditions and the decline of the
shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befor ...
industry in the 1970s and 80s.
The corporation was wound up in March 2007 and its responsibilities transferred to the
Department for Social Development
The Department for Communities (DfC, Irish: ''An Roinn Pobal'', Ulster Scots: ''Depairtment fur Commonities'') is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility f ...
.
History
The Department of the Environment-commissioned ''Laganside Concept Plan'' was completed in March 1987, an initiative of
Chris Patten
Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, (; born 12 May 1944) is a British politician who was the 28th and last Governor of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997 and Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1992. He was made a life pe ...
and
Richard Needham, two
Northern Ireland Office
The Northern Ireland Office (NIO; ga, Oifig Thuaisceart Éireann, Ulster-Scots: ''Norlin Airlann Oaffis'') is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for N ...
ministers.
To deliver this plan, Laganside Ltd. was established in October 1987 as an interim measure; the Laganside Development Order (Northem Ireland) 1989 established the Laganside Corporation in May 1989.
The Corporation's original mission statement was:
"to contribute to the revitalisation of Belfast and Northern Ireland through the regeneration of the Laganside area. It has one target: for every £1 of expenditure, investment levels of £5.20 must be achieved. Its current mission statement reflecting a change in emphasis is contributing to the revitalisation of Belfast and Northern Ireland by transforming Laganside to be attractive, accessible and sustainable, recognised as a place of opportunity for all".
Laganside Corporations aims closely followed the
Urban Delivery Corporation model:
*"The object of the Corporation shall be to secure the regeneration of the designated area. The object is to be achieved in particular by the following means:
**By bringing land and buildings into effective use.
**By encouraging public and private investment and the development of existing and new industry and commerce.
**By creating an attractive environment.
**By ensuring that housing, social, recreational and cultural facilities are available to encourage people to live and work in the area."
The corporation was wound up in March 2007 and its responsibilities transferred to the
Department for Social Development
The Department for Communities (DfC, Irish: ''An Roinn Pobal'', Ulster Scots: ''Depairtment fur Commonities'') is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive. The minister with overall responsibility f ...
under the terms of the Laganside Corporation Dissolution Order (Northern Ireland) 2006.
Developments
Lagan Weir
The Lagan Weir, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, crosses the River Lagan between the Queen Elizabeth Bridge and the M3 cross-harbour bridge. Prior to the building of the weir, the river would be subject to tidal fluctuations, and low tide would ex ...
The weir, completed in 1994, is built across the Lagan between the Queen Elizabeth Bridge and the M3 bridge (completed around the same time). The Lagan Weir was jointly funded by the Corporation and the
European Commission
The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...
. The objective of the structure is to keep the level of the river artificially constant, as it is a tidal river the level of the water varied up to three metres between high and low tide. This exposed mudflats which were unsightly and emitted a strong odour, particularly in the summer months. The transformation of the riverside by the construction of the weir has been a catalyst for development along the riverside. Another part of the project is the "Lagan Lookout" centre which explains the history and function of the weir as well as the history of the Lagan itself.
BBC News
/ref>
Lanyon Place
In many ways the flagship development of the Corporation. The Waterfront Hall
Belfast Waterfront is a multi-purpose conference and entertainment centre, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, designed by local architects' firm Robinson McIlwaine. The hall is located in Lanyon Place, the flagship development of the Laganside Corpo ...
is located on the site as well as Riverside Tower, (headquarters of BT Northern Ireland ) and the 5-star Hilton Hotel
Hilton Hotels & Resorts (formerly known as Hilton Hotels) is a global brand of full-service hotels and resorts and the flagship brand of American multinational hospitality company Hilton.
The original company was founded by Conrad Hilton. As ...
. The Lanyon Quay building was added recently. The development is named after architect Charles Lanyon
Sir Charles Lanyon DL, JP (6 January 1813 – 31 May 1889) was an English architect of the 19th century. His work is most closely associated with Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Biography
Lanyon was born in Eastbourne, Sussex (now East Sussex) in ...
.
The Odyssey
The Odyssey development was Northern Ireland main "Millennium Project." A budget of £92 million was established; 49% funded by the Millennium Commission
The Millennium Commission, a United Kingdom public body, was set up to celebrate the turn of the millennium. It used funding raised through the UK National Lottery to assist communities in marking the close of the second millennium and celebra ...
, 11% by the Laganside Corporation, 18.5% by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, 18.5% by the Sheridan Group and 3.3% by the Sports Council. When completed in 2001, facilities included:
* Vue multiscreen cinema
*IMAX
IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating.
Graeme F ...
Cinema (now closed)
*10,000 seat indoor arena and home of the Belfast Giants
The Belfast Giants (known officially as the Stena Line Belfast Giants due to sponsorship) are a professional ice hockey team based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. They compete in the UK's Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) and are the current cham ...
ice-hockey team
*W5 ("Who when why what where" exhibition)
*Bars, clubs, restaurants and entertainment
Gasworks
A redevelopment of the city's former Gasworks by Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Bhéal Feirste) is the local authority with responsibility for part of the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of (), the l ...
and Laganside Corporation. The development has retained much of the buildings of the gasworks which was closed in 1988, including the "Klondyke Building" now home to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) is an executive agency within the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). It is responsible for conservation of Northern Ireland's environment and natural heritage.
Origi ...
which lines the Ormeau Road
Ormeau Road is a road in south Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland.
Ormeau Park is adjacent to it. It forms part of the A24.
History
The road, as currently laid out, dates from the first decades of the 19th century when a bridge was built ...
and its restored clock tower. The area between this and the Lagan has been cleared, and the site's massive gas holders (once the largest in the world) have been removed. The landmark tenant is the £45 million Halifax call centre building. Other tenants at the site include:
* Radisson SAS Hotel
*BBC Technology
*Department for Social Development – Tenants of James House and The Lighthouse Building
*Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland.
Clarendon Dock
The first site to be completed, this has become a major business park as well as the home to the Corporation when it was in existence.
Mays Meadow
Adjacent to Lanyon Place, has two major financial institutions, an Abbey
An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns.
The conce ...
call centre and the local headquarters of PricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers is an international professional services brand of firms, operating as partnerships under the PwC brand. It is the second-largest professional services network in the world and is considered one of the Big Four accounting ...
.
Donegall Quay and The Quays
Donegall Quay is a road linking Oxford Street to Corporation Square. The quay itself is located north of the Lagan Weir, between it and the M3 bridge. In February 2005 Laganside announced the Obel Tower
The Obel Tower is a highrise building in Belfast, Northern Ireland, located on Donegall Quay on the River Lagan beside the Lagan Weir. Measuring in height, the tower is the tallest storeyed building in Ireland, dominating the Belfast skyline. ...
, Northern Ireland's tallest building.
Custom House Square
Custom House Square improved the link between Laganside and the city centre.
Cathedral Quarter
The area around St. Anne's Cathedral is an important cultural centre.
References
{{Reflist
External links
Laganside Corporation
Department for Social Development
1989 establishments in Northern Ireland
2007 disestablishments in Northern Ireland
Government agencies established in 1989
Government agencies disestablished in 2007
Organisations based in Belfast
Defunct public bodies of the United Kingdom
Non-Departmental Public Bodies of the Northern Ireland Executive