£200,000 support scheme for Sandy Row traders

Work under way last year to remove the Boyne Bridge near Sandy Row

A funding scheme worth £200,000 is being planned to support businesses in the Sandy Row area of south Belfast.

Stormont's Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has offered the money to Belfast City Council for the scheme, BBC News NI understands.

Traders have raised concerns over footfall due to the closure of Boyne Bridge and roadworks around the new Grand Central Station public transport hub.

The Department for Communities (DfC) said the minister has approved a "revitalisation scheme" for the "improvement to business premises in the Sandy Row area".

Drop in footfall

The move follows city councillors backing a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) motion to set up a task force in an effort to support traders.

It is understood the details of the "revitalisation scheme" are still being developed, but it is expected to involve grants being awarded to affected businesses.

The Boyne Bridge, which runs along Durham Street, was closed in October last year and work to remove it began the following month.

Its closure was blamed, in part, for traffic congestion issues in the run-up to Christmas.

There were protests against its demolition, as well as calls for compensation for businesses.

Some Sandy Row traders addressed a council meeting in December to outline the issues, with one saying it had been "worse than Covid".

DUP councillor Tracy Kelly, who proposed creating a task force, told a council committee the drop in footfall for businesses was "very concerning".

She said she did not believe they were "going to make it if there isn't some intervention".

The head of public transport operator Translink told a Stormont committee last month that DfC was setting up a working group to help businesses.

Details of scheme to be finalised

Chris Conway said they would be supported by "making sure their footfall gets back to normal as quickly as possible".

In a statement, DfC said the DUP minister had decided to approve a revitalisation scheme for the Sandy Row area ahead of a future public realm scheme.

A spokeswoman said that revitalisation schemes "normally follow on from the delivery of Public Realm Schemes".

"In relation to the negative impact being felt by businesses on Sandy Row, the minister has approved the delivery of a revitalisation scheme in the Sandy Row area ahead of the proposed DfC public realm works," she added.

"This scheme will be delivered by Belfast City Council for improvement to business premises in the Sandy Row area and funding will be subject to the department receiving a formal application for funding and business case appraisal."

A Belfast City Council spokeswoman said: "Council is continuing to engage with the Department for Communities with regard to a proposal for revitalisation funding for the area. The details of the scheme have not yet been finalised."