Development of Titanic Quarter, Belfast

Speech by David Ford questions the Environment Minister on Tue 2nd Oct 2007

Mr Ford: I add my congratulations to those of Mr Weir. This is extremely good news for people throughout Northern Ireland.

I have two questions for the Minister. First, she emphasised the timescale within which the application has been approved. However, can we be sure that, with 2012 being both an Olympics year and the centenary of the Titanic, we will maximise the tourism benefit of the scheme by that date? Secondly, in the context of the 2,000 residential units, will she work with the Minister for Social Development to ensure that the affordable and social housing is integrated, both geographically in the site and socially among the different groups in the community?

Mrs Foster: I thank the Member for his questions. In response to the latter one, I am happy to work with the Minister for Social Development; indeed, she has already made approaches to me about the matter of social housing. This is an outline planning application, and therefore the reserved-matters application will follow. I am quite happy to work with the DSD Minister in that regard.

As for the 2012 Olympics, my Department has shown that it is ready to play its part by the way in which it has turned this matter around. I hope that other Departments will follow suit. Of course, we all await the outcome of the bid for lottery funding, which we hope will be successful.

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