Belfast Region City Deal

A City Deal is a bespoke package of funding and decision making powers agreed between central government and local regions; aimed at helping to harness additional investment, create new jobs and accelerate inclusive economic growth.

The Belfast Region City Deal signals a new way of collaborative working. The BRCD is comprised of the six councils of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, Ards and North Down Borough Council, Belfast City Council, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, working in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster University, the Further Education colleges across the Belfast Region and the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

The Belfast Region City Deal has been developed by all six partner councils. Each organisation brought forward their own proposals and the final list of projects was agreed by the BRCD partners and submitted on 28 September 2018 to the NI Secretary of State and senior officials from the Northern Ireland Office and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The BRCD includes proposals for the following projects in the Ards and North Down area:

• Bangor Waterfront Regeneration
• Innovation and Digital Capabilities

The Belfast Region City Deal will see the UK Government invest £350 million into the Belfast Region, with a further co-investment of upwards of £150 million from Belfast Region City Deal partners. In May 2020 the NI Executive confirmed that it will provide match funding of £350 million towards the Belfast Region City Deal. 

This investment will help strengthen the region’s business offer in growth sectors such as life and health sciences, the digital and creative industries, and advanced manufacturing. It will also support next generation digital capabilities, boost tourism and support the regeneration of our region, underpinned by infrastructure developments and investment in skills to connect people to jobs and services.

As a first step, the partner councils worked with city and region stakeholders, including politicians, the private sector, universities and colleges to complete a robust analysis of our competitive strengths, the key economic challenges facing the region – and what the partners most pressing needs are.

This research has helped to shape the four pillars of the ambitious proposition: 

• Innovation and digital 
• Boosting tourism 
• Infrastructure 
• Employability and skills 

Find more information about the Belfast Region City Deal on Belfast City Council's website.