Derelict railway arches set to be transformed

Long-running plans to turn derelict railway arches in Belfast into a community and commercial space have moved a step closer.

A gym and a restaurant are among the facilities earmarked for the eight arches, close to Lanyon Place station.

The scheme, known as the Tunnels Project, is based in the inner city area known as the Markets.

The Market Development Association (MDA) has been working on the project for the past 15 years, and has been boosted by £2m of funding from the Executive Office at Stormont.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill said the work done by MDA was a “blueprint” for other community organisations.

Fionntán Hargey, director of the association, said he hoped the arches below East Bridge Street would be transformed by 2028, with work beginning by the end of next year.

He said: “We are looking at providing a gym and a bar-restaurant. It will create jobs in the area but also provide services for the wider city.”

Full planning approval has yet to be given, but Mr Hargey is confident the plans will soon become a reality.

He said: “Anything that could go wrong has already went wrong in the last 15 years. The community has been tenacious enough to overcome all those challenges and problems and we’re now on the home run.”

The regeneration of the arches is part of a wider £6m redevelopment project, which was outlined on Wednesday at an event at a local youth centre.

There are also plans to convert an old building, St Malachy’s Convent School at Sussex Place into a heritage and visitor centre.

Belfast City Council, Queen’s University, the National Lottery Community Fund and Radius Housing have all supported projects in the area.

The plan is that the eight arches, or tunnels, will mainly be used for a gym and community facilities, but one will be reserved as a walkway for pedestrians.

The hope is that it will improve connections within the inner city.