Holywood Arches Towards a Sustainable Urban Neighbourhood 2013 | 2018 | 2023 Past | Present | Future George Best Belfast City Airport M2 1miles/1.5km Crumlin Road Gaol Titanic Belfast Titanic Hotel SSE Arena, Odyssey Pavilion and W5 St. Anne’s Cathedral M3 Titanic Quarter EastSide Visitor Centre & C.S. Lewis Square City Hall HOLYWOOD Belfast Waterfront ARCHES Avoniel Leisure Centre Central Station Gt Victoria St Station and Europa Buscentre Indoor Tennis Arena & Ozone Botanic Complex City Hospital Queen’s University Palm House Holywood Arches Past | Present | Future 3 George Best Belfast City Airport M2 1miles/1.5km Crumlin Road Gaol Contents Titanic Belfast Titanic Hotel 1 Towards a In Summary - Holywood Arches, back to the future…. 4 Sustainable Urban Roads + Greenways 6 Neighbourhood SSE Arena, Odyssey Public Realm 8 Pavilion and W5 St. Anne’s Cathedral Streets + Buildings 10 M3 00/ Retail + Business 12 Housing + Community 14 Titanic Quarter EastSide Visitor Centre & Arts, Culture + Tourism 16 C.S. Lewis Square City Hall HOLYWOOD Belfast Waterfront ARCHES 2 Development Existing Plan 20 Potential 2023 Proposals 21 Development Area 1 22 Avoniel Leisure Centre Central Station Development Area 2 24 Gt Victoria St Station and Europa Buscentre Development Area 3 26 Street Survey + Market Overview 28 Street Elevations 30 Indoor Tennis Arena & Ozone Botanic Complex Appendix 1 Parking Analysis 41 City Hospital Queen’s University Credits 43 Palm House Holywood Arches Past | Present | Future 4 In Summary Holywood Arches is an area in transition. This brief document by Hall Black Douglas Architects is designed are dropping; developers are beginning to build and refurbish the Located at the crossing points of to give an overview of what has been achieved in the last five years private housing; the EastSide Visitor Centre and C.S. Lewis Square since the Holywood Arches Strategy and Framework documents are acting as destinations for locals and visitors to hear the many Greenways, Arterial Routes and the were commissioned by the EastSide Partnership and to consider the interesting stories this part of Belfast has to tell. The area has also Connswater River, it has unrealised potential of what already exists and that which is yet to be realised. become home to a burgeoning artistic and creative community. potential for sustainable development, Many of the recommendations contained within the reports had Hopefully this short report will provide a flavour of what is emerging as a both a vibrant destination and begun to be realised - C.S. Lewis Square, Connswater Community in the Holywood Arches and begin a conversation about the quality of Greenway and EastSide Visitor Centre. As part of the study, we were development planned for the future of the area. as a gateway to Belfast City Centre, asked to speak to a multitude of local residents, businesses, artists, Titanic Quarter and the urban and rural landlords, statutory bodies and community organisations to gather landscapes to the east. as much information as possible about the current position in the area. Our final challenge was to summarise this information into a digestible format, which we have attempted to do by looking at The process of reimagining the area the position five years ago, the position now and what we expect to with people-focused spaces has begun. happen in the next five years. C.S. Lewis Square has created a new The Holywood Arches is named after the massive stone arches that public heart for the area, with its used to carry the County Down Railway across the junction of the performance space, sculpture park and Newtownards and Holywood Roads. The arches remained in use for Belfast Bike hub. Enhancing this further exactly 100 years, from 1850 until they were demolished in 1950. Historically the Holywood Arches took its identity from the heavy is the addition of the contemporary industry, manufacturing and commerce in the area and the architectural form of the new EastSide associated streets of terraced housing supplying the workers. Visitor Centre, celebrating the best of The largest rope works in the world sat on the site of the existing Connswater Shopping Centre. The area has been hollowed out the east of the city. The next planned by a catastrophic loss of industry, employment and associated development in this composition, will depopulation. The constant ebb and flow of workers making their be the development of a new hotel, way to and from the Holywood Arches is no longer a feature of the overlooking the Square. It is within this area. Over time the area has become conjested with cars making their way into the city centre along two of Belfasts main arterial context of positive change that the future routes - Albertbridge Road and Newtownards Road. of Holywood Arches must be considered. Happily, the area is changing rapidly, with public infrastructure investment in the Comber and Connswater Community Greenways. The Newtownards and Albertbridge Roads are also part of the main eastern leg of the new Belfast Rapid Transit route. A positive story about the identity of the area is beginning to take hold around the public infrastructure. Examples of this are: rates of vacancy Above: C.S. Lewis Square (Looking North) Holywood Arches Past | Present | Future 5 Holywood Arches Back to the Future..... 2013 2018 2023 C.S. Lewis Square Under Construction EastSide Visitor Centre Proposed C.S. Lewis Hotel (Hall Black Douglas) In 2012 and 2013 analysis C.S. Lewis Square provides a new The future development of was commissioned by EastSide activated all year round outdoor the Holywood Arches has the Partnership on the Holywood space for locals and visitors alike. potential to further develop Arches with a view to making It is bounded on one side by a and build upon elements of recommendations for change new ‘landmark’ Visitor Centre quality architecture, urban and in the area. Some primary at the crossing of the two landscape design. A person recommendations came from the Greenways which define one centred approach to design will reports: edge of this open space. consider how pedestrians and • loss of identity of the area; The Greenways make this part cyclists experience the streets Above: Holywood Arches at crossing of of Belfast the most connected in Comber Railway over the Newtownards • lack of quality, defined open and spaces around them and One of the early defining features of the Road and Holywood Road (Note the space; the city for walkers and cyclists, not solely focus on vehicular Holywood Arches was the convergence bicyles and trams in the background) • lack of consolidated approach with the visitor centre’s coffee movements. of pedestrian, train, tram and bicycle - to parking; bar providing a welcome respite making it a hub of activity throughout the • a landmark building to along the route. Alongside the potential to increase presence and increase building heights and day as people travelled to work, played footfall in the area; Private investment is also densities at node points and on and lived in the area. • increased connectivity for beginning to take hold, with key sites, the case for retention pedestrians, public transport private housing beginning to be of existing buildings with The car may have become dominant in the users and cyclists; built and refurbished. architectural merit, historical last 50 years but the shift towards more The area has also been colonised significance or character should by a burgeoning arts and creative be considered. sustainable modes of travel has begun. scene centred around the The emerging image of Holywood Arches Visitor Centre, Bank Building, Increased densities would allow is being defined around the Connswater Framewerk, ArtisAnn and additional housing (private Community and Comber Greenways and Portview. It is hoped that this will and social) to be provided in be promoted and protected over the area and additional arts, the new Belfast Rapid Transit Routes the coming years. community, commercial and making it the most sustainably connected retail opportunities. area of Belfast. Holywood Arches Past | Present | Future 6 Connswater Community Greenway Roads + Greenways Comber Greenway Turning Back Time, Sustainable Future (South) New north-south connection for walkers, runners and cyclists. Widening works in progress Albertbridge Road Main active travel corridor. East-West Arterial Route. Newtownards Road East-West Arterial Route. Comber Greenway Holywood Arches is a crossing point for the Connswater Greenways Community and Comber Greenways & the main arterial Application for routes for the Belfast Rapid Transit. This connectivity will Arterial Routes redevelopment/ drive its future success and identity. improvement. Indicates Belfast Rapid Transit ‘Glider’ Stop Holywood Arches Past | Present | Future 7 2013 2018 2023 Greenways: Connecting People Rapid Transit: Connecting City A Thriving Local Hub The development of Greenways in east Belfast have The high dependency on the car travelling through the Under BMAP 2015 Newtownards Road (AR01/17), created new and improved infrastructure. The Comber Holywood Arches junction is a considerable barrier to Holywood Road (AR01/18) and Albertbridge Road Greenway was opened in 2008 and has created a regeneration of the area. However there has been alot of (AR01/16) are designated in planning terms as arterial traffic free route from Comber to Titanic Quarter. The public investment to reverse this trend. The Greenways routes. This designation has benefits for certain kinds of Department for Infrastructure will complete path have been one of Belfast’s biggest recent success development, ie. increased building heights and reduced widening works by March 2018 and Belfast City stories, and their impact will be felt across the city. parking requirements, which will make the area an Council are planning to take on the management and Bringing active travel and better health to residents. The attractive site in Belfast as the benefits of the Greenways, maintenance of the project. The Comber Greenway was intersection of the Comber and Connswater Community new squares and rapid transit take hold.