Green light for Lagan bridge plan

APPROVAL given to the first phase of a new pedestrian and cycle bridge across the River Lagan has been welcomed as a “significant development”.

A bridge in the area has been the subject of several plans over the decades. Planning permission for the latest project was granted back in 2016, however, work has not yet commenced.

The bridge between the Gasworks and Ormeau Park was part of the Belfast Region City Deal funded and agreed by the UK Government last year.

The new approval by the Belfast City Council planning committee extends the planning permission past April 2021, when it was initially due to expire, and allows a pedestrian crossing at Ormeau Embankment to be put in place — the first phase of the bridge. South Belfast SDLP councillor Gary Mckeown said it would be “transformational” when the project is completed and was confident funding for the completed project was almost in place.

“People in South Belfast and beyond have been eagerly anticipating the new bridge between the Gasworks and Ormeau Park as a significant development in linking up our city for pedestrians and cyclists, so I welcome Planning Committee’s approval of the revised programme,” he said.

“The rational for it being phased is that the planning permission is due to expire in April,

“This secures the planning permission and gets the project started with the toucan crossing at Ormeau. It is an integral part of the project and can now go ahead before April. The crossing is the first step in the physical infrastructure going in.

“When the whole project is complete, it will connect up significant parts of the city in a much better way.”

It is believed the final bridge project could cost between £7m and £9m to build.

Belfast road commentator Wesley Johnson said that it was “worthwhile”.

“There has been a proposal for a bridge at that point for decades,” he said. “There is quite a long gap between the Albert Bridge and Ormeau Bridge. There are a lot of places people want to go between there. It would be great to have some kind of bridge going across. It would definitely be a positive.”

A spokeswoman for the sustainable transport charity Sustrans welcomed the development.