Belfast City Council has appointed engineering firm Arup and bridge designer Knight Architects to lead a team to undertake early-stage work on a proposed moveable active‑travel bridge across the River Lagan.
The announcement follows the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) awarding £600,000 for the ‘Under the Bridges' initiative.
The plan is to deliver ‘an iconic swing bridge' that will complete a ‘Harbour Loop' and allow a direct active travel connection between Sailortown and the new York Street train station.
Supported by Eadon Consulting (mechanical and electrical engineering) and Cumming Group (cost consultancy), the contract will see this team of experts produce the initial architectural ideas and concepts to take the Sailortown bridge design to RIBA Stage 2. Following this, the team said it expects to present a preferred option by 2027.
The scheme will also make better use of spaces underneath the M3 bridges by repurposing them for community and leisure use, the council said.
Chair of Belfast City Council's City Growth and Regeneration Committee, Ian McLaughlin, said: ‘We're delighted to see this much-needed regeneration project moving forward, thanks to investment from the Department for Infrastructure. With this level of expertise on board, I'm confident that the resulting design concepts will be iconic, and that the bridge will encourage more people to walk, wheel and cycle to the many key destinations around the Harbour Loop along both sides of the River Lagan.'
Héctor Beade, design director at Knight Architects, added: ‘The area's shipbuilding history, unique waterfront setting, river navigation requirements, and modal shift opportunities all combine to make this a very exciting project. We are looking forward to getting started with our integrated consultant team partners on this transformational scheme for the people of Belfast.'
Mike Mitchell, project director at Arup, said: ‘We are proud to be involved on this project that promises to make a pivotal contribution to Belfast's active travel infrastructure, with a new link across the River Lagan downstream of the existing Lagan Weir bridge. In connecting the historic Sailortown district with the Titanic Quarter via an opening bridge, the uninterrupted active travel corridor from the Lagan Gateway will be extended, whilst also providing stronger links to the recently upgraded York Street train station.'
As part of the council's wider ‘Under the Bridges' initiative, plans for the bridge have been developed in partnership with Belfast Harbour to improve transport links between the Sailortown/City Quays area and the city centre.
