Plans for the redevelopment of a vacant field in South Belfast have been welcomed by the local community who hope they will provide a boost to the area.
The field beside Queen's University PEC, which forms an unused part of Botanic Gardens is part of a project that will see the creation of an urban agroecological area on the grounds that will provide a number of benefits to the wider community.
At the weekend, local residents group Friends of the Field, started the development of a wildflower meadow at the site.
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The Upsurge Project will be designed to help people with food security and nutrition, poverty reduction, provision of ecosystem services, climate change mitigation and sustainable development.
It will see the creation of community gardens on the vacant which will allow local residents to grow their own food, alongside a flax and wildflower meadow, children's play park and outdoor amphitheatre.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Colin Shaw of Stranmillis community group Friends of the Field, said: "We are very excited to hear about the plans for the unused field in Botanic Gardens and believe that it is a real opportunity to bring something positive to the area that will benefit everyone.
"We have been engaging with the Upsurge Project regarding what we would like to see here on the field and have been thrilled with how they have worked with us to come up with something that local residents would like to see here.
"The project will enhance the biodiversity of the area, which has been under so much threat lately, while also providing a space for the community here to grow.
"We understand that the project will be split into five phases, with the first seeing the creation of a wildflower meadow followed by community gardens where people will be able to learn to grow their own food and become more self-sufficient.
"There is so much history here on this field that not many people know about, with it being used for concerts and huge public events to housing people following the Belfast Blitz, and we are glad to see that it will soon be brought back to use again."
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