The new Shankill Shared Women’s Centre has been given the green light at Belfast council - after an archaeological planning condition had threatened the project.
At the City Council’s recent Planning Committee meeting, elected members unanimously agreed to override planning red tape that required the developers to make a thorough archaeological dig to make sure nothing of historical interest was being ruined.
The £6.5 million building will be the new home for Shankill Women’s Centre and will be shared with Clonard Women’s Group, enabling a broad range of services to be delivered jointly to women and families from both communities.
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The EU-funded women’s centre will be built on an interface corner site between Mayo Street and Mayo Link off Lanark Way, by Shankill Road. Construction had started earlier this year but the planned opening date next year faced serious delay if the archaeological condition was to be met.
Councillors agreed to "vary" Condition 6 of the original approval for the plan. It stated: “No site works of any nature or development shall take place until a programme of archaeological work has been implemented, in accordance with a written scheme and programme prepared by a qualified archaeologist, submitted by the applicant and approved by the department.
“The programme should provide for the identification and evaluation of archaeological remains within the site, for the mitigation of the impacts of development, through excavation recording or by preservation of remains, and for the preparation of an archaeological report.”
The Belfast City Council-led project is being funded through the EU’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body with match-funding provided by the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland and the Department of Rural and Community Development in the Republic of Ireland.
The council stated: “For over 30 years the current Shankill Women’s Centre has provided education, training, health awareness, childcare and activities for women in the Greater Shankill and beyond.
“The aim of the new building is to create a welcoming, safe and accessible shared space for women and their families from all communities. Once completed, the new building will mark a new chapter through the partnership with Clonard Women’s Group.”
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