Addressing an event at Stormont today to mark almost three years of progress in the £1 Billion Belfast Region City Deal, North Belfast DUP MLA and Chair of the Economy Committee, Phillip Brett said;
“The Belfast Region City Deal, signed in December 2021, has been close to my heart since its inception. At that time, I was serving as a Councillor in Antrim & Newtownabbey, and I’m proud to have represented our area on the Belfast Region City Deal Panel. Being part of this journey from the beginning allowed me to witness the incredible potential this Deal holds to drive economic growth and transform communities.
In North Belfast and Antrim & Newtownabbey, which I’m proud to represent, one of the flagship projects is the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC), a project led by Queen’s University Belfast in partnership with Ulster University and Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council.
Recently, we celebrated a significant milestone, breaking ground at Global Point in Newtownabbey, which will soon be home to AMIC – a state-of-the-art facility.
The Belfast Region City Deal also promises transformative changes for digital capabilities, tourism, and infrastructure, including the upcoming Belfast Rapid Transit Scheme 2, which, again, personally I am very pleased to say, will connect North Belfast with South Belfast.
Our Belfast Stories Project to be delivered by our partners in Belfast City Council and the Studio Ulster project, to will be delivered in the heart of North Belfast at the North Foreshore ensuring Hollywood productions continue to be produced here in Northern Ireland.
This Deal, combined with the recent positive news that the pause on the Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens Growth Deals has been lifted, as well as the recent signing of the Derry City and Strabane City Deal, signals a strong future ahead. These are not just investments in infrastructure; they’re investments in people’s futures, in skilled jobs, and in economic development.”