Victoria Square Wins Top Planning Award

BDP’s Victoria Square in Belfast has won the RTPI Silver Jubilee Cup, the UK’s top planning prize, making it the overall winner out of entries in 10 categories. BDP’s planning work on the scheme also won the “City & Metropolitan Areas” category, for which it was shortlisted.

The judges called it “a high quality, visionary area regeneration project and a stunning achievement which has real potential to unite communities in Belfast”

The awards held today, Thursday 4 February, recognise the diversity of planning achievements from large-scale spatial planning through to small scale environments enhancements and celebrate the contribution made by the planning profession to the quality of life throughout the UK. Helen Harrison, Planning Director and Doug Pilkington, Architect Director accepted the awards, which are now proudly on display in BDP’s Belfast studio.

Doug Pilkington, said: ‘It’s fantastic that we’ve been recognised by the planning world for our work on Victoria Square, which has expanded the city towards the riverside in a way that is truly integrated. Working with the Northern Ireland Planning Service has been a really positive and collaborative experience, and Victoria Square is a great example of private investment which has brought thousands of jobs to Belfast. But what is most important is that people in Belfast have really taken it to their hearts and that is what we are most proud of.”

Victoria Square, which opened in March 2008, is a landmark, retail-led, mixed use urban regeneration scheme in the centre of Belfast. It comprises nearly 63,000m2 of retail floorspace on two covered streets, anchored by a flagship department store, and includes a multi-screen cinema, two-level food court, restaurant terrace, 106 apartments, two-level basement parking and a spectacular glass viewing dome which is visible from many parts of the city, an iconic image on Belfast’s skyline. Inside the dome there is a superb viewing platform, now a major visitor attraction.

Planning involvement spanned ten years from discussions on the early sketch proposals to a final ‘wrap up’ planning application following completion of the project in 2008.The lengthy and complex planning process was characterised and ultimately enhanced by a partnership approach between the client, the Department for Social Development, BDP and DoE Planning Service including the wide spectrum of statutory consultees.

Victoria Square has proved a real enhancement to Belfast’s streetscape with a passively treated open street protected from rain by oversailing glass canopies, rather than a traditional enclosed air conditioned mall thus preserving light and promoting an outdoor ambience. It is a well used civic facility.