A groundbreaking Northern Ireland project has been awarded £23.5 million under the Big Lottery Fund’s Living Landmarks programme to transform an area of East Belfast.

The East Belfast Partnership’s Connswater Community Greenway has secured £23.5million to create a linear parkway following the course of the Connswater and other rivers through east Belfast.

East Belfast Partnership will use the grant to connect 379 acres of public open space, build 43 bridges and create 19kms of cycle and walkways. The project will benefit more than 40,800 people living in the area, improving the living environment and providing opportunities for leisure, exercise, recreation and supporting healthier lifestyles.  

The £23.5 million grant will also be used to develop a 9km linear park through East Belfast, following the course of the Connswater, Knock and Loop rivers, connecting people and places from Castlereagh Hills to Belfast Lough.

Breidge Gadd, NI Chair of the Big Lottery Fund, said: “After lots of hard work from the projects and some extremely tough decisions taken by the Living Landmarks committee we are delighted to announce the three successful initiatives. I’m looking forward to seeing these truly ground-breaking projects come to life and capturing the imagination of the surrounding communities and individuals across the country.”

Sammy Douglas from the East Belfast Partnership said: “Everyone across Northern Ireland is absolutely delighted in getting this vote of confidence from the lottery to provide new opportunities for our communities through the development of the Connswater Community Greenway which will turn the rivers and open spaces into community assets and provide a living landmark for our children.”

Due to decades of underinvestment in the area the open spaces alongside the rivers are underused, inaccessible, unsafe and unconnected to the communities. The Connswater Community Greenway will create a safe, welcoming and open public space for residents and visitors to East Belfast.