Two key strategic funding resources will be allocated throughout Lisburn over the next year:
> £1.4m was awarded to Lisburn City Council as a result of a successful application to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the Programme for Building Sustainable Prosperity Programme Measure 3.1. This grant assistance will be match funded by the Council on a 50:50 basis and will be allocated to business and infrastructure development within the Lisburn City Council Area during the period 2001-2005.
> Building upon the work of Lisburn Peace and Reconciliation Partnership, the Council is working closely with the new Lisburn Partnership to develop and implement an Integrated Strategy for Lisburn and associated Two Year Action Plan which will aid in the allocation of £4.4m of funding under the new PEACE II Programme, Priority 3 Locally Based Regeneration & Development Strategies under Measure 1 (Local Economic Initiatives for Developing the Social Economy) and Measure 2 (Locally based Human Resource, Training and Development Strategies).
These funding initiatives will have a major impact in ensuring that economic and social development will take place in a holistic and integrated manner throughout Lisburn. Local businesses will be provided with opportunities to become more competitive and sustainable, with increased employment opportunities, particularly in TSN areas.
The Council will also investigate other potential funding opportunities which may be available e.g. Interreg, the Rural Development Programme, and measure 4.1 of the Programme for Building Prosperity, Outward and Forward Looking Region.
Laganside Rural Development Ltd is taking a new approach to regeneration in rural areas. A group of key stakeholders have recently come together to assist rural communities with training and skills acquisition and promoting micro business development in rural areas in Lisburn. The group aims to have their Rural Strategy completed in 2002, and with the support of the Council aims to lever funding and grant assistance from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and the European Union.
The Economic Development Unit recently completed a Best Value Service Review as part of Lisburn City Council’s 5 year programme. Through a series of consultative and evaluative exercises, the Section produced a 1 Year Performance Improvement Plan aiming to improve external communications and improvements in service delivery and customer satisfaction. These improvements include long term strategic ambitions to facilitate the development of a hotel in Lisburn City Centre and short term improvements such as producing a targeted marketing plan for the Economic Development Unit.
In July 2001, EDAW planning, design and economic development consultants were commissioned by Lisburn Development Ltd in partnership with the Council and other key stakeholders to prepare a Strategic Investment Framework (SIF) document which will provide an integrated, uniform approach to the development of Lisburn City centre. This will join up existing initiatives such as Lisburn Historic Quarter and provide a framework for new projects to be devised and implemented. Due for completion in September 2002 the Framework will ensure new investment can be strategically driven and guided to ensure that the city centre not only maintains, but also improves its competitive position. This report will be forwarded as a key element of the City Centre’s submission to the consultation process for the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP).
The Economic Development Section is currently working to produce the next Economic Development Strategy 2003 - 2005. This strategy will build on existing economic development themes and partnership arrangements using Council, government, departmental, private sector and European sources of finance to ensure sustainable local economic impact over the long term.
Lisburn City Council's Economic Development Activity in the coming year (June 2002/3) will be led by the new Chairman of Council's Economic Development Committee, Councillor Bill Gardiner Watson.
