CRUMLIN ROAD GAOL
PLANNING REVIEW
March 2005
A SUMMARY
Aerial view of Crumlin Road Gaol and Court House
Crumlin Road Gaol Planning Review Summary
into account the Courthouse, the
emerging Cathedral Quarter, the
proximity of the site to two arterial
routes and other development
possibilities including proposals from
public sector Departments and
bodies. It also reviewed previous
studies undertaken by both the
community and voluntary sectors.
The Crumlin Road Gaol was
transferred to the Office of the First
Minister and Deputy First Minister
(OFMDFM) in August 2003 under
the Reinvestment and Reform
Initiative announced on 2 May 2002
by the Prime Minister, the Chancellor
of the Exchequer and the then First
Minister and Deputy First Minister.
The review identifies those matters
considered
essential
to
the
redevelopment of the Gaol and
advises how a development scheme
for the Gaol and surrounding area
should evolve.
The North Belfast Community Action
Unit is taking forward work on an
Integrated Development Plan for the
Gaol site. The development plan will
aim to evaluate and recommend the
most appropriate and compatible
options for the Gaol. This process
involves the following stages:



Planning Review
Technical Options Study
Development Plan
Background
The Crumlin Road Gaol Planning
Review was commissioned by
OFMDFM to review current planning
and development issues in the
general area of the Gaol and to
establish the broader framework
within which a development scheme
for the Gaol could evolve.
Plan of Gaol and Courthouse c. 1860
Mr Bill Morrison, a former senior
planner with the Department of the
Environment, was appointed to
undertake
the
Crumlin
Road
Planning Review.
Introduction
In May 2002, the report of the North
Belfast Community Action Project
team identified a need for a large
scale physical regeneration project in
North Belfast and highlighted the
potential of the former Crumlin Road
Gaol, a grade A listed building on a
14 acre site, which has subsequently
The review covers the main issues
and wider planning context, taking
2
been transferred to OFMDFM under
the Reinvestment and Reform
Initiative.
The review considered previous
studies prepared between 1997 and
2003 and its main conclusions were
as follows:
Crumlin Road Gaol c. 1960
Preparation of a feasibility study for a
comprehensive
project
was
recommended by the project team
taking account of the opportunity to
integrate adjacent land users such
as the Courthouse, the Mater
Hospital and St Malachy’s College.
Crumlin Road Courthouse

Unanimity on the opportunity
presented by the Gaol and
Courthouse to create a place
that can bring significant
benefits to North Belfast;

Competing aspirations for the
use of the Gaol with strong
community interest in the
Gaol for community-based
services;

Cross-community support for
Genealogy based research
which could stimulate the
tourism potential of the Gaol
and Courthouse;

There is wide support for the
establishment
of
links
between the Gaol and the
CathedralQuarter/City Centre.
Entrance at Mater Hospital
The agreed plan would be based on
mixed use development, would be
prepared in consultation with local
communities and would recognise
local sensitivities.
Planning Review
3

There are opportunities for
learning facilities in the health
and education sectors.
Place and Identity
There is a crucial need to change the
generally negative perception of the
lower Crumlin Road and to dispel the
image of separation and remoteness
of the Gaol from the city centre.
Measures which could be taken to
deal with this include:
Clifton Street
Expressions of interest have been
registered by PRONI, the Mater
Hospital, St Malachy’s College,
Bryson House and the De Bono
Foundation, working in conjunction
with the Museum of Citizenship.
Points highlighted are:




Lower Crumlin Road
The potential relocation of the
Public Records Office for
Northern Ireland presents
opportunities but the space
requirement of 9000 sq m
exceeds that available in the
Gaol;
The
Mater
Hospital’s
development
programme
would involve major incursion
into the Gaol site but has
wider regeneration potential
for the area;
The
success
of
the
Courthouse
proposals
depends
on
planning
permission and public sector
occupation intervention;
St. Malachy’s College needs
additional playing space and
lays claim to land at the rear
of the Gaol;
4

a new civic space and
landmark building in the
space between the Gaol and
the Courthouse. This would
provide a sense of arrival to
the central area and signal the
integration of the Gaol with
the Cathedral Quarter and city
centre

focusing new development,
environmental enhancement
measures, simplified planning
initiatives
and
targeted
support on the corridor from
St. Anne’s Cathedral up to
and beyond the Gaol ie
Donegall Street, Clifton Street
and the Lower Crumlin Road.
The Draft Belfast Metropolitan Area
Plan is of significance to the Gaol in
terms of the following:
within
the
central
area
remainder, where office space
would be restricted to 400
sq.m maximum. This is likely
to compromise the aspiration
to alter negative perceptions
of the lower Crumlin Road
and to promote the link
between
the
Gaol
and
Courthouse unless amended;

Along the route from the Gaol to St.
Anne’s Cathedral and Cathedral
Quarter there are not just attractive
buildings and important historical
connections to both main traditions
as well as connections to the Jewish
and Indian communities, arts and
crafts related to the Art College, to
the newspaper industry and the
Public Library.
BMAP Draft Proposals Map (part of)

the zoning of the Courthouse,
Gaol and Girdwood sites as a
mixed use employment site in
accordance with an agreed
master plan for the area;

the definition of the Gateway
to the city centre at Clifton
Street / Donegall Street /
Carrick Hill and excluding the
northwest quadrant of the city
centre
from
the
office
development
area
would
undermine efforts to promote
development along the route
between the Gaol and the City
Centre.

the proposed designation of
commercial nodes at Carlisle
Circus and Agnes Street/
Cliftonpark Avenue subject to
height
and floor space
restrictions
and
the
identification of a number of
opportunity sites at Clifton
Street and Donegall Street,
outside of commercial nodes
and the city centre, office floor
space would be restricted to a
maximum of 200 sq.m. within
shopping and commercial
areas on arterial routes;
St. Patrick’s Church, Donegall Street
5
Key actions needed:
Clifton House, Clifton Street
The image of the area can be
improved by building upon the
community supported concepts of a
Cultural Quarter and a Literary
Quarter as well as by the
establishment of a new civic space
between
the
Gaol
and
the
Courthouse, with a new landmark
building, as part of the city centre.

government intervention to
direct spending into the area
and alter public perceptions of
it;

direct action to promote
appropriate development of
opportunity
sites
along
Donegall Street / Clifton
Street;

a facelift project to renew and
improve
public
spaces
between the Gaol and St.
Anne's Cathedral as a first
step.
Illustrative Opportunities
The report illustrates how a range of
uses might be accommodated within
the Gaol and considers that mixed
use development of the Gaol site
presents greater opportunities and is
more likely to demonstrate rapid
progress and commitment than
reliance on a single organization.
Initially, public investment should be
concentrated on restoration of the
south façade of the Gaol. Other
development
could
follow
as
confidence in the project and the
area increases.
St. Patrick’s Church (Detail)
6
Belfast City Council plans to carry
out local enhancement measures on
Antrim and Crumlin Roads under its
Arterial Routes policy in order to
tackle dereliction and promote the
development of underused land.
The Draft Belfast Metropolitan Area
Plan also zones the Courthouse,
Gaol and Girdwood sites as a mixed
use employment site in accordance
with an agreed master plan for the
area. The release of Girdwood
Barracks
would
increase
opportunities for existing landowners
and other interests to achieve their
objectives.
Clifton Street Orange Hall
A forthcoming Technical Options
Study and Development Plan will
examine the feasibility of integrating
known and other interests which
exist or could be created.
A Wider Perspective
The Draft Belfast Metropolitan Area
Plan states that arterial routes have
an important role to play in
portraying local identity and in
making a significant contribution to
the overall physical appearance of
the city. The Plan designates 18
Arterial Routes including Crumlin
Road, Oldpark Road and Antrim
Road. The Arterial Routes policy
sets urban design criteria for
development
along
these,
to
facilitate improvement to the physical
appearance of the cityscape in
conjunction with the encouragement
of appropriate urban renewal and
restoration in these key locations.
The Plan designates commercial
nodes and areas on the routes within
which specific retail and office
development policies will apply.
Aerial view of Gaol and Courthouse
Viability and Progress
A number of concepts emerge:

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A public sector led physical
development project focused on
the Gaol and Courthouse - A
Technical Options Study will
establish the physical parameters
within which the feasibility of a
range of uses for the Gaol may
be established. The results of this
will inform and guide the
commissioning of a separate
Development Plan that will
provide a strategic approach to
the regeneration of the Gaol.
Multiple uses are more likely to
demonstrate rapid progress than
reliance on a single organisation.
It seems certain that this project
will require a commitment to relocate
some
government
functions into the buildings as the
catalyst for action. Continued
inaction is the only realistic
prospect
without
such
commitment.

play an important role in
proactively encouraging these
initiatives.
It seems likely that government will
need to intervene to direct new
public buildings along the Donegall
Street/Crumlin Road corridor and to
finance a facelift programme for
public spaces and the street frontage
environment
The Gaol is one of Belfast’s next
major regeneration projects and can
be expected to make a significant
difference to North Belfast and to the
city. However, although it commands
broad political and community
support, it will need a focused
programme
of
government
intervention to establish long term
viability.
Positive measures to promote
development along the linkage to
the central city are seen as
essential to support the viability
of
the
Gaol
regeneration
package. The proposed corridor
linkage to central Belfast should
be the subject of public
announcement and commitment
to
promote
investment
opportunities
and
private
financing initiatives in support of
the regeneration initiative and to
develop the concept of a Cultural
Library Quarter. Private sector
investment
confidence
will
depend on physical manifestation
of change and the re-branding of
the Gaol and Courthouse as part
of the City Centre. BMAP could
Crumlin Road Gaol Main Entrance
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