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Belfast Council Plans to Establish LGBTQIA+ Hub at Historic Royal Avenue Building

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Belfast City Council has unveiled plans to establish an LGBTQIA+ hub at the historic 2 Royal Avenue building, a council-owned listed structure that was previously home to a Tesco supermarket. The project has its genesis in a feasibility study produced in August 2023, which estimated the "capital cost" of the project to range from £0.5m to £10m, with a possible subsidy of £70,000 every year for the hub. Despite initial concerns about commercial interests, the council has since shared the study with the press, revealing the estimated costs and the rationale behind the project.

Key Takeaways:

  • The feasibility study estimated the "capital cost" of the project to range from £0.5m to £10m, with a possible subsidy of £70,000 every year for the hub.
  • The council plans to utilize only the first floor of the building for the hub, which is expected to reduce the costs compared to a full refurbishment of the heritage-listed building.
  • The hub is intended to cater to the estimated 4.5% to 9% of the population who identify as LGBTQ+, with the study suggesting that the number may be higher in the 16-to-25 age group, potentially reaching up to 28%.
  • The project has secured an indicative figure of £1m for the proposed LBGTQIA+ Hub from the Peace Plus fund, jointly funded by the EU and UK government.
  • The council has stated that the final cost of the project will not exceed the upper end of the estimated range, citing the reduced scope of the project.
  • The hub will be developed on the first floor of 2 Royal Avenue, with options for the ground floor to be considered in the future.

Statistics:

  • Estimated "capital cost" of the project: £0.5m-£10m
  • Possible subsidy for the hub: £70,000 per year
  • Indicative figure secured from the Peace Plus fund: £1m
  • Estimated percentage of the population who identify as LGBTQ+: 4.5%-9%
  • Potential percentage of the population who identify as LGBTQ+ aged 16-to-25: up to 28%

Sources:

  • The Belfast City Council
  • The feasibility study produced in August 2023
  • The Peace Plus fund
  • Office for National Statistics estimate (2020)

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