http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news....07.html

Sounds to me like its destruction as a loyalist area.

That's a quote from one the articles, what exactly do they mean by new history?... Surely not the cultural destruction of such a historic part of Belfast, turned into some trendy hole like Botanic?... The Royal and the Rangers turned into trendy wine bars?

SPACE

The New Row
After this, there will be commercial expansion and social housing which will lead to possible introduction of schools.

The completion of this master plan will culminate in a change of perception for the outsider and allow for the creation of "new history".

Sandy Row has become neglected and is in need of attention. There is simply no substitute for the physical SPACES of public assembly.
Public SPACE is the lever by which urban design works on the city, by which the subtle relations of public and private are nourished.
A network of pedestrian connections links all the public facilities in and around the combined public SPACE and commercial area. The platform performs as a collector of people.
There is simply no substitute for the physical SPACE of public assembly.

A network of pedestrian connections links all the public facilities in and around the combined public SPACE and commercial area
by supplying allotments. This will, in turn, help to educate a new generation of users.

The second of our agendas is to increase the density of the area by filling unused plots along the main street front and proposing that Sandy Row increases its building height to include accommodation above shop fronts.
Lastly we propose new physical measures to link Sandy Row with the rest of Belfast. This will include improved connections to Europa bus and train terminal, a TRANSITIONAL ZONE on the site of the Days Hotel car park and a greenway project that runs along the railway line and opens up new pedestrian routes to the south and west.

Our proposals are: to develop green SPACES to emphasise existing community ties, to develop the main street of Sandy Row with a public square and new commercial outlets directly relating to the needs of the community, to develop education facilities to work with the Linfield Business Park and to create additional residential housing that actually relates to the community.
We plan to instigate this improvement through the inclusion of a much needed community SPACE, sited on the current over-expansive Days Hotel car park.

Just looking at some photos of old Sandy Row. One was of the Queens visit in 1952 (think it was) the photograph was of the Royal car heading towards the Boyne Bridge. The Boyne bridge was a sea of faces right to its highest point. It resembled the crowd on the terracing at a big football match and the crowds were thick on the pavements at each side too. Another one was of King Billy on a white horse. This time at the other end of Sandy Row and King Billy approaching the Lisburn Rd the crowds once again were thick on the ground and stretching back behind Billy was another sea of faces. That was in the 1930s I believe.

I have put together a wee bit of a video about Sandy Row. One of the fellas who got it off me is a nephew of the late Hector Millen who was one of those who did fight Sandy Row's corner when it was coming under the gerrymander. They did save some of it,but more was lost than saved.

B.T. Friday,January,21

VISIONS OF THE FUTURE FOR RUNDOWN SANDY ROW

The students 12 designs - ranging from green spaces and sports centres to new schools and transport links focus on how locals want Sandy Row to change.

Third year student Megan White (20) from Bangor,said it was ''inspirational'' to be part of the project, ''People have so many memories on their street of growing up there and living there. Thats whats important to people on Sandy Row'' she said.

Megan's group project, Regrowth, focused on creating public spaces,Pedestrianised streets and allotments for local people to use.

Charmaine Lyttle of the Sandy Row Community Forum said the project had produced a great boost for the area, ''The plan they put in place is definitely a guide we'd use for regenerating the area. It helps people see how the street should look'' she said,

The student's plans will be exhibited on local buildings when their course ends in June.

Seems to me they are once again being 'fobbed off' with something thats not getting to the core of whats needed.

Maybe some good in it. But there is far too much talk of spaces,green areas,allotments,pedestrianised areas,(and in the other report) a 'square' market place, 'transitional' area,roads and transport links. Ormeau Rd residents refused to let them widen the Ormeau Rd as it would mean the loss of a two or three houses on each of the streets which ran off the Ormeau Rd. And of course the old rugby and cricket ground on the Ormeau Rd which was earmarked for Retail and Office developement is now a housing estate. So they got their way. But it seems the Row (like other loyalist areas) is an easy touch. 'Ach they'll accept anything'.

'Have we lost the doughty spirit that our forefathers had' ran the words of an old Orange/ loyalist song. In some cases I would say ...yes we have.

Oh of course that sort of thing never ever happend before except from the unionist side. Of course all they have to do is to get the British guilt factor going,and the British are a sucker for that ploy.