The Market Development Association and This Tool

The Market community dashboard has been designed collaboratively between QCAP academics and community development workers employed by the Market Development Association (MDA). The aim of the dashboard is to help better understand socio-economic economic trends but also profile the impact of current MDA programme activity and several asset-based regeneration projects.

Data in these tabs are taken from the Census 2011 Interactive Content available from the Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service (NINIS). Unless otherwise noted, populations are represented from the census count taken on 27 March 2011. When data from Census 2021 become available, the dashboard will be updated to include the new data.

The dashboard will be used to help the MDA better understand local need, review the performance of their ongoing delivery activities, increase accountability around their outcomes as well as strengthen their engagement with relevant stakeholders that might include, local residents, elected representatives, departmental policy makers or programme fund managers. The data presented in the community dashboard is organised around three main strands which are summarised as follows:

• Need - The dashboard has aggregated small area data extracted from NINIS to build a statistical profile of the Market area across several thematic areas which include demography, health, housing, education, and employment.

• Performance – Drawing on activity logs compiled internally by MDA community development workers this strand collates data across several delivery areas which currently include employability training, benefits advice, family support and youth work.

• Projects – The dashboard also profiles a social return on investment analysis which has been completed to showcase the potential impacts that could be realised from several pending physical regeneration projects across the Market area which include: a community heritage hub on Sussex Place, the tunnels projects, and a backpacker’s hostel.

Created in Partnership

The Market - Map

Population Size (2001-2020)

Population Change (2001-2020)

Number of Usual Residents

Number of Households

Overview

Data in these tabs cover a variety of demographic measures across the small areas (SA) of the Market, usually with a comparison calculation for all of Northern Ireland. All data in this section are taken from the Census 2011 Interactive Content available from the Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service (NINIS).

The included measures are:

• Age group distribution

• Ethnicity

• Primary language

• National identity

• Knowledge and use of Irish (Gaeilge) and Ulster-Scots

Age Distribution

Primary Language

Ethnic Group

Overview

Age groups

• On Census Day 2011, 2577 individuals lived in the Market, with 16.41% of the population under 16 and 9.55% of the population at least 65 years of age.

• Just over half the usual residents of the Market (53.9%) were 18-44 years, which was higher than for Northern Ireland overall (37.23%).

Mean age

• Across the small areas in the Market, the highest mean (average) age was present in the Eliza Street area (39.62 years) and the lowest in the Stewart Street area (33.12 years). The mean age for the whole of Northern Ireland was 37.59 years.

Mean and Median Age - Table

Age Group - Percentage of Population

Age Group - Count of Individuals

Overview

White (Including Irish Traveller) Residents

• On Census Day 2011, 2137 individuals living in the Market were white (including Irish Traveller), representing 82.93% of the area’s total population. This was lower than Northern Ireland as a whole, which had 98.28% indicating that white or Irish Traveller were the primary ethnic identity.

Residents from Other Ethnic Groups

• After the white and Irish ethnic groups, the next most common identity reported on Census Day 2011 was Indian, which represented 12.34% of the population in the Market. This was different to what was observed in Northern Ireland as a whole, which reported Chinese as the second largest ethnic group (representing 0.35% of the total population in the region).

• Black (African, Caribbean, and all others) individuals represented 0.47% of the population of the Market, which was slightly higher than what was observed in Northern Ireland overall (0.2%).

• Bangladeshi, Indian, and Pakistani individuals represented 12.38% of the population of the Market, which was higher than what was observed in Northern Ireland overall (0.43%).

• Individuals with multiple ethnic identities represented 0.08% of the population of the Market, which was similar to what was observed in Northern Ireland overall (0.33%).

Ethnic Group - Table

Ethnic Group - Percentage of Population

Ethnic Group - Count of Individuals

Overview

English

• On Census Day 2011, English was the most common language spoken in the Market with 83.7% of the population reporting it as their main language. This was lower than for Northern Ireland overall, which had 92.84% of the population reporting it as their main language.

Irish (Gaeilge)

• Irish (Gaeilge) was listed as the main language for 0.78% of the population in the Market, which was slightly higher than what was reported for Northern Ireland overall (0.23%).

Other Languages

• After English, the most common main language in the Market was Other, which was the main language for 7.02% of the population. This was different to Northern Ireland overall, for which Polish was the most common main language after English, representing 0.98% of the population.

Primary Language - Table

Primary Language - Percentage of Population

Primary Language - Count of Individuals

Overview

Northern Irish

• On Census Day 2011, 24.52% of the population in the Market identified as Northern Irish, which was slightly lower than for Northern Ireland overall (29.44%).

Irish and British

• A higher percentage of the population in the Market reported Irish as their national identity (42.45%) compared to Northern Ireland overall (28.35%).

• A lower percentage of the population in the Market reported British as their national identity (22.62%) compared to Northern Ireland overall (48.41%).

Other Identities

• After British, Irish, and Northern Irish, the most commonly reported national identity in the Market was Other, which represented 16.49% of the population. This was different to Northern Ireland overall, which reported Other as the most common national identity (after British, Irish, and Northern Irish), representing 3.42% of the population.

National Identity - Table

National Identity - Percentage of Population

National Identity - Count of Individuals

Overview

Main Language

• On Census Day 2011, Irish (Gaeilge) was listed as the main language for 0.78% of the population in the Market, which was slightly higher than what was reported for Northern Ireland overall (0.23%). Data were not provided for Ulster-Scots as the main language of individuals in the Market or for Northern Ireland.

Read, Speak, Write, and Understand

• Among residents of the Market, 5.47% of the population reported that they could read, speak, write, and understand Irish. This was slightly higher than for Northern Ireland overall (3.58%).

• Among residents of the Market, 0.47% of the population reported that they could read, speak, write, and understand Ulster-Scots. This was slightly lower than for Northern Ireland overall (0.9%).

Some Combination of Reading, Speaking, Writing, and Understanding

• Among residents of the Market, 4.54% of the population reported that they had some combination of knowledge and skills related to Irish. This was higher than for Northern Ireland overall (2.74%).

• Among residents of the Market, 0.85% of the population reported that they had some combination of knowledge and skills related to Ulster-Scots. This was lower than for Northern Ireland overall (1.76%).

Understand Only

• Among residents of the Market, 6.44% of the population reported that they were able to only understand Irish. This was higher than for Northern Ireland overall (3.89%).

• Among residents of the Market, 1.94% of the population reported that they were able to only understand Ulster-Scots. This was lower than for Northern Ireland overall (5.08%).

Some Ability

• Among residents of the Market, 16.45% of the population reported that they have some ability in Irish. This was higher than for Northern Ireland overall (10.21%).

• Among residents of the Market, 3.26% of the population reported that they have some ability in Ulster-Scots. This was lower than for Northern Ireland overall (7.74%).

Use and Knowledge of Irish and Ulster-Scots - Table

Use and Knowledge of Irish

Use and Knowledge of Ulster-Scots

Overview

Data in these tabs cover a variety of economic measures across the small areas (SA) of the Market, usually with a comparison calculation for all of Northern Ireland. All data in this section are taken from the Census 2011 Interactive Content available from the Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service (NINIS).

The included measures are:

• Economically active individuals

• Economically inactive individuals

• Individuals experiencing long-term unemployment

• Individuals experiencing multiple deprivations

• Universal credit recipients

Full-Time Students

Economically Active Individuals

Economically Inactive Individuals

Overview

• On Census Day 2011, 1291 residents (50.1%) of the Market were “economically active,” which was similar to what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (48.03%).

Full-time employment

• Among residents of the Market, 833 individuals (32.32%) were employed full-time, which was slightly lower than for Northern Ireland overall (35.62%).

• When theJoy Street small area is excluded, 51.1% of residents of the Market are engaged in full-time employment. In that small area 54.42% of residents are engaged in full-time employment, which is higher than any other small area in the Market and Northern Ireland overall.

• The Stanfield Street small area had the lowest percentage of residents engaged in full-time employment (10.91%). The small area Eliza Street had the second lowest percentage of residents engaged in full-time employment (12.95%).

Part-time employment

• Among residents of the Market, 163 individuals (6.33%) were employed part-time, which was substantially lower than for Northern Ireland overall (13.11%).

Self-employment

• Among residents of the Market, 99 individuals (3.84%) were self-employed, which was substantially lower than for Northern Ireland overall (8.88%).

Unemployment

• Among residents of the Market, 123 individuals (4.77%) were unemployed, which was similar to Northern Ireland overall (4.96%).

• When the Joy Street small area is excluded, 4.91% of residents of the Market were unemployed, which is lower than for Northern Ireland overall.

Economically Active Persons - Table

Economically Active Persons - Percentage of Population

Economically Active Persons - Count of Individuals

Overview

• On Census Day 2011, 758 residents (29.41%) of the Market were “economically inactive,” which was similar to what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (24.5%).

• When theJoy Street small area is excluded, 34.23% of residents of the Market are not economically active, which is higher than for Northern Ireland overall.

Long-term sick or disabled

• Among residents of the Market, 261 individuals (10.13%) reported being “long-term sick or disabled”, which was higher than for Northern Ireland overall (7.27%).

Homemaker

• Among residents of the Market, 128 individuals (4.97%) reported being a homemaker (e.g., housewife or househusband), which was similar to Northern Ireland overall (4.45%).

Retired

• Among residents of the Market, 175 individuals (6.79%) reported being retired, which was lower than for Northern Ireland overall (12.94%).

• There was substantial variance across small areas in the percentage of the population reported as retired. The percentage of the population reported as retired was nearly three times higher for Eliza Street and twice as high for Stanfield Street and Stewart Street as the other two small areas in the Market.

Students

• Among residents of the Market, 95 individuals (3.69%) reported being a student, which was substantially lower than for Northern Ireland overall (6.18%).

• There was also substantial variance across small areas in the percentage of the population reported as being a student. TheStanfield Street small area had the highest percentage of the population reported as a student (7.64%) while Stewart Street had the lowest percentage of the population reported as a student (1.21%).

Economically Inactive Persons - Table

Economically Inactive Persons - Percentage of Population

Economically Inactive Persons - Count of Individuals

Overview

• On Census Day 2011, 129 residents (5.01%) of the Market were “economically inactive,” which was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (3.86%).

• When the Joy Street small area is excluded, 5.64% of residents of the Market are not economically active, which is higher than for Northern Ireland overall.

Never worked

• Among residents of the Market, 35 individuals (1.36%) reported as having never worked, which was higher than for Northern Ireland overall (16.81%).

Persons Unemployed (Long-Term) - Table

Persons Unemployed (Long-Term) - Percentage of Population

Persons Unemployed (Long-Term) - Count of Individuals

Overview

Living Below 60% NI Median Income

• On Census Day 2011, 10.6% of residents in the Market were living below 60% of the median income in Northern Ireland. This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (13.1%).

• The Friendly Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents living below 60% of the median income for Northern Ireland (14%). This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Eliza Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents living below 60% of the median income for Northern Ireland (7%). This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Employment Deprived

• Among residents of the Market, 35.2% were experiencing employment deprivation. This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (20.6%).

• The Friendly Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents experiencing employment deprivation (45%). This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Joy Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents experiencing employment deprivation (14%). This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Multiple Deprivation - Table

Percentage Living Below 60% NI Median Income - Percentage of Population

Percentage of Working Age Population Employment Deprived - Percentage of Population

Overview

• There are several limitations to these calculations. While the number of Universal Credit recipients was provided for for each small area by NINIS, the total number of residents was not provided for 2021 and 2022. For this reason, the percentage of the population receiving the benefit is only provided for 2019 and 2020. When new population counts are released for the 2021 Census, these calculations will be updated.

Universal Credit Recipients - Table

Universal Credit Recipients - Percentage of Population

Universal Credit Recipients - Count of Individuals

Overview

No Qualifications

• On Census Day 2011, 32.62% of residents aged 16 and older in the Market had no educational qualifications. This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (29.12%).

• TheEliza Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents aged 16 and older possessing no educational qualifications (57.35%). This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Stanfield Street small area had the second highest percentage of its usual residents aged 16 and older possessing no educational qualifications (55.02%). This was also higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Joy Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents aged 16 and older possessing no educational qualifications (19%). This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Level 1 and 2 Qualifications

• Among residents of the Market aged 16 and older, 17.78% of the population possessed a Level 1 or Level 2 qualification as their highest level of educational attainment. This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (26.43%).

• The Stanfield Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents aged 16 and older had a Level 1 or 2 qualification (25.83%). This was slightly lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Joy Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents aged 16 and older had a Level 1 or 2 qualification (11.81%). This was substantially lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Apprenticeship

• Among residents of the Market aged 16 and older, 1.96% of the population had completed an apprenticeship as their highest level of educational attainment. This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (4.22%).

• The Friendly Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents aged 16 and older had completed an apprenticeship as their highest qualification (2.97%). This was slightly lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Joy Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents aged 16 and older had completed an apprenticeship as their highest qualification (1.22%). This was also lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Level 3 and Higher Qualifications

• Among residents of the Market aged 16 and older, 41.9% of the population possessed a Level 3 or higher qualification as their highest level of educational attainment. This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (35.95%).

• The Joy Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents aged 16 and older had a Level 3 or higher qualification (58.47%). This was substantially higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Stanfield Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents aged 16 and older had a Level 3 or higher qualification (13.88%). This was substantially lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Qualification Level - Table

Qualification Level - Percentage of Population

Qualification Level - Count of Individuals

Overview

Data in these tabs cover a variety of health measures across the small areas (SA) of the Market, usually with a comparison calculation for all of Northern Ireland. All data in this section are taken from the Census 2011 Interactive Content available from the Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service (NINIS).

The included measures are:

• General health status

• The impact of disability on day-to-day activities

• The provision of unpaid care to others

Health Status

Disability Impact

Providing Unpaid Care

Overview

Good Health

• On Census Day 2011, 28.72% of residents in the Market reported being in good health. This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (31.79%).

• The Stewart Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents reporting being in good health (34.68%). This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Friendly Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents reporting being in good health (24.62%). This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Very Bad Health

• Among residents of the Market, 2.72% reported being in very bad health. This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (1.19%).

• The Eliza Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents reporting being in very bad health (4.72%). This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Joy Street, Friendly Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents reporting being in very bad health (2.11, 2.11%). This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Health Status - Table

Health Status - Percentage of Population

Health Status - Count of Individuals

Overview

Limited a Lot

• On Census Day 2011, 16.41% of residents in the Market reported that their day-to-day activities were limited a lot by disability. This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (11.89%).

• The Stanfield Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents reporting their daily activities were limited a lot by disability (13.71%). This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Joy Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents reporting their daily activities were limited a lot by disability (11.62%). This was similar to what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Limited a Little

• Among residents of the Market, 8.03% reported that their day-to-day activities were limited a little by disability. This was similar to what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (8.8%).

• The Eliza Streetsmall area had the highest percentage of its usual residents reporting their daily activities were limited a little by disability (13.71%). This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Joy Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents reporting their daily activities were limited a little by disability (5.17%). This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Not Limited

• Among residents of the Market, 75.55% reported that their day-to-day activities were not limited by disability. This was similar to what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (79.31%).

• The Joy Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents reporting their daily activities were not limited by disability (83.21%). This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Eliza Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents reporting their daily activities were not limited by disability (62.25%). This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Disability Impact - Table

Disability Impact - Percentage of Population

Disability Impact - Count of Individuals

Overview

No Unpaid Care Provided

• On Census Day 2011, 89.52% of residents in the Market reported that they provided no unpaid care to others. This was similar to what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (88.18%).

• The Joy Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents reporting they provided no unpaid care to others (91.97%). This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Eliza Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents reporting they provided no unpaid care to others (86.52%). This was similar to what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

50 or More Hours Each Week

• Among residents of the Market, 3.45% reported that they provided at least 50 hours of unpaid care to others each week. This was similar to what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (3.11%).

• The Stanfield Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents reporting they provided at least 50 hours of unpaid care to others each week (6.18%). This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Stewart Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents reporting they provided at least 50 hours of unpaid care to others each week (1.61%). This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

20-49 Hours Each Week

• Among residents of the Market, 2.41% reported that they provided 20-49 hours of unpaid care to others each week. This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (1.95%).

• The Friendly Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents reporting they provided 20-49 hours of unpaid care to others each week (3.32%). This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Joy Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents reporting they provided 20-49 hours of unpaid care to others each week (1.48%). This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Less than 20 Hours Each Week

• Among residents of the Market, 4.62% reported that they provided less than 20 hours of unpaid care to others each week. This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (6.75%).

• The Stewart Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents reporting they provided less than 20 hours of unpaid care to others each week (5.24%). This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Friendly Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents reporting they provided less than 20 hours of unpaid care to others each week (4.23%). This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Provision of Unpaid Care - Table

Provision of Unpaid Care - Percentage of Population

Provision of Unpaid Care - Count of Individuals

Overview

Data in these tabs cover a variety of housing measures across the small areas (SA) of the Market, usually with a comparison calculation for all of Northern Ireland. All data in this section are taken from the Census 2011 Interactive Content available from the Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service (NINIS).

The included measures are:

• Average household size

• Housing status

• Resident Type

Housing Status

Household Size

Resident Type

Overview

• On Census Day 2011, small area Stanfield Street had the largest average household size (2.39). This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (2.54).

• The Joy Street small area had the smallest average household size (2.01). This was substantially lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Stanfield Street small area had both the largest average household size and the smallest number of households.

• The Joy Street small area had both the smallest average household size and the largest number of households.

Household Size - Table

Household Size - Percentage of Population

Household Size - Count of Individuals

Overview

All Rented Dwellings

• On Census Day 2011, 31.7% of the usual population of the Market lived in a dwelling that they rented. This was substantially higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (11.65%).

• The Eliza Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents renting (76.07%). This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Stanfield Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents renting (60%). This was substantially lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Owned Dwellings

• Of the usual residents of the Market, 13.93% owned their dwellings either outright or with a mortgage. This was lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (26.22%).

• The Stanfield Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents owning their homes (34.78%). This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Eliza Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents owning their homes (17.22%). This was higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Housing Executive and Association Dwellings

• Of the usual residents of the Market, 17.69% rented from either the Housing Executive or a Housing Association. This was substantially higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (5.79%).

• The Eliza Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents renting (70.33%). This was substantially higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Joy Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents renting (18.43%). This was substantially higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Privately Rented

• Of the usual residents of the Market, 13.08% rented from either the Housing Executive or a Housing Association. This was similar to what was observed for Northern Ireland overall (13.54%).

• The Joy Street small area had the highest percentage of its usual residents renting (45.13%). This was substantially higher than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

• The Eliza Street small area had the lowest percentage of its usual residents renting (3.35%). This was substantially lower than what was observed for Northern Ireland overall.

Housing Status - Table

Housing Status - Percentage of Population

Housing Status - Count of Individuals

Overview

Resident Type - Table

Resident Type - Percentage of Population

Resident Type - Count of Individuals

MDA Work Record - Details

Monthly Number of Contacts by Work Theme

Monthly Number of Contacts by Organisation Type

MDA Work Record - Details

Bigram Network of Feedback Sheet Comments

Monthly Number of Events by Topic Area

Monthly Number of Contacts by Organisation Type

Overview

MDA supports community members accessing short (20 minute) therapy sessions to promote their health, including massage and physio.

Massage and Physio Attendees - Table

Weekly Number of Individuals Receiving Therapies

Offered in Partnership with the Urban Villages Initiative

Overview

MDA offers free and low-cost workshops for cultural enrichment, including Irish language (Gaeilge) courses. Level 1 courses are available at no cost and Levels 2 and 3 are available at half price.

Irish Language Courses - Table

Monthly Bunrang Students by Level

Title

Overview

MDA offer financial support for individuals seeking job skills training and certification, including both courses and annual certifications such as a CSR card. The data displayed here are for the first half of 2022, but five years of historical data will also be integrated into this tab in the coming months. In addition to “first time assistance,” the MDA also provided support for a number of individuals to take either annual recertifications (such as a CSR card) or more advanced courses in their current field, facilitating upskilling in the community.

Job Training - Table

Number of Individuals by Training Type

Number of Individuals by Referral Source

Overview

Placeholder text

Monthly Assistance Contacts by Type

Resident Assistance Packs

Resident Assistance Contacts

Overview

As part of their work to support access to Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) activities to the area, the MDA has taken over the management and running of the St. Malachy’s GAC. This includes regular U7 and U9 teams, fundamentals trainings, parent workshops, and Cúl Camp for children and adolescents during the summer.

GAA Training and Events - Table

GAA Training and Events

2022 Cúl Camp with St. Malachy’s GAA

Impact Assessment Overview

Here sets out a social value impact assessment of The Market – Visitor Centre, Heritage Hub so that investors, whether grant funders, private or social finance, can understand how the proposal creates a return on their capital. The potential of the project to create and capture value is significant because it combines business development, tourism, commercial offices, training and community development within an iconic listed building in Belfast’s Linen Conservation Area. The proposal has more than symbolic value and speaks to the way in which Belfast is developed–who has claim to investment sites and how communities with the private sector can play a role in the sustainable renewal of the city. A full copy of the impact investment report for The Market Heritage Hub is available and a summary of the different impact areas and return on investment is shown below.

The methodology for social impact assessment is well established and can be divided into several stages:

1. Establishing scope and identifying key beneficiaries or where value goes, who benefits and by how much;

2. Mapping outcomes set out in the impact map, which are specific variables that can be valued over time;

3. Evidencing outcomes in a quantifiable way and the final section explains the multiple sources used in the estimates;

4. Establishing impact involves collecting the evidence on outcomes and then to monetise them; with those aspects of change that would have happened anyway or are a result of other factors are eliminated from consideration;

5. Calculating the SROI involves adding up all the benefits, subtracting any negatives and comparing the result to the investment; and

6. Reporting, using and embedding is the last step and involves sharing findings with stakeholders and responding to them, embedding good outcomes processes, learning and verification (Cabinet Office, 2012).

Impact Areas and Value

Community Heritage: Themes and Narratives

The Market Visitor Centre, Heritage Hub proposal is set out below and it makes the connection between tourism, community identity, the listed property and the potential for a social enterprise model to lead development. The eminent Ulster historian, Professor John Wilson Foster, at Queen’s University Belfast explored the local, national and international context for the heritage hub and has proposed a framework based on the social, economic and community history of the area.

1. A community fully alive in memory Wilson Foster distinguishes the separate identities of the ‘The Low Market’, between the east side of Cromac Street and the west bank of the river Lagan; and ‘The Upper Market’ between the west side of Cromac Street as far as Alfred Street and north as far as May Street. The Upper Market was diverse with working class traders and students at the then new Queen’s (now University) College, a vibrant Jewish community, actors and performers and boarding houses and tenement.

2. Water, water everywhere. The Owenvarra (later Blackstaff) rive and the Lagan, structure the area, but river-water was essential to Robert Joy’s paper mill built in the 1770s in present day Ormeau Avenue, the first in the city.

3. A friendly grandeur reflects the diverse and rich built heritage centred on the Conservation Area, the 1830 classical-style May Street Presbyterian Church, the Georgianstyle terrace houses of Hamilton Street, Joy Street and Sussex Place, which were built in the 1830s and 1840s for well-to-do merchants.

4. A sparkling history builds on the story of the availability of locally sourced spring water, which led to Cromac Street emerging as the epicentre of an international soft drink empire, including Cantrell & Cochrane which registered Club Soda as a trademark and manufactured what became the renowned Belfast Ginger Ale.

5. Bread and water relates to another specialist industrial cluster around bread and cake making with some of the leading bakers in the region concentrated in the area up until the 1970s.

6. A place markedly different place celebrates the 14 specialist markets that gives the area its character and its name and included: a potato market, a grain market, a cattle market, a pig market, a fish market, a vegetable market, a fowl market and a flea market.

7. Variety in life and on stage explains the concentration on theatres, music halls, cinemas and an artistic community including the then emerging actor Charlie Chaplin who stayed in the area.

8. St Malachy’s at the hub is in the heart of the area, survives in the memories of local residents and is an iconic listed building that symbolises the resilience of the Market as a community.

9. Schools, sports and social reflect the importance of the school and how dance, music and language as well as a range of sports.

10. The spice of its life celebrates the diverse religious, social class and racial history of the area and how poverty, marginal work and dirty industries forged a distinct community identity.

11. The last days of the Market? Redevelopment, violence, roads and gentrification hammered the area in the 1960s but the community endures and that story of resistance, community mobilisation and a constant battle against economic and commercial interests continues today.

12. Market and The Conflict is part of that narrative and tells the story of a community enclaved by violence and sectarianism, over time but especially since 1969. There is global interest in the way in which the conflict, its impact on everyday people and places and how peace needs to be anchored in justice and economic security can be understood in a neighbourhood that has experienced such transition.

13. The Market regenerating tells of the reliance of a people and their place and how the community has taken responsibility for its own social, economic and physical development by fighting against commercial interests and building a locally owned and controlled economy rooted in the needs of local people

Overview

On April 5th, 2023, the MDA , along with community activists and residents, celebrated a hard-fought victory in a long running campaign to block a proposed multi-million pound office block in the Market community. The campaign, known as “SUNSHINE NOT SKYSCRAPERS” has been ongoing for many years, and involved protests, court hearings, and judicial reviews.

After years of battling in the courts and on the streets, the strong willed Market people finally succeeded against all odds. The Market community have shown that when communities come together and stand up for what they believe in, they can win even against the most well-funded and well-connected opponents.

We at QCAP are immensely proud of our community partners for this inspirational victory, this will have incredible benefits for the local community and its people. The Tunnels project which will now go in this space, is set to become the central hub for the community, providing employment opportunities for local residents and boosting the local economy. In addition to its practical benefits, the project will also have a positive impact on the mental health and well-being of the people in the community. This will be achieved through the likes of a cafe/restaurant and a gym within this space, both of which will contribute to a healthier and happier community. Overall the tunnels project has been years in waiting and represents an exciting development for the Market community.

Testimonials

Fionntán Hargey, from the Market Development Association, hailed the best possible outcome for local residents:

“There has been concerns over the site being developed for offices going back over 50 years. In the last ten years, there were plans for a 14-storey office block, a 10-storey office block and two three-storey blocks so it is a big weight lifted off the shoulders of local residents. People are elated that not only that a negative proposal has been taken off the table once and for all but that the land will be used for community-led regeneration and housing. It is the best possible outcome for local residents.“

MDA Committee member Bernie Davison speaking to BBC news about the historic victory:

“We just thought when this came up, it was David vs Goliath thing. We were nervous but we were determined.”

Sunshine not Skyscrapers Campaign Victory

Current Exterior of the Tunnels

Current Interior of a Tunnel