Interview: Gareth

Portview Trade Centre, located in East Belfast, was initially constructed as a spinning mill in the early 1900s. This building was ahead of its time, notable for employing women and integrating both traditional and innovative technologies. Once a central hub in a bustling and prosperous community, the area has since become one of the most deprived in Northern Ireland. Today, it faces significant challenges with high poverty rates and only 8% of individuals aged 16 and over pursuing further education.

Urban Scale Interventions is working on a masterplan to redevelop Portview, which has around 116,000 m² of space. Gareth, working on operations and development for Portview explains, “The plan is to use the ground floor for leisure, hospitality, and retail. The next two floors of the building would be business incubation start-up space, and the top floor would be dedicated to education and training, reflecting Portview’s commitment to regeneration. And, of course, above that floor, we have the roof.” Gareth designed an artist’s impression of what the immense roof could potentially look like in the future. He enthuses, “The rooftop offers fantastic views right across Belfast; it’s probably the only viewpoint in Belfast where you can see the ball on which the city was built.”

Obstacles

Despite the exciting plans for the rooftop, there are considerable obstacles preventing the project from starting. “Money is a big issue. As the landlord, my priority is to make the building wind and watertight and restore the heritage asset. Unfortunately, the roof is a nice-to-have in terms of priorities at this time. For example, we also have 140 windows that need replacement, which we need to invest in first.” Social enterprises in the UK are currently struggling with funding because of Brexit. Gareth explains that the rooftop will likely be financed by a combination of public money, private finance, and debt. He also sees potential for solar panels on the rooftop, as government subsidies are available for PV. “The size of the rooftop offers the opportunity to create a good mix of different functions, such as leisure and enjoying the view, as well as energy production and greenery. But even without all that, I think the roof is a spectacle in itself; there is no other place that captures the whole city this well, and there is no chance of any big building being built next to us blocking the view.”

There are also bureaucratic challenges that might arise. Gareth notes, “A major planning application, such as the one necessary to implement an accessible rooftop garden, would probably take 60 to 70 weeks. There are many bureaucratic processes that could hinder our plans, and building control regulations could stifle what we want to do up there.”

Ending Note

As Gareth and his team navigate these challenges, the vision for Portview remains a beacon of hope for East Belfast. Transforming this historic building into a thriving community hub can rejuvenate the area and provide much-needed opportunities for education, business, and leisure. Gareth’s passion and commitment to the project reflect a broader aspiration to restore not just a building, but a community’s spirit and future.

In the end, Portview’s journey is a testament to resilience and the power of innovative thinking. With continued effort and support, this historic site could once again become a cornerstone of prosperity and progress in Belfast.

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