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We published our city’s first community plan in November 2017, the Belfast Agenda. The Belfast Agenda was then updated in 2024 to reflect the current priorities of community planning partners and the public.
Created by a partnership of key city partners, residents and community organisations, the Belfast Agenda sets out our joint vision and long-term ambitions for Belfast’s future, as well as outlining our priorities for action over the next four years.
Community Planning is about developing a shared vision for the wellbeing of our city.
Community Planning is everyone working together to develop and implement a shared vision for promoting the wellbeing of the city and delivering real improvements for local people. It is about bringing decision making closer to communities and giving local people an opportunity to have their say on issues that matter to them.
It is an exciting time for us and by working together we can explore new, innovative, and creative ways to deliver public services that will make a positive impact and help improve the wellbeing of the city and the quality of life for the people who live here. It means planning ahead to improve the big issues that matter to people like health, education, employment, and the environment.
The Belfast Agenda has come about as the result of an extensive, citywide engagement process involving residents, the voluntary and community sectors, city partners and a wider range of other public and private stakeholders with the aim of ensuring that our collective focus is on the right priorities to deliver on our big ambitions.
Working together, we want to make this an even better place for everyone and make a real difference to people’s lives. Specifically, this is about, achieving our shared ambition to drive inclusive, sustainable growth and improve the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of our city and its communities. The Belfast Agenda will enable us to achieve this.
The Belfast Agenda was updated in 2024 to reflect the current priorities of community planning partners and the public. The updated strategy and action plans outline how partners plan to support the most vulnerable in our city while growing the economy, regenerating neighbourhoods, supporting communities and achieving our climate targets.
This short video describes the key areas that partners have agreed to prioritise between 2024 and 2028.
The plan on a page aims to capture all the key elements of the Belfast Agenda on one page. It includes:
For more detail on the Belfast Agenda strategic plan or detailed action plans for 2024-2028 or supporting information:
You can also find out how we’re doing by reading our Statement of Progress.
Our vision
Belfast will be a city re-imagined and resurgent. A great place to live and work for everyone.
The Community Planning Partnership (Partnership) was established in February 2018 and has continued to evolve ever since. It is made up of:
Community Planning Partners are fully committed to working together with all our citizens to ensure we create a better future for everyone.
View all our statutory partners. Links open in a new window.
Everyone in Belfast deserves to enjoy a good quality of life, regardless of who they are, or where they live. Work under this theme places wellbeing at the heart of our city strategy, with our communities as the lifeblood, both in terms of decision-making and helping to ensure that support gets to the people and places most in need.
Work under the People and Communities theme is currently concentrating on two priority areas:
What community planning partners will do for residents and communities:
A thriving, prosperous economy is our city’s engine for change and critical to turning the outcomes curve in a positive direction. Creating the right conditions to accelerate inclusive and sustainable growth, learning and opportunity for all our residents is critical to safeguarding the economic future of the place we call home. Work under the Economy theme is currently concentrating on three priority areas.
What community planning partners will do for residents and communities:
Belfast is a ‘right-size’ city: big enough for a buzzing city vibe; small enough to feel you belong. We’ve come a long way but there is still much work to be done to attract more residents, build more homes, keep our city centre and neighbourhoods thriving whilst making sure that everyone is actively and sustainably connected. Work under the Our Place theme is currently focusing on three priority areas.
What community planning partners will do for residents and communities:
We are committed to tackling climate change and biodiversity loss head on. This is a global challenge requiring urgent and localised action, if we are to mitigate against the immediate risks as well as take collective responsibility for future generations. Work under the Our Planet theme is currently focusing on three priorities.
What community planning partners will do for residents and communities:
As a compassionate city, we recognise the complexity and diversity of our people, and we are determined to make things better for everyone. Our cross-cutting themes will help to ensure that the most vulnerable people in our society have a genuine sense of belonging and have an equal opportunity to realise the full potential that Belfast’s economic, cultural and social prospects have to offer. All our priorities and action plans have been considered through the lens of the following four cross-cutting priority areas.
What community planning partners will do for residents and communities:
Our boards oversee the delivery of programmes and projects that will have a positive impact on people’s lives and deliver against our stated outcomes.
Actions are also measured through performance level reporting which helps us see how much has been done, how well it has been done and whether anyone is better off.
View our Statement of Progress (link opens in new window)
If you’d like more information on Community Planning, to speak to a member of the team or to get involved, you can email communityplanning@belfastcity.gov.uk.
You can also log on to our YourSay platform to give feedback and find out more.
Belfast City Council is the Data Controller under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for the personal data it gathers for the purposes of sending email updates from Community Planning.
The council accepts that you are providing your personal data on the basis of consent and are positively agreeing for the council to hold and further use it.
The personal data may be shared internally within the council with staff who are involved in providing this service and where necessary, between internal departments with the purpose of supporting an effective delivery of service.
Your personal data will not be shared or disclosed to any other organisation without your consent, unless the law permits or places an obligation on the council to do so.
The personal data is held and stored by the council in a safe and secure manner and in compliance with Data Protection legislation and in line with the council’s Records Retention and Disposal Schedule.
If you have any queries regarding the processing of your personal data or wish to withdraw your consent to the processing of it, call Community Planning on 028 9027 0234 or email
If you wish to contact the council’s Data Protection Officer, write to:
Belfast City Council,
City Hall Belfast,
BT1 5GS
or email records@belfastcity.gov.uk.
Community planning, Belfast City Hall, Belfast BT1 5GS