Lo meets Social Development Minister on regeneration in South Belfast

2.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 2nd Sep 2008

Alliance South Belfast MLA Anna Lo

Alliance South Belfast MLA Anna Lo has met Social Development Minister Margaret Richie to press for further regeneration in the Great Northern Street area of South Belfast area. She also highlighted what could be done to combat anti-social behaviour in the area.

Anna Lo MLA said: "I was delighted that the Minister was able to take time out to meet residents and have a tour of the Great Northern Street area. The Minister was able to see for herself parts of the area which have not been given adequate funding and have been left to become run down over the past 50 years.

"We discussed the possibility of getting alleygates installed in order to combat anti-social behaviour. We also showed her the alleyway that local residents are having problems with, because Roads Service has not adopted it and so a grant that has already been allocated cannot be accessed. If this grant was accessed, then cleanliness could be improved and the alleyway could be paved, ensuring that elderly residents could to put out their bins more easily.

"Residents were encouraged by the response of the Minister. She has agreed to write to her Executive colleague, Regional Development Minister, Conor Murphy to try and persuade him to get Roads Service to adopt this alleyway and access the grant which is available."

ENDS