Editing Belfast (section)

==== Redevelopment ====
The opening [[Victoria Square Shopping Centre]] in 2008 was to symbolise the rebound of the city centre since its days as a restricted security zone during the Troubles.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arminas |first=David |date=2008 |title=Belfast's Victoria Square marks retail revival with showpiece dome |url=https://www.building.co.uk/belfasts-victoria-square-marks-retail-revival-with-showpiece-dome/3117116.article |access-date=10 February 2024 |website=Building }}</ref> But retail footfall in the centre is limited by competition with out-of-town shopping centres and with internet retailing. As of November 2023, footfall had not recovered pre-[[COVID-19 pandemic|COVID pandemic]] levels.<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 November 2023 |title=Belfast city centre footfall has not recovered to pre-Covid levels, councillors told |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/northern-ireland/belfast-city-centre-footfall-has-not-recovered-to-pre-covid-levels-councillors-told/a1320191857.html |access-date=9 February 2024 |work=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk |issn=0307-1235 |archive-date=19 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919032428/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/northern-ireland/belfast-city-centre-footfall-has-not-recovered-to-pre-covid-levels-councillors-told/a1320191857.html |url-status=live }}</ref> There are compensating trends: the growth in tourism and hospitality which has included a sustained boom in hotel construction.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hospitality and tourism {{!}} Invest in Belfast |url=https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/investinbelfast/key-sectors/hospitality-and-tourism |access-date=9 February 2024 |website=Belfast City Council }}</ref>

The City Council also talks of a "residential-led regeneration".<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 March 2023 |title=A vision for Belfast city living |url=https://www.irishnews.com/business/2023/03/14/news/a_vision_for_belfast_city_living-3124020/ |access-date=9 February 2024 |website=The Irish News |archive-date=28 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240128020147/https://www.irishnews.com/business/2023/03/14/news/a_vision_for_belfast_city_living-3124020/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Council seeks development partner to boost city population through £630million housing-led regenerat |url=https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/news/council-seeks-development-partner-to-boost-city-po |access-date=19 March 2024 |website=Belfast City Council |archive-date=19 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319184412/https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/news/council-seeks-development-partner-to-boost-city-po |url-status=live }}</ref> New townhouse and apartments schemes are being developed for the city's quays,<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 January 2024 |title=Belfast city centre: Almost 700 apartments get go ahead |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-68004725 |access-date=9 February 2024 |work=BBC News |archive-date=22 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240122023029/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-68004725 |url-status=live }}</ref> and for Titanic Quarter.<ref>{{Cite news |date=20 September 2023 |title=Loft Lines: Fears towers will block Belfast's Titanic building |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-66867823 |access-date=9 February 2024 |work=BBC News |archive-date=2 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240402005504/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-66867823 |url-status=live }}</ref> The completion in 2023 of Ulster University's enhanced Belfast campus (in "one of the largest higher education capital builds in Europe")<ref name="Ulster280723">{{Cite web |date=28 July 2023 |title=Ulster University's Enhanced Belfast Campus Prepares to Welcome Students and Staff |url=https://www.ulster.ac.uk/news/2022/september/ulster-universitys-enhanced-belfast-campus-prepares-to-welcome-students-and-staff |access-date=9 February 2024 |website=ulster.ac.uk |archive-date=31 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240131202347/https://www.ulster.ac.uk/news/2022/september/ulster-universitys-enhanced-belfast-campus-prepares-to-welcome-students-and-staff |url-status=live }}</ref> and the determination of Queen's University to compete with the private sector in the provision of student housing,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Canning |first=Margaret |date=21 September 2023 |title=Is Queen's going beyond its remit by competing with private sector on student housing? |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/analysis/is-queens-going-beyond-its-remit-by-competing-with-private-sector-on-student-housing/a2022426468.html |access-date=10 February 2024 |work=Belfast Telegraph |issn=0307-1235 }}</ref> has fostered the construction downtown of multiple new student residences.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cartmill |first=Claire |date=7 February 2023 |title=The construction of new university buildings and student housing were key drivers of development in Belfast last year, Deloitte report reveals |url=https://www.newsletter.co.uk/business/the-construction-of-new-university-buildings-and-student-housing-were-key-drivers-of-development-in-belfast-last-year-deloitte-report-reveals-4016628 |website=News Letter }}</ref>