During 2025/26, the Belfast Region City Deal reached major milestones with Studio Ulster, AMIC, and the UK Digital Twin Centre now operational, construction progressing on iREACH Health and Momentum One Zero and more than £674 million of investment committed through signed funding contracts.

Members of the Belfast Region City Deal Council Panel received the latest programme update at their September meeting, hosted by Ards and North Down Borough Council in Bangor. Today’s agenda focused on the Belfast Region City Deal Annual Report 2025-26 and the growing economic, social and community benefits being generated across Northern Ireland.

The £1 billion programme aims to support the creation of up to 20,000 new and better jobs, put the Belfast Region at the forefront of innovation in manufacturing, creative industries and healthcare, and create opportunities for local people and businesses, whilst regenerating major towns and cities.

In Newtownabbey, the new AMIC Factory of the Future is giving businesses access to skilled support and cutting-edge equipment to help them grow and compete. And in north Belfast, Studio Ulster is attracting high-value international film and television projects that might previously have gone to virtual production hubs in London or Los Angeles. Meanwhile the flagship UK Digital Twin Centre based in the centre of Belfast is helping local SMEs use technology to improve products, operations, and decision-making virtually.

Construction is well underway at iREACH Health on Lisburn Road, which aims to make Belfast a leading location for clinical trials and healthcare research. And Momentum One Zero is being developed as a collaborative hub where researchers, businesses, and public-sector organisations will develop and apply advanced digital technologies in Titanic Quarter. Both facilities are due to open in 2027.

Tourism and regeneration projects continue to progress across the region. Designs are at an advanced stage for Bangor Waterfront, with planning applications submitted for Ballyholme Yacht Club and Pickie Fun Park, alongside procurement of design teams for the Urban Waterfront and Public Realm. Design development is progressing at pace on Destination Royal Hillsborough, Carrickfergus Regeneration and The Gobbins Phase II, with a number of planning applications submitted and construction packages being prepared for issue to market. Newry City Centre Regeneration has reached a significant milestone, with construction due to start on the Theatre and Conference Centre project.

Designs for Belfast Stories, an exciting new public space, visitor experience and creative hub on Royal Avenue are at an advanced stage, while construction of the Centre for Digital Healthcare Technology has started on Frederick Street in Belfast.

Building on the success of Augment the City, a Belfast Region City Deal programme that explored how immersive technologies can enhance culture and tourism experiences, a £4.6m Regional Contracts for Innovation fund is being launched later this autumn to help partners develop solutions to challenges facing the region. A £2 million collaborative grants programme has also been approved to encourage local SMEs to work with the BRCD innovation centres.

Chair of the meeting, the Mayor of Ards and North Down Councillor Craig Blaney, said: “The latest Annual Report shows the Belfast Region City Deal moving decisively from planning to delivery, with key milestones being reached, investment being unlocked and communities already seeing real benefits through apprenticeships and work experience.

“This ambitious, long-term programme of investment is strengthening our economy, regenerating places, supporting innovation and helping people access new skills and better jobs.

“As ever, partnership remains central to the Deal’s success. By combining the expertise, resources and commitment of our councils, universities, colleges, government and delivery partners, we’re achieving more for the Belfast region, together.”

During 2026-27, partners expect to see further significant progress, with priorities including starting building work at the Centre for Digital Healthcare Technologies, advancing Bangor Waterfront design appointments, completing construction at iREACH Health and Momentum One Zero, launching the Regional Contracts for Innovation and Innovation Centres Collaborative Grants programmes, gaining approval for further digital innovation schemes which provide key support for our local innovators and businesses and continuing work on benefits realisation, employability, skills and social value.

The Belfast Region City Deal Annual Report is available to view: Belfast Region City Deal - Belfast Region City Deal | Belfast Region City Deal

Notes to editors

The Belfast Region City Deal Annual Report highlights significant progress during 2025-26:

  • More than £674 million has been committed through signed Contracts for Funding, with more than £100 million drawn down and over £86 million in claims paid to project partners.
  • By the end of March 2026, three projects were operational, three were at construction or fit-out stage and 12 were at design stage.
  • 16 Contracts for Funding had been signed, alongside approval of 22 Outline Business Cases and five Full Business Cases.
  • Contracts worth more than £158 million had committed over 15,100 social value points, with more than 10,000 already delivered across employment and skills, ethical supply chains, climate action and wellbeing.
  • Social value delivery had provided employment-related training and development opportunities for 158 people, including apprenticeships, work experience, placements and trainee roles.

The Belfast Region City Deal is a partnership comprising six councils, Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster University, the region’s further education colleges and the UK Government and Northern Ireland Executive.

The programme is supported by a £1 billion funding package and includes investment across innovation, digital, tourism and regeneration, infrastructure, and employability and skills.