Belfast. facts and figures.

Transcription

1 Belfast Thriving business environment Democratic system of governance Super-connectivity Diverse economy Retail opportunities Emerging sectors Young population Skilled workforce Investment in research and development Quality of life Business conferences Flagship events Environmental industries Regeneration and major developments

2 Section 2 Belfast

3 Why Belfast? Why Belfast? CNN selected Belfast as one of Europe s hottest destinations for The National Geographic Traveller magazine voted Belfast one of the world s top destinations for 2012 in December, calling the city a treasure with an incredible atmosphere. Fodor placed us in their top 21 cities to see in Trip Advisor cited Belfast as the best value UK city break and the Lonely Planet advised their readers that they d better get to Belfast before the rest of the world comes. The Financial Times listed Belfast as one of the Top 10 places in the world to hold a conference or major event. Belfast is among the top UK cities when measured against factors that contribute to quality of life (PWC, 2012). Chief editor of Le Guide du Routard described Ulster people as the friendliest and most courteous folk he has encountered on his many travels all over the world. The financial services sector employs over 20,000 people and includes key investors such as Citi, the Allstate Corporation, Liberty Mutual, Wombat Financial Software and HBOS. Belfast 3

4 Section 4 Belfast

5 Contents Contents Introduction 7 1. Thriving business environment 8 2. Democratic system of governance 9 3. Super-connectivity Diverse economy Retail opportunities Emerging sectors 14 Tourism 14 Hotels 15 Creative industries 15 Culture and arts 16 Low carbon economy Young population Skilled workforce Investment in research and development Quality of life 20 Housing 20 Open space 20 Safety 21 Health 21 Sport 22 Culture and heritage 23 Nightlife 23 Festivals Business conferences Flagship events 26 World Police and Fire Games Tall Ships Environmental industries Regeneration and major developments 28 Titanic Quarter 28 Mary Peters Track 28 Royal Exchange 29 Giant s Park, North Foreshore 29 Rapid Transit 30 Sirocco Quays 30 University of Ulster Belfast campus 30 Web resources 31 Belfast 5

6 Contents 6 Belfast

7 Introduction Introduction Belfast is fast becoming one of the most attractive cities in the UK and Ireland to live, work, study and invest in. The growing list of recognition and praise from all the over the world confirms that Belfast is the place to be. With an ever-expanding global outlook and unique economic strengths, Belfast is being acknowledged as one of the UK s leading investment destinations. Belfast has experienced far-reaching change with more than 2 billion of investment over the past decade. The scale and quality of the city s transformation has been of international significance. With its two universities and other leading educational facilities, competitive rental and housing prices, thriving business environment and diverse visitor experiences, Belfast has a compelling offer for students, residents, tourists and investors. On census day in 2011, the resident population of Belfast s local government district was 280,962, a 1.29% increase since the 2001 census, accounting for 15.52% of the Northern Ireland total. Belfast continues to develop and expand its retail offering, with plans for a 400 million investment in the Royal Exchange retail scheme in the city centre. The recent announcement of 13.7 million of funding to help make Belfast a superconnected city has also given a major boost to the city s economy and quality of life, helping to ensure that Belfast becomes a world-class digital city by And with plans for a 100 million Rapid Transit system providing vital links for the east and west of the city to a range of healthcare, education, employment and leisure facilities, Belfast is set to become better physically connected than ever. Belfast is really a special place in the world, which has a distinctive offer to make, economically, culturally, socially. Belfast has a strength and resilience that is truly inspiring and remarkable Bruce Katz, Vice President at the Brookings Institution Belfast the capital city of Northern Ireland is increasingly recognised as a successful and dynamic city. At the beginning of the twentieth century Belfast was a manufacturing powerhouse - a centre of global significance in linen and shipbuilding. The city s late Victorian and Edwardian architecture illustrates the civic pride in that era. Over the last decade Belfast enjoyed sustained investment and economic growth. Here is a snapshot of Belfast today... Belfast 7

8 Thriving business environment 1. Thriving business environment Belfast is the driver of the Northern Ireland economy. Belfast is home to two-thirds of Northern Ireland s largest 50 companies and one half of foreign-owned businesses. The city has 201,081 employee jobs (growth of over 6% in last decade). Belfast s gross value added per employee is 55,654, a growth of over 10% in the last decade. In Northern Ireland, productivity is highest in Belfast when compared with the other sub-regions covering the north, west and south of the country. Belfast maintains the most competitive rental rate in the UK for office space. Northern Ireland was the first European region to achieve 100% broadband coverage and Belfast is one of 10 super-connected cities chosen to receive government funding to roll out super-fast broadband. There are around 8 million visitor trips to Belfast each year. Comparison of prime rental office space per square foot* Aberdeen Manchester Birmingham Edinburgh Bristol Glasgow Leeds Liverpool Southampton Belfast *CBRE Regional office market review Belfast

9 Democratic system of governance 2. Democratic system of governance Belfast City Council is the largest of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland. It is the local democratic institution for the city with 51 elected councillors elected in May 2011 representing nine electoral areas. The councillors elect a Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor who serve a ceremonial function for one year. Councillors are elected for a term of four years. The role of a councillor is to represent the interests of their constituents and electoral areas. Political Party Number of councillors (May 2011) Sinn Fein 16 Democratic Unionist Party 16 Social Democratic and Labour Party Alliance Party 6 Ulster Unionist Party 3 Progressive Unionist Party 2 Total 51 8 Belfast 9

10 Super-connectivity 3. Super-connectivity Belfast is home to a sizeable set of port, airport and logistics infrastructure which supports more than 26,000 jobs, generating more than 60 million gross value added for the local economy. Assets such as the Port of Belfast, George Best Belfast City Airport, Belfast International Airport and a variety of road and motorway connectivity places Belfast at the forefront of the logistics industry. DERRY STRABANE OMAGH ENNISKILLEN COLERAINE BALLYMONEY LIMAVADY MAGHERAFELT COOKSTOWN DUNGANNON PORTRUSH BALLYCASTLE PORTSTEWART LARNE BALLYMENA CARRICKFERGUS ANTRIM BANGOR ARDS BELFAST LISBURN PORTADOWN BANBRIDGE ARMAGH DOWNPATRICK NEWCASTLE Belfast s closest major cities by car are Dublin (103.9 miles or 167.2km) and Derry/Londonderry (71.4 miles or 114.9km). Belfast has two modern airports within 30 and 10 minutes of the city centre with regular flights to London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Paris, Barcelona and New York. In 2011, the city s airports carried over 6 million passengers. NEWRY Northern Ireland Road Network Dual carriageway Motorway The port of Belfast is currently the second largest port on the island of Ireland handling million tonnes in 2011 (a rise of 7% compared to 2010), 1.26 million passengers and 35 cruise ships per year. Telecoms costs in Belfast are highly competitive and among the lowest in Europe. There is a fully fibred backbone of up to 100G per second. Also, there is dual and triple routing and fully digital switching ensuring the highest levels of resilience and reliability. 10 Belfast

11 Super-connectivity According to a recent Ernst and Young survey* of the UK, foreign-based companies consider the following aspects of the UK the most attractive. From an investment location perspective: the quality of life, cultural aspects and language (with 88% rating this as very attractive or fairly attractive); technology and telecommunications infrastructure (85%); the social climate (83%); education in trade and academic disciplines (80%); entrepreneurial culture and entrepreneurship (76%). According to a recent council survey of local businesses: More than three quarters (78%) of businesses in Belfast are small enterprises, employing fewer than 10 people. 64% of businesses rated Belfast a score of seven or more out of 10 as a place to do business. Transport links, population, development and regeneration of the city were all stated as positive reasons for doing business in Belfast. *Ernst and Young 2012 UK Attractiveness Survey Belfast 11

12 Diverse economy 4. Diverse economy The recession has affected all sectors of the economy, although the impact has varied in scale across the city. There are 8,435 registered businesses in the city. Belfast has half of Northern Ireland s hi-tech manufacturing jobs, three in five computer and related service jobs and two-thirds of creative media and arts jobs. Three quarters of service exports from Northern Ireland originate from Belfast. The financial services sector employs over 20,000 people and includes key investors such as Citi, the Allstate Corporation, Liberty Mutual, Wombat Financial Software and HBOS. The creative industries sector is one of Belfast s fastest growing sectors with over 1,000 creative businesses based in the city, employing over 17,000 people. Top sectors in Belfast % of total employment in Belfast by sector Sectoral GVA Growth in Belfast from 1998 to 2008 Business and financial services sector % Health % Public administration 13-1% Retail 13 24% Education % Hotels and restaurants % 12 Belfast

13 Retail opportunities 5. Retail opportunities Belfast is the main retail market in Northern Ireland with a primary catchment population of 1.6 million. According to a recent shopping survey, Belfast is the 17th best high street in the UK. Belfast is home to many famous UK high street stores, but also offers a diverse number of independent specialist shops ranging from antiques and fashion boutiques, to delicatessens and book stores. Belfast holds two major all year round markets, St George s and Smithfield. Approximately 12,000-13,000 people visit St George s Market, one of Belfast s oldest attractions, each week. Belfast also hosts a number of yearly markets such as the Christmas Market in the grounds of City Hall. The retail sector in Belfast witnessed considerable investment pre-recession with flagship centres opening in the city such as the 400 million development of Victoria Square. Belfast plans to expand and develop a 400 million investment in the Royal Exchange retail-led scheme that will transform the north east of the city. Belfast has the youngest population in Europe, one of the lowest cost operating environments, the most competitive wage environment, the best broadband network, two world class universities - that s just for starters. Declan Kelly, former US economic envoy to Northern Ireland Belfast 13

14 Emerging sectors 6. Emerging sectors Tourism In 2011, overall there were 7.86 million visitor trips to Belfast. During the same year, 1.33 million out of state overnight tourists visited Belfast and spent one or more nights in the city. Of this number, 529,000 were business visitors (including 95,000 conference delegates). The value of direct tourism spend in Belfast during 2011 was estimated at 401 million, of which out of state tourists contributed 215 million or 54%. Tourism spend has helped to support over 9,000 full-time equivalent jobs. Number of visitors and visitor spend Number of Year visitors Visitor spend million 401 million million 387 million 14 Belfast

15 Emerging sectors Hotels The city has over 6,000 beds available starting from prices of 40 per night, ranging from budget accommodation to opulent five star suites. The Merchant Hotel was named Best UK Hotel at the prestigious International Hotel Awards 2012 and recommended in Fodor s 21 places to go in Creative industries The creative industries is one of Belfast s fastest growing sectors with over 1,000 creative businesses based in the city, employing over 17,000 people. Belfast is now a major international filming location. HBO has filmed two series of Game of Thrones at the Belfast Paint Hall studio. The first series supported 800 jobs, attracted 20 million into the economy and prompted the promise of an extra 5 million investment from the Stormont Executive to support the film industry in Belfast. Belfast 15

16 Emerging sectors Culture and arts Belfast s cultural landscape has changed rapidly over the past five years. Key venues across the city, such as the Ulster Hall, the Lyric Theatre, Cultúrlann, Grand Opera House, Crescent Arts Centre and Conway Mill have been refurbished and their programming extended. The Black Box, Oh Yeah Music Centre and the MAC are just some of the jewels in the revitalised historic Cathedral Quarter, whilst Northern Ireland s only producing theatre, the Lyric Theatre, reopened in a new build in Queen s Quarter in That same year, Belfast Music Week and MTV European Music Awards broadcast a new, positive, creative face of Belfast around the world. The iconic Titanic Belfast visitor centre opened in Titanic Quarter in 2012, a stunning focal point for the city s maritime heritage. The annual turnover of Belfast s arts and heritage sectors is just under 40m, supporting nearly 1,000 jobs in the city. Over four years, the council s investment helped to support over 300 full-time jobs, 130 part-time posts and 4,000 artists contracts, generating a return on investment of 8 for every 1 spent. In 2010, there was 182,842 worth of grants from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for the arts and culture sector in Belfast. The sector can help to rebuild and rebalance our economy by stimulating the innovation, research and development and creativity needed to drive export focused growth. Carál Ní Chuilín Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure 16 Belfast

17 Emerging sectors Low carbon economy Environmental and new energy technologies are two of the fastestgrowing sectors in Belfast, and the city is well-placed to take advantage of the world s growing demand for clean energy to become a global leader in energy innovation. Both Queen s University Belfast (QUB) and the University of Ulster are researching sustainable technologies. Giant s Park will be a landmark public park for north Belfast and the entire city. It will be made up of around 220 acres of land, formerly the Dargan Road Landfill site on the North Foreshore beside Belfast Lough. It will create a world class park with a cross-cutting environmental, ecological, and community focus, provide a safe, Belfast accessible urban environment owned by local communities and improve the quality of life for citizens of Belfast through the provision of cultural, leisure, educational and recreational activities on the site. In addition, QUB s Environmental Champion Programme was awarded the Environmental Project of the Year at the Sustainable Ireland Awards in Northern Ireland is well placed to become a north European hub for windpowered energy. Michael Doran Director of Action Renewables 17

18 Young population, Skilled workforce 7. Young population Belfast s young population is one of the most highly qualified work forces in Europe. The working age population accounts for over 60% of the city s total population. The city has one of the youngest populations in Europe with almost 19% of people under 15 years of age. The average age of Belfast citizens is 36.6 years. 8. Skilled workforce 36% of school leavers went onto further education and 11% went straight into employment. 64.7% of year 12 pupils achieved five or more GCSEs (including equivalents) at grades A*-C. Only 6.05% of school leavers left having achieved no GCSEs. We have two universities in the city, Queen s University Belfast and the University of Ulster, and the Belfast Metropolitan College. Together they account for approximately 73,500 students. There are more than 4,000 graduates in business and technology-related disciplines, including 1,000 at postgraduate level each year. The number of students achieving first class or upper second class honours has increased by 29% over the last decade to 5, ,000 students are currently taking finance-related courses at undergraduate level. 18 Belfast

19 9. Investment in research and development 9. Investment in research and development Queen s University, Belfast is a member of the influential Russell Group of universities and has been awarded both the Outstanding Engineering Research Team of the Year category in 2010 and the Most Innovative Teacher of the Year Award in In the last Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), Queen s had 11 subject areas ranked within the top 10 in the UK and 24 in the top % of the University of Ulster s research activity was judged to be of international quality in the 2008 RAE assessment and is the only university in the UK where 100% of the research within nursing and Celtic studies is of international quality. Northern Ireland has established itself as a centre of excellence for research and development, with the growth of a number of research specific groups including: The Northern Ireland Advanced Composites and Engineering Centre (NIACE): a technology hub for the research and development of advanced engineering and advanced materials technologies across a range of industrial sectors. The Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (ECIT): a new 60 million world-class centre with a unique focus on strategic and industrial research projects. The QUESTOR Centre: a global environmental research network founded by Queen s University Belfast is the only centre outside the US to be included in the National Science Foundation s Programme for Industry and University Cooperative. Belfast 19

20 Quality of life 10. Quality of life According to a recent report by PriceWaterhouseCooper, Belfast is among the top UK cities ranked against factors contributing to a good quality of life. The report measured the performance of 36 UK cities against a number of categories (which were defined by the public as key to economic success and well-being) and ranked Belfast as a good growth city. Housing Belfast offers some of the lowest residential housing costs in Europe. A wide choice of affordable residential property is readily available, from city living to rural country spreads. House prices in Belfast have fallen by over 47% between 2007 and 2010, however in recent times there have been positive messages coming from the housing industry. The average house price in Belfast in the third quarter of 2011 was 142,200 which represented a 2.9% annual increase from Open space Belfast has an abundance of open space, with 940 hectares of parks, playing fields, greenways (more than any other urban area in the UK), ranging from the Victorian setting of Botanic Gardens, to the natural grandeur of Cavehill Country Park. 20 Belfast

21 Quality of life Safety Belfast is one of the safest cities in the UK and crime rates are low in comparison with other UK cities. With a crime safety and security index of 83 out of 100, Belfast ranks third among comparable cities above Dublin, Cardiff and Rotterdam. There has been a 11% reduction in crimes recorded since 2005 and a 23.3% decrease in crimes recorded in the last decade with 29,835 crimes recorded in 2010/11. Health Belfast has the largest provision of health care facilities in Northern Ireland. Belfast ranked 4 out of 10 in comparable cities above London, Dublin, Glasgow and Cardiff as a healthy city to live in. The city has the highest count of private health and fitness centres among comparison cities totalling 10 centres across the city. Belfast has four major hospitals that treated 109,851 elective inpatients or day cases. They had 175,878 new outpatients and provided 3,542 care packages in Life expectancy for males in Belfast for The period between was 73.5 years and for females 79.6 years. We may complain about traffic congestion and lower than average wages, but compared to other UK cities and as measured by these broader good growth categories, Belfast compares very favourably with some of the biggest cities in England and Scotland. Dr Esmond Birnie Chief Economist, PWC. Belfast 21

22 Quality of life Sport Belfast has its own ice hockey team the Belfast Giants, who have won a raft of titles and championship including the League Championship in 2005/06. In soccer, the Irish Premier League has 16 teams. The city is also home to the national soccer team, Northern Ireland who have seen their fortunes improve in the last decade. Belfast is also home to Ulster rugby with many of its players contributing to the international success of the Irish team. Traditional Gaelic games are also an important sporting scene with the city home to numerous football, hurling and camogie teams. Belfast hosts 10 stadiums with a total seating capacity of 107,264. The city also has 10 golf courses, numerous Gaelic football and hurling grounds, 14 parks and 10 publicly owned leisure centres across the city. Activities on offer include swimming, five-a-side football, squash, aerobics, spinning and trampolining. Major Event Hosted European Squash Club Championship CRISRA Boccia World Cup Cadet Fencing World Championship 2009 Irish Junior Squash Championship 2011 Irish indoor athletics championship National Balmoral Show jumping Championships International Football Games Heineken Rugby Fixtures Belfast Giants Games Special Olympics 2006 Location Belfast Boat Club University of Ulster University of Ulster Belfast Boat Club Odyssey Arena Kings Hall Windsor Park Ravenhill Odyssey Arena Odyssey Arena 22 Belfast

23 Quality of life Culture and heritage Belfast has one of the strongest and most lively cultural sectors on the island of Ireland. Steeped in years of tradition, Belfast hosts a wide range of cultural and arts festivals throughout the year. Belfast s heritage sector has been recognised nationally with the Ulster Museum having won one of the most prestigious museums prizes in the world - the coveted UK Art Fund Prize. Nightlife Belfast s nightlife has been flourishing in recent years with the opening of many new clubs and bars throughout the city. Belfast has over 300 bars and clubs, ranging from hip clubs to traditional pubs. The most popular areas for evening entertainment are the historic Cathedral Quarter in the city centre, Queen s Quarter in south Belfast, the Odyssey complex in east Belfast and the Gaeltacht Quarter in west Belfast. Belfast 23

24 Quality of life Festivals Belfast hosts many cultural festivals of specific themes and also general arts festivals, which occur throughout most of the year. Belfast is now a City of Festivals. The Community Festivals Fund has invested 448,000 in 81 festivals since Large-scale festivals include the August Féile, Belfast Orangefest, Belfast Film Festival, Cathedral Arts Festival, Pride and Belfast Festival at Queen s. There are also a number of niche events which include the Open House Traditional and Contemporary Music Festival, Cinemagic International Film Festival for Children and Young People and Belfast Children s Festival. In 2011, Belfast Music Week which was brought to a spectacular close by the MTV European Music Awards attracted an estimated 33,500 visitors, generated an additional spend of 1.86m in the city and showcased our music talent to a global audience. There s something very different, unique and special about Belfast. Richard Godfrey European Music Awards 24 Belfast

25 Business conferences 11. Business conferences Belfast is a dynamic business destination, which balances modernity and innovation with a rich heritage and a thriving cultural scene. With so much on offer to the world, it s no wonder that 439,000 business visitors, including 65,000 conference delegates, visited Belfast in 2011, highlighting the potential of the city to become a global player in the international conferences market. A new 20 million investment in the extension of Belfast Waterfront to transform it into a new state of the art and dedicated convention and exhibition centre shows the vision and possibilities the city holds. Belfast is doing much better than before, from governance and skills to quality of life and connectivity it is surely going in the right direction. Professor Michael Parkinson Liverpool John Moores University Belfast 25

26 Flagship events 12. Flagship events From Belfast City Council will invest 7.8 million and hold more international events that will continue to put Belfast on the world stage. Forthcoming events in Belfast include: World Police and Fire Games 2013 The World Police and Fire Games is a spectacular event, attracting over 10,000 police officers, fire fighters, customs and prison officers around the world taking part in over 65 sporting events and attracting 40,000 spectators. Tall Ships 2015 Belfast has secured the return of the prestigious Tall Ships event to the city in When the city last hosted the event it attracted in excess of 800,000 spectators and generated a boost of 16 million to the economy. 26 Belfast

27 Environmental industries 13. Environmental industries Northern Ireland s geography gives it the pivotal opportunity to become a global lead in renewable energy production. With estimates of 30,000 new potential jobs to be created it is certain this is a key sector to promote growth and development within Belfast. Evidence of the growing importance and opportunities in this sector is a 50 million investment by Belfast Harbour to develop a new terminal for the assembly of offshore wind turbines. The project, the largest ever in the harbour s 400 year history, will create 150 construction jobs and generate demand for one million tonnes of stone from local quarries. With the UK planning to develop 11,000 new offshore wind turbines at a total cost of 100 billion, Belfast is well placed to capitalise on this investment. Belfast Harbour is extremely well positioned for Irish Sea projects with its deep water facilities being able to accommodate the purpose-built installation vessels. With around 25 billion expected to be spent within the Irish Sea and almost a quarter of new turbines expected to be built within 150 nautical miles of Belfast, it provides a once in a million opportunity for the city. Belfast 27

28 Regeneration and major developments 14. Regeneration and major developments Titanic Quarter One of Europe s largest waterfront regeneration developments on the banks of Belfast s River Lagan, Titanic Quarter is the largest employment, investment and regeneration opportunity in Northern Ireland for a generation. An estimated 1 billion investment will create 20,000 new jobs and transform 75 hectares into a new focal point for Belfast over the next 20 years. The spectacular new 97 million Titanic Belfast building opened in It houses the world s largest Titanic visitor experience, offering state of the art world class visitor and educational facilities. Within the first six months of opening, Titanic Belfast welcomed 500,000 visitors. Mary Peters Track With a 3 million investment into the Mary Peters Track that will provide a new eight-lane International Association of Athletics Federations specification track, refurbishment of the field area and a new spectator stand, the Mary Peters Track will provide modern athletic and sporting facilities for Northern Ireland and the 2013 World Police and Fire Games. 28 Belfast

29 Regeneration and major developments Royal Exchange The Royal Exchange scheme is a mixed use redevelopment of the North East Quarter of Belfast city centre. Royal Exchange could provide up to 250,000 sq ft of retail space complemented by restaurants, bars, cafés, art and leisure uses, apartments, offices and car parking. There will be at least one anchor department store, a minimum of 25,000m 2 of class A1 retail, a minimum of 4,000m 2 of commercial space for catering and leisure uses and a minimum of 200 residential units, of which 40 residential units will be allocated for affordable housing. Giant s Park, North Foreshore Giant s Park will be a landmark public park for north Belfast and the entire city. It will be made up of around 220 acres of land, formerly the Dargan Road Landfill site on the North Foreshore beside Belfast Lough. It will create a world class park with a cross-cutting environmental, ecological, and community focus. It will also provide a safe, accessible urban environment owned by local communities and improve the quality of life for citizens of Belfast through the provision of cultural, leisure, educational and recreational activities on the site. Belfast 29

30 Regeneration and major developments University of Ulster Belfast Campus The proposed University of Ulster Belfast Campus is a 250m project to be sited on York Street adjacent to and opposite the existing College of Art building. Around 72,000 sq ft of new university space will be provided to house 15,000 students and staff. Sirocco Quays Sirocco Quays is a 16 acre prime location for a mixed-use regeneration waterfront project in the centre of Belfast overlooking the River Lagan. The area is ideal for residential apartments, office, retail and restaurant space. It could also provide an excellent location for a hotel. Rapid Transit A new 100 million investment in a Belfast Rapid Transport (BRT) system led by Department of Regional Development is proposed for the city of Belfast. The new BRT will play a key role by linking the east and west of the city, helping to regenerate deprived areas by providing quick and efficient access to jobs, health, education and leisure. 30 Belfast

31 Web Resources Web Resources Belfast City Council The council offers a broad range of services to businesses. Belfast Harbour The port of Belfast is Northern Ireland s principal maritime gateway, serving the Northern Ireland economy and increasingly that of the Republic of Ireland. Belfast International Airport Information on flights, car parking and news. Belfast Metropolitan College Belfast Met is the largest further and higher education college in Northern Ireland and is at the forefront of meeting today s skills needs and anticipating those of the future. Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau Offering free and impartial advice to conference organisers considering holding an event in Belfast. George Best Belfast City Airport Information on flights, passenger safety and latest news. HM Revenue & Customs Includes information about the UK s customs and tax department and includes the prototype on-line VAT (value added tax) returns system. Invest Northern Ireland Invest NI is responsible for the establishment and expansion of small businesses and potential investors. It offers the Northern Ireland business community a single organisation providing high-quality services, grants, support and expert advice. Queen s University Belfast Queen s has been ranked 26th in the UK, number one for medical science and pharmacy, and named Sunday Times University of the Year runner up, according to the Sunday Times University Guide 2013 Queen s enjoys a reputation as Ireland s Oxbridge. UK Border Agency This section contains information about immigration categories for non-european nationals. It describes the eligibility requirements for each category, and explains how you can make an application inside or outside the UK. University of Ulster University of Ulster has a national and international reputation for excellence, innovation and regional engagement. It makes a major contribution to Northern Ireland s economic, social and cultural development and plays a key role in attracting inward investment. Belfast 31

32 BCC 5379 For further information, please contact: Development Department Belfast City Council 4-10 Linenhall Street Belfast BT2 8BP T: Disclaimer While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained within this document was correct at time of going to print, we cannot guarantee accuracy and accept no responsibility for any errors. Please refer to the organisations responsible for primary data collection to guarantee complete currency and accuracy.