The historical, mixed residential area of Holyland in south Belfast has been allowed to become Partyland

The perennial problem of destruction, littering and anti social behaviour in Belfast Holyland must be a turn off for people outside the area who have heard such reports for over 20 years.
Coordinated action on anti social behaviour is needed from council, police and universities, writes Brid Ruddy. If existing regulations were actually enforced the area would be transformed. Photo taken on St Patrick's Day 2017 by Freddie Parkinson / Press EyeCoordinated action on anti social behaviour is needed from council, police and universities, writes Brid Ruddy. If existing regulations were actually enforced the area would be transformed. Photo taken on St Patrick's Day 2017 by Freddie Parkinson / Press Eye
Coordinated action on anti social behaviour is needed from council, police and universities, writes Brid Ruddy. If existing regulations were actually enforced the area would be transformed. Photo taken on St Patrick's Day 2017 by Freddie Parkinson / Press Eye

Please bear with me as I explain why it is a misery for many of those who live in the worst affected areas.

Belfast City Council is developing proposals for long term regeneration (and has designated the neighbourhood a Special Action Area).

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This move is welcomed by all. But residents believe there is a short term action that would transform the area and take the bad headlines away.

Brid Ruddy is chair of Holyland Residents’ Network. She is seen here in 'Wildflower Alley' after residents campaigned to have gates on the alleyway to increase community safety and put a stop the anti-social behaviour the alleyway attracted. The alleyway has been designed with flowers, places to sit and has used recycled goods to build itBrid Ruddy is chair of Holyland Residents’ Network. She is seen here in 'Wildflower Alley' after residents campaigned to have gates on the alleyway to increase community safety and put a stop the anti-social behaviour the alleyway attracted. The alleyway has been designed with flowers, places to sit and has used recycled goods to build it
Brid Ruddy is chair of Holyland Residents’ Network. She is seen here in 'Wildflower Alley' after residents campaigned to have gates on the alleyway to increase community safety and put a stop the anti-social behaviour the alleyway attracted. The alleyway has been designed with flowers, places to sit and has used recycled goods to build it

It is this.

Implement existing rules! On anti social behaviour (ASB), street drinking, fly tipping and in relation to badly maintained rental properties.

Readers may be astonished to know that doesn’t already happen, even in this time of pandemic when the area is experiencing many Covid-19 defying house parties, fly-tipping and criminal behaviour.

Incidents of ASB rise year after year and in 2012 it was reported that it costs an estimated £5m to maintain current levels of council and police services to the Holyland.

Here are examples of what happens:

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• 1 Residents have to contact at least five different agencies to report ASB.

Most of these agencies do not have information sharing protocols with each other. For example police could not give information to the house of multiple occupation (HMO) office Belfast re criminal charges given to those at a recent Covid party in Penrose Street. This non sharing of information has been ongoing for years yet there is a public presentation of interagency cooperation.

• 2 On street drinking is open and regular fines are not levied because legislation is considered inadequate. No new legislation has been passed to correct this.

• 3 Parking laws (outside of the residents parking zone, College Park Avenue) are unenforced so cars are regularly parked on double yellow lines and pavements are blocked

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• 4 Most noise and criminal activity takes place late evening and early morning. Belfast City Council Community safety officers finish at 10pm in spite of repeated requests from residents that hours be varied. Police policy generally is to give warning rather than prosecutions for anti social behaviour. Thus we have the highest rates of ASB in the city.

• 5 HMO regulations requiring landlords to control tenant behaviour have not been enforced. The regulations themselves are full of loop holes.

• 6 New HMO permissions are still being granted in an already oversaturated area which is the most densely populated in Belfast.

• 7 Landlords are still not providing individual household bins to tenants leading to dumping in alleys and failure to remove open mostly overflowing euro bins.

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• 8 All of this means the Holyland is a place apart in terms of enforcement of any kind. It is known as partyland and people travel from everywhere to stay with renters in the many HMOs in the area. (some on a nightly payment basis)

Some long term residents work in the health service, others are retired and currently unable to visit or hug grandchildren because they adhere to Covid rules. They have a burning sense of injustice about the unequal treatment we experience from official agencies in the Holyland.

A member of the Holohan Restaurant family who lives in the Holyland responded to the latest set of Stormont restrictions as follows: “We have just heard that  our efforts to prepare for opening on the 27th have been in vain. Christmas trade is totally decimated. Since the end of July young people in this area have  flouted the laws around Covid-19, from social distancing to face coverings, gathering in large groups indoors etc. Drug dealers deliver supplies to them with impunity,  off licences and supermarkets fuel their excess drinking which serves  to increase  their levels of disregard for their own safety and the safety of others. 

“Restaurants are well ventilated, have robust hygiene routines, adhere to health and safety regs. ensure there is safe social distancing , ensure their staff wear PPE, provide hand sanitising stations etc.  Why hobble an important part of the economy to facilitate those who will not comply with basic standards of decency?”

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This unequal treatment needs to end. The Holyland is an historical, mixed residential area, not partyland for those who want to breach regulations with impunity. Residents suggest a restoration of our basic rights through the simple solution of implementation existing legislation.

This would make a massive difference to the Holyland right now!

How would the residents’ solution work?

Put in place a 24/7 phone answering service based at a central location and funded on an integrated agency basis. This would direct all resident queries to the right service and ensure follow up and coordinated action from council, police and universities.

The current situation is chaotic. If existing regulations were actually enforced this would change and the Holyland would be transformed.

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And it definitely would not cost the £5m that the anti social behaviour does!

• Brid Ruddy is chair of Holyland Residents’ Network

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