Belfast Blitz memorial drawing nearer to reality – but not in time for the 80th anniversary

Belfast City Council has said that a “design brief”, expected to set out the basis for what the monument will look like, will be ready within weeks.

The project had been mired in controversy when it was last in the news in early 2019.

The memorial was initially considered for the city hall grounds, but Sinn Fein was said to be unhappy about the number of “unionist” memorials in the city centre – particularly at city hall itself – and had wanted to balance it out with nationalist memorials too.

At the time a number of survivors of the Blitz had issued a plea in the pages of the News Letter for the project not to be made the subject of orange/green sectarian politics, given the indiscriminate nature of the Nazi bombardment.

The council has now confirmed to the News Letter that it is part of a wider scheme to revamp “Cathedral Gardens” (a largely empty concrete space also known as Buoy Park, beside the Ulster University at the northern end of the city centre).

It said: “The project is currently at business case development stage with input from across the council to develop the design brief, which will include a Blitz memorial. This design brief is expected to be prepared by November 2020.”

Alliance councillor Michael Long said it is an issue dear to his heart, because not only had his father been born during a Blitz raid in April 1941, but his mother-in-law’s house was also flattened by the bombing.

He believes the design brief stage will provide a basic outline for companies which then want to tender to build it.

“The original hope was it might be ready for next April, the 80th anniversary. I don’t think it’s going to be ready that quickly.

“I’d hope it would be done within a year or two. It’s a pretty important part of our history. This is another stage in the right direction – it certainly won’t be dropped from our point of view.”

Both Mr Long and historian Brian Barton told the News Letter the estimated cost of the memorial is expected to be around £300,000 to £350,000.

More than 1,000 people were killed and much of Belfast’s housing stock destroyed in four Nazi raids during April and May of 1941.

The News Letter has covered the Blitz extensively over the last several years, with some survivors of near-miss incidents recounting in extraordinary detail the terror of the time to reporter Adam Kula.

Read some of the stories of these men and women below:

CLICK HERE: Belfast Blitz: ‘I watched a landmine descending from sky, coming directly at us’

CLICK HERE: Belfast Blitz: ‘My house was hit twice. My neighbours died. My hair fell out. I’m lucky’

CLICK HERE: Belfast Blitz: ‘Our home collapsed around us; all we had left were melted coins’

CLICK HERE: Belfast Blitz: ‘I watched from a hedge as the city burned below me’

CLICK HERE: VE Day: Belfast erupted in joy with burning bonfires, band parades and frisky sailors

CLICK HERE: What is the Belfast Blitz memorial controversy? Political row explained

READ MORE FROM THE NEWS LETTER:

CLICK HERE: IN FULL: Outspoken anti-lockdown doctor on why she’s quitting council seat

CLICK HERE: Dissident who avoided jail after judge was told he ‘matured’ still vocally backs hardcore republicans

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