'Greed' is motivating plans to dismantle Belfast's Boyne Bridge says heritage campaigner

John Anderson, vice-chairman of the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, made the comments as he stressed that an alternative to doing away with the bridge does exist – namely to let the public walk underneath the bridge to the new Grand Central Station via a shopping arcade called the Great Northern Mall.

The bridge was closed on Saturday to allow for preparation work for its removal.

Despite Belfast High Court rejecting his appeal for an injunction to halt the work, Mr Anderson has pledged he will keep pushing for the bridge’s retention for as long as he can.

In response, Translink has emphasised that all of its plans had gone through the planning process some five years ago.

The Boyne Bridge stands on the site of an old 17th century one, and its current incarnation dates back to 1936.

It is so named because it is believed William of Orange crossed it on his way to the Boyne.

It is a pedestian-and-motor bridge with Durham Street running across the top, spanning a set of now-defunct railway tracks where the River Blackstaff used to go.

Its days have been numbered ever since the new Grand Central Station was given permission.

At present, Translink is building a big open plaza called Saltwater Square next to Grand Central Station, and insists that getting rid of the Boyne Bridge is part of that vision.

Instead there will just be a flat road, with crossing points for pedestrians to reach the new station.

Mr Anderson however says: “The passengers for the station could be coming through the Great Northern Mall, which acccessed Great Victoria Street station, walk straight under the bridge, and into the new station: no traffic to cross, nothing.

"There's any amount of room, and plenty of room too for landscaping and a bit of informative stuff about Belfast's history of engineering.

"There's no issue there at all. The bridge does not need touched in any way. All it needs is in below the bridge smoothed off so that people can walk through – that's all. What could be easier?

"Why, you might say, is this not happening when it's the most logical solution? And the answer is property development.

"It's about predatory property development: greed for square footage.”

He was referring to the fact that Translink’s long term plan is for big office blocks to be built "tight up” against where the bridge is now, and the lower floors of these office blocks “would be obscured by the bridge”.

Translink told the News Letter: “The design of the new Belfast Grand Central Station that included the dismantling of the Durham Street Bridge was considered as part of a comprehensive planning process and the planning permission was granted by the Department for Infrastructure in March 2019; the planning application and determination are available to everyone on the planning portal to read...

"The bridge is being dismantled to make way for significant public realm improvements being carried out around the new station.

"This is part of Belfast’s overall transformational plans to improve the streetscape environment and create more accessible, greener spaces including the new Saltwater Square.

"These works will make cycling, walking and other forms of active travel more attractive, making way for a cleaner city and a healthier society.”