Sandy Row residents feel the area is being "ignored and forgotten" as property developer 'land banking' leads to spiralling dereliction, community reps say.
Pastor Paul Burns, from Adullam Christian Ministries on Sandy Row, said locals are facing a range of issues including sub-standard housing, air pollution from living so close to congested roads and widespread dereliction evidenced by abandoned buildings and vacant sites not used for years.
He also feels the area has been unfairly tarnished following racist attacks during the summer in the wake of an anti-immigration protest, adding that nearly all of those arrested in connection with the trouble come from outside Sandy Row.
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Speaking to Belfast Live, Pastor Burns said: "Over the past 20 years it feels like the area has become ignored and forgotten as it is chipped away at bit by bit.
"The area used to be a busy street full of shops but now it feels like there are more rundown and abandoned properties here than anything else, with developers buying up land and doing absolutely nothing with it. While there are groups and organisations here that are trying to do their best for the area, I feel that they could use more support.
"Every day I speak with residents who are having difficulties here, whether that is with mould and damp in their homes or an inability to get housing because there is either none available or any that is affordable with some nearby apartments having rents of £1,000 a month or more.
"I have also been told by residents that some are having a build-up black soot on their windows due to the car fumes from the area being surrounded by traffic jams and congestion four hours a day, and it is very worrying to think of the impact that this is having on children and the elderly who have to breathe this toxic air everyday.
"There is a real sense of frustration among local residents about the future of Sandy Row and many feel like they have been unfairly tarnished as racists following the attacks after the anti-immigration protest, with this trouble being caused by people coming into the area from elsewhere. If you look at our local schools they are a huge mixing pot of different cultures.
"But, after the attacks we seen lots of local politicians coming here, talking down to residents and they have not been seen again since. Residents have been calling out for meetings with reps for years and cannot secure them and it feels like most are only interested in coming here to put the area down."
Botanic DUP councillor Tracy Kelly, said that while it is disheartening to see the decline of Sandy Row, there is hope for the future with £2.3m worth of investment being announced for two sites that will see the creation of a new Arts and Digital HUB and a new Culture Café.
She also highlighted the work of BSCR, Belfast City Council and Urban Villages in trying to drive regeneration in Sandy Row.
However she says that the issue of "land banking" in the wake of the Belfast Grand Central Station announcement a number of years ago has also been a big factor in the dereliction of the area.
Councillor Tracy Kelly said: "Since the discussion around the Belfast Transport HUB was started there was a clear upsurge in 'land banking' in the Sandy Row area. Shops were bought up by developers, neglected or demolished with no plans for replacement. You only have to walk around Sandy Row to see huge chunks of this community removed and waste ground in its place.
"Sandy Row is in decline, frustrations are high and many have stated they feel like the slums beside the new shiny station. Hope Street is the only piece of public land available for much needed social housing, with the NIHE homeless list reaching over 30k the delay on building on this site is being challenged by the local community and community representatives who have seen very little social houses built in the last 40 years.
"DUP have been working with BSCR, Belfast City Council and Urban Villages to help regenerate the area, there are two sites in Sandy Row that are being developed with around £2.3 million pounds of investment currently approved. A new Arts and Digital HUB and a new Culture Café, both will be great assets to the community and have taken years of work between all involved to try and get to the point where they are on site and ready to be approved at planning. But that is only a splash in the ocean of what is needed for this community.
"As someone who lived in Sandy Row for over 20 years it is heartbreaking to see the decline and it has been very challenging for this community. Having developers land bank with no care for the concerns of the community has been difficult to witness, time and time again we see shops demolished, another chunk of the community removed and no plan in place to build. For residents living here it feels like no-one is listening. Sandy Row is a village inside Belfast City, villages need people and people need houses, so build them!"
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