In the so-called "new climate" of Northern Ireland
which liberals and moderates are so fond of claiming represents
progress, there is a lot of talk about financial aid for deprived
areas and also about building houses on "brown field"
sites.
Well, Protestant areas should certainly be near the front
of the queue when it comes to such matters, writes an Orange
Standard correspondent.
Recently, I made it my business to visit a number of parts
of Belfast, as well as Londonderry and some of our provincial
towns, and I have to say the extent of neglect and dereliction
in some famous Protestant areas is alarming.
All this talk of a 'Buzz in Belfast' about 'Golden Mile'
and similar catch phrases have overlooked areas like the Village,
Sandy Row and Lower Shankill.
Over 20 years ago when the 'Standard' exposed the de-population
of Belfast Protestant districts and the poor provision of
public housing compared to Roman Catholic areas, there were
strong denials from the Housing Executive and from Northern
Ireland Office Ministers.
Well, in spite of highly publicised schemes in certain areas,
there is still a tremendous need for a huge injection of cash
and housing in Protestant districts.
Walking up Donegall Street past Clifton Street Orange Hall,
one couldn't help but notice the fine new Housing Executive
houses being built on what was the site of Unity Flats - gleaming
new houses and an example of what has been provided in Lower
Falls, New Lodge, Oldpark, Markets and all the other Roman
Catholic areas.
Speaking of New Lodge, high above the modern flats, on which
millions of pounds of British money has been expended, the
tri-colour of the Irish Republic flies high - proof that generous
treatment certainly does not produce grateful loyal citizens
in such areas.
Belfast Orange Hall in Clifton Street looks like a building
under siege with high railings and security alarms and bells
- proof of how much the main Orange Hall in the city has come
under attack in the past 30 years.
Walking past the now defunct Carlisle Memorial Methodist
Church - one of many once thriving Protestant churches now
redundant in inner Belfast - I found the back of the hall
slightly less foreboding, because the rear of the building
faces the Lower Shankill.
Walking through the Lower Shankill estate one couldn't help
but notice the number of empty and boarded up houses. Most
of the other homes in the estate are attractive and well kept,
but it is disturbing to see so many vacant houses in an area
where there is a need for homes and to which many former residents
would love to return.
The site of the former 'Wheatabix' flats facing on to the
Shankill is now cleared, the bulldozers having completed their
work, but there is a real need to get on with providing new
housing on the empty land.
The Lower Shankill certainly presents an appearance of decline
and neglect, in comparison to the Middle Shankill and Upper
Shankill where new housing has transformed the area.
It's great to see the new private estate going up in the
Ballygomartin Road at the top of the Shankill, and the fact
that many young families have moved into Lyndhurst is an encouraging
factor.
But there is a desperate need for new housing in the Lower
Shankill, on the empty ground between Sandy Row and Great
Victoria Street, and also in the Village area where many houses
have been bricked up. The area where the Donegall Road joins
the M1 motorway is particularly run-down in appearance.
Throughout inner Belfast there is a similar story. Large
empty sites along York Road, at Emerald Street in East Belfast,
and off the Beersbridge Road where houses are bricked up.
The fact that there are empty houses in the attractive looking
Manor Street estate is also a matter of concern - it should
be a priority to get these houses allocated again.
There has been a lot of brave talk about utilising 'brown
field' sites in inner Belfast, as an alternative to moving
further and further into the Green Belfast around the city.
Well, for goodness sake get on with it, must be the message
to the planners and housing chiefs. There are brown field
sites galore throughout Belfast, especially in Protestant
districts, so let's see action in contrast to glossy brochures
and talk.
In Londonderry, the Protestant districts are even more neglected
looking. The Fountain, last of the Protestant areas on the
city side, needs new housing to persuade young families to
move in and revitalise the area.
In the Waterside, the main shopping centres and commercial
areas are run down in appearance compared to the magnificent
new centres on the city side, like Richmond.
Discrimination? Londonderry Protestants certainly feel that
is the case and they point to a steady drip-drip of Protestant
families leaving for the likes of Coleraine, Limavady and
Newbuildings - a situation that is in need of urgent attention.
Provincial towns are not just as badly served, but one wonders
about all the talk of a deprived Roman Catholic minority in
towns like Portadown and Lurgan.
The housing estates off Garvaghy Road are of a high standard,
and yet we learn that during the proximity talks with the
Orange Order, Brendan McKenna and his cohorts want £15
million to be spent on an area which already has the most
modern housing estates in Portadown!
In Lurgan, the Roman Catholic areas are also flourishing,
while the once Protestant districts like Wakehurst and Victoria
Street are being 'ethnically cleansed' - peaceful-like of
course, but just as effective.
Sadly, many middle class Protestants who live in comfortable
suburbs of Belfast and provincial towns, or in the North Down
area, are blissfully unaware of the plight of their co-religionists
in areas closer to sectarian inter-faces.
It is time the Protestant churches also spoke up more forcefully
for their people who have endured such pressures in the past
30 years. The Roman Catholic Church has been energetic in
this respect and has succeeded in having all of its traditional
areas restored with new housing - it did not hesitate to apply
pressure on the authorities.
In the new climate of Northern Ireland it is the Protestant
population which is losing out in every way -socially, economically
and environmentally - and it is time Unionist M.P.'s of all
parties, church leaders and civic leaders got their act together
and demanded a new deal for the people they purport to represent.
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