The Belfast/Lisburn LCA encompasses the Belfast and Lisburn urban areas, together with their broader landscape setting. It is defined by the steep ridges and escarpments which enclose the Lagan Valley at the head of Belfast Lough. Belfast is mostly contained within the valley, although urban development has spread along the narrow coastal strips to the north and south of the Lough and inland along the Lagan and Enler Valleys. The town of Lisburn is also sited on the River Lagan but is further upstream and enclosed by slightly lower slopes. There are long views over both urban areas from the surrounding upland landscapes. Belfast's principal industrial areas are concentrated along the banks of the Lagan and the docks are prominent at the head of Belfast Lough.
The older residential areas are characterised by red brick buildings, which add a warm colour to the urban landscape and contrast with the surrounding green hills. The dense terraces are sometimes overshadowed by vast red-brick industrial buildings, many of which are derelict. The steep escarpments and ridges on the margins of the city provide a series of landmarks. The Belfast Basalt Escarpment to the north has a rugged, untamed character; Carmoney Hill, an outlier to the north west of the basalt escarpment, dominates the landscape setting of Newtownabbey; the Craigantlet Escarpment on the fringes of the Holywood Hills encloses East Belfast and the slopes of the Castlereagh Escarpment provide a continuous backdrop to the urban districts of South Belfast and Castlereagh. Belfast's formal parks, such as Ormeau Park, the Botanic Gardens and Victoria Park and Lisburn's Wallace Park, provide welcome breathing space for the city centre but are relatively small in relation to the city as a whole. The Lagan Valley Regional Park is on a completely different scale. This and the other smaller river corridor parks, such as the Connswater, Lagmore and Collin Glen linear parks, have a more natural character and provide a valuable link between the urban areas and their wider landscape setting. The Laganside walkways now extend the footpath links along the Lagan right through to the city centre.
Landscape Condition and Sensitivity to ChangeThe quality of the environment within the urban districts is increasingly degraded by traffic congestion, pollution, waste management problems and a lack of accessible public open spaces. Belfast also has a relatively high proportion of derelict land and there is much scope for continued regeneration. Within the wider context, the landscape setting of the city is increasingly marred by the scattered development of buildings and infrastructure, the scars of industrial sites and quarries, and the neglect or under-management of farming. Public access to the surrounding hills and coastline is also relatively poor, particularly to the north and west of the city. The most sensitive parts of Belfast/Lisburn are the historic centres, the riverside and the urban edges which have expanded onto the higher ridges enclosing Belfast. Development on the lower slopes of the basalt escarpment is perhaps in the most sensitive location in the city. Belfast and Lisburn are overlooked by hills in all directions and the siting and design of all major developments should be carefully considered in relation to these wider views.
Principles for Landscape Management