Eight Irish language street sign applications in West and North Belfast given the green light

IRISH street signs have been provisionally approved for eight streets across West and North Belfast.

At Tuesday night’s People and Communities Committee meeting at Belfast City Council, councillors were asked to agree to the erection of a second street nameplate in Irish for Tullymore Walk, Helens Wood, Brians Well Close, Hamill Grove, Divis Road and Owenvarragh Park in West Belfast and Innisfayle Park and Holmdene Gardens in North Belfast.

The Council’s policy on the erection of a second street nameplate requires that at least 15 per cent of the occupiers surveyed must be in favour of the proposal to erect a second street sign in a language other than English, to progress to Committee for consideration.

In Tullymore Walk, 20 occupiers (33.90 per cent) were in favour of the erection of a second street name plate whilst in Helens Wood, off the Stewartstown Road, 49 occupiers (49 per cent) were in favour.

In Brians Well Close in Poleglass, 11 occupiers (20.75 per cent) were in favour of a second street name with one occupier not in favour.

In Hamill Grove, off the Glen Road, nine occupiers (40.91 per cent) supported dual-language street signage whilst in Divis Road, two occupiers (66.67 per cent) were also in favour.

In Owenvarragh Park, 71 occupiers (41.76 per cent) were in favour of the erection of a second street name plate with five occupiers not in favour. Three occupiers had no preference either way.

In North Belfast in Innisfayle Park, off the Antrim Road, 37 occupiers (39.36 per cent) were in favour of the erection of a second street name plate. 14 occupiers (14.89 per cent) were not in favour and three occupiers had no preference either way. In Holmdene Gardens 24 occupiers (23.08 per cent) were in favour with one occupier had no preference.

All applications were approved by Committee members and will go to full Council next month for final ratification.