Townsend Enterprise Park has been a cornerstone in the ongoing regeneration of this part of Belfast, straddling a section of the ‘peace infrastructure’. Since inception in 1986, we’ve supported over a thousand businesses and not-for-profit organisations to start or expand, underpinning tens of thousands of jobs. This has fostered stability and cohesion within the local community. Irrespective of social, cultural, or political background, tenants here unite in support of one another to improve their businesses and contribute positively to our society.
Infrastructure Enhancements
As advocates for local development, we’ve championed and directly contributed to infrastructure enhancements, including better roadside parking, drainage, road resurfacing and accessibility improvements. Our efforts have eased access restrictions through the ‘peace gates’ and led to improved landscaping and maintenance of the area.
Community Development Initiatives
Despite being considered an underprivileged area, our local community is brimming with untapped potential. To support the rebuilding of civic pride and promote the concept that there is more that unites the local communities than divides them we’ve organised festivals, led forums to improve community relations, lobbied statutory bodies for local advancements, and attracted millions of pounds of local investment. Our recent pivotal role in relocating major third sector entities, like the Ulster Orchestra, underscores our commitment to this.
In many ways, the Enterprise Park’s harnessing of the uniting influence on local communities of shared commercial and industrial enterprise echoes that of its historical forebears on the site. The foundry’s founders left a similarly profound mark on Belfast’s social and cultural history through their contributions to economic advancement, cultural and social advancement for all – without distinction as to their background.
We also dedicate about a third of our space to not-for-profit organisations which have complementary social and charitable objectives to our own. We are proud to support several of these through board representation and collaboration in a variety of ways, and are firmly of the view that the third sector is uniquely placed to support regeneration and community development.
Our Heritage and Founding
Our credibility in all of this comes from our DNA. We were founded by Townsend Street Presbyterian Church and St Peter’s Roman Catholic Cathedral to create jobs for the local community and support peace and reconciliation initiatives. The heritage of our site is of huge significance to the fascinating industrial, social and cultural history of Belfast, important aspects of which you can trace from the early 19th century right through to our ethos today. Discover more about the heritage of the location here.
Who We Work With
