Laganbank (District Electoral Area)

Laganbank District Electoral Area
Map showing Laganbank wards within Belfast
Area	8.37 km2 (3.23 sq mi)
Population	32,316 (2008 Estimate)
- Density	3,861 /km2 (10,000 /sq mi)
District	Belfast City Council
County	County Antrim County Down
Country	Northern Ireland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
EU Parliament	Northern Ireland
UK Parliament	Belfast South
NI Assembly	Belfast South
List of places: UK • Northern Ireland •

Laganbank is one of the nine district electoral areas in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Located in the south of the city, the district elects five members to Belfast City Council and contains the wards of Ballynafeigh; Botanic; Shaftesbury; Stranmillis and Rosetta. Laganbank, along with neighbouring Balmoral, forms the greater part of the Belfast South constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament.

The district is bound to the west by the Malone Road and the M1 Motorway, to the south by the River Lagan and the southern section of the Annadale Embankment, to the east by the Ormeau Park and the Ormeau Road and to the north by College Square North and the Cathedral Quarter. The River Lagan, which gives the district its name, flows through the centre of the district dividing it in two, with Botanic, Shaftesbury and Stranmillis on the western bank and Ballynafeigh and Rosetta on the eastern bank. Laganbank also contains most of the city centre, including Donegall Square. The south of the district contains some of the most exclusive addresses in Northern Ireland, particularly along the Malone Road, however the north of the district has areas that suffer economic deprivation, including Donegall Road, Sandy Row and 'the Markets'.

Contents 1 History 2 Education 3 Culture 4 Other amenities 5 Wards 6 Councillors 7 2011 Elections 8 See also 9 References

History

Laganbank was created for the 1985 local elections. The Shaftesbury ward had previously been in Area F, Stranmillis and Botanic wards in Area C and Rosetta and Ballynafeigh wards in Area A.

Education

Laganbank is the location for several of the city's most important education establishments, including Queen's University Belfast (which gives its name to the Queen's Quarter), Stranmillis University College and Union Theological College, as well as the College Square campus of Belfast Metropolitan College. The location of these institutions in close proximity has seen the area's popularity among student increase, particularly in the Holyland area.

The area is also home to some of the most prominent schools including Methodist College Belfast ('Methody') and the Royal Belfast Academical Institution.

Culture

The portion of Laganbank to the west of the River Lagan based around Queen's University, forms the Queen's Quarter, and contains many of the key cultural facilities within the city. The Quarter is home to the Belfast Festival at Queen's, the largest annual arts festival in Ireland, as well as amenities such as the Botanic Gardens, the Brian Friel Theatre, the Crescent Arts Centre, the Elmwood Hall, the Lyric Theatre, the Naughton Gallery at Queen's, the Queen's Film Theatre and the Ulster Museum.

As well as the Queen's Quarter, there are a number of important cultural attractions within the Laganbank section of the city centre, including the Grand Opera House, the Linen Hall Library, the Ormeau Baths Gallery, the Ulster Hall, the Ulster Orchestra and the Waterfront Hall. This area is also sometimes referred to as the Golden Mile because of the large number of bars, clubs and restaurants located there.

Other amenities

Other noteworthy amenities in the Laganbank district electoral area include:

Wards

Map	Ward	Population (2008 Estimate)	Population (2001 Census)	Catholic	Protestant	Other	Area	Density	NI Assembly	UK Parliament	Ref
1	Ballynafeigh	5,060	5,251	59.0%	33.2%	7.8%	0.67 km2	7,837/km2	Belfast South	Belfast South	[1]
2	Botanic	8,334	9,572	66.9%	23.0%	10.1 %	1.3 km2	7,363/km2	Belfast South	Belfast South	[2]
3	Rosetta	5,379	5,115	57.9%	37.1%	5.0%	1.6 km2	3,197/km2	Belfast South	Belfast South	[3]
4	Shaftesbury	6,293	5,785	36.9%	58.5%	4.6%	2.23 km2	2,594/km2	Belfast South	Belfast South	[4]
5	Stranmillis	7,250	7,635	48.3%	43.9%	7.8%	2.47 km2	3,091/km2	Belfast South	Belfast South	[5]
Laganbank		32,316	33,358	54.8%	37.7%	7.5%	8.37 km2	3,985/km2

Councillors

Election	Councillor (Party)		Councillor (Party)		Councillor (Party)		Councillor (Party)		Councillor (Party)
2011		Kate Mullan (SDLP)		Deirdre Hargey (Sinn Féin)		Pat McCarthy (SDLP)		Christopher Stalford (DUP)		Catherine Curran (Alliance)
2005		Peter O'Reilly (SDLP)		Alex Maskey (Sinn Féin)						Michael McGimpsey (UUP)
2001								Jim Clarke (UUP)
1997		Steve McBride (Alliance)		Sean Hayes (Sinn Féin)		Alasdair McDonnell (SDLP)
1993				Peter O'Reilly (SDLP)
1989				Rhonda Paisley (DUP)						J. J. Dixon Gilmore (UUP)
1985		W F McDowell (Alliance)						Billy Blair (UUP)

• In May 2011, Christopher Stalford (Democratic Unionist Party) was appointed as an Alderman of Belfast City Council.

2011 Elections

See also: Results of elections in 2011; 2005; 2001; 1997; 1993; 1989 and 1985.

Belfast City Council elections, 2011[6]
Party		Candidate	1st Pref
	Alliance	Catherine Curran	1,518
	Sinn Féin	Deirdre Hargey	1,383
	SDLP	Patrick McCarthy	1,361
	Democratic Unionist	Christopher Stalford	1,126
	Ulster Unionist	Michelle Bostock	921
	SDLP	Kate Mullan	833
	Green (NI)	Claire Bailey	500
	People Before Profit	Mark Hewitt	144
	Socialist Party	Paddy Meehan	136
	Workers' Party	Patrick Lynn	88
Turnout			8,010
	Alliance gain from Ulster Unionist

See also

• Belfast City Council
• Electoral wards of Belfast
• Laganside Corporation
• Local government in Northern Ireland
• Members of Belfast City Council

References

1. ^ "Ward Information for Ballynafeigh ward 95GG05". NISRA. http://www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk/mapxtreme/pf_report.asp?sLevel=WARD&sID=95GG05&sName=Ballynafeigh. Retrieved 13 June 2011. 
2. ^ "Ward Information for Botanic ward 95GG12". NISRA. http://www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk/mapxtreme/pf_report.asp?sLevel=WARD&sID=95GG12&sName=Botanic. Retrieved 13 June 2011. 
3. ^ "Ward Information for Rosetta ward 95GG38". NISRA. http://www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk/mapxtreme/pf_report.asp?sLevel=WARD&sID=95GG38&sName=Rosetta. Retrieved 13 June 2011. 
4. ^ "Ward Information for Shaftesbury ward 95GG39". NISRA. http://www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk/mapxtreme/pf_report.asp?sLevel=WARD&sID=95GG39&sName=Shaftesbury. Retrieved 13 June 2011. 
5. ^ "Ward Information for Stranmillis ward 95GG42". NISRA. http://www.ninis.nisra.gov.uk/mapxtreme/pf_report.asp?sLevel=WARD&sID=95GG42&sName=Stranmillis. Retrieved 13 June 2011. 
6. ^ Elections 2011: Balmoral, Belfast City Council

	Lower Falls	Castle	Victoria
	Balmoral		Pottinger
		Laganbank
	Balmoral	Castlereagh Borough Council	Castlereagh Borough Council

Belfast City Council General Belfast • Belfast City Hall • Coat of Arms and Motto People Councillors • Aldermen • Lord Mayor • Deputy Lord Mayor • High Sheriff • Lord Lieutenant District Electoral Areas Balmoral • Castle • Court • Laganbank • Lower Falls • Oldpark • Pottinger • Upper Falls • Victoria Amenities Belfast Castle • Belfast Zoo • St George's Market • Ulster Hall • Waterfront Hall Parks and gardens Botanic Gardens • Cave Hill Country Park • Ormeau Park • Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park Cemeteries Balmoral Cemetery • Belfast City Cemetery • Clifton Street Cemetery • Roselawn Cemetery Elections 2011 • 2005 • 2001 • 1997 • 1993 • 1989 • 1985 • 1981 • 1977 • 1973 See also: Local government in Northern Ireland • Category