The Belfast City Region will use real estate investment event UKREiiF 2026 to set out a clear proposition to UK investors and development partners: a £5 billion pipeline of opportunities is in place, and the priority now is to accelerate delivery.
Attending the Leeds-based forum with a cross-sector delegation, the city region will position itself as a market entering a new phase, moving towards large-scale execution across housing, regeneration and mixed-use development.
Spanning city centre living, transport-led regeneration, waterfront sites and tourism infrastructure, the pipeline reflects both the scale of ambition and the increasing readiness of projects to move forward with the right investment and partnerships.
A key theme underpinning the programme is the re-emergence of momentum in residential development.
It comes as Belfast Harbour has launched a 25-year masterplan detailing £1.3bn of planned investment and identifies housing and other real estate regeneration opportunities requiring additional investment of between £500m and £750m.
After a period of market constraint across the UK, Belfast is seeing renewed confidence in city centre living, driven by strong demand and a growing gap between supply and need. Recent analysis points to Belfast experiencing the fastest rental growth of any UK city, underlining both the urgency and the opportunity for new homes.
Gordon Lyons MLA, Minister for Communities, said:
“I am focused on increasing the supply of new homes and unlocking the significant potential of Northern Ireland and Belfast as prime locations for investors and developers seeking strong growth opportunities in housing and regeneration.
“I welcome the vital role the Belfast City Region is playing in supporting these efforts by bringing forward and promoting a strong pipeline of housing led opportunities.
“With sustained investment and effective partnership working, there is both the ambition and capability here to deliver homes at scale, in places where people and families need them most. Places where they can live, connect, and thrive.
“UKREiiF presents a welcome opportunity to engage with investors and development partners who can help accelerate that delivery. By aligning public sector ambition with private sector expertise and capital, we can unlock high quality mixed tenure developments that meet housing need, strengthen sustainable communities, and drive long term economic growth.”
Marie Doyle, Senior Office Partner at Deloitte in Northern Ireland and Chair of the Belfast City & Region Place Partnership, said:
“UKREiiF provides an important platform to demonstrate how far the Belfast City Region has progressed and where we are going next.
“We are no longer talking about potential alone. Belfast has a defined pipeline of opportunities across housing, regeneration and infrastructure, as well as a clear focus on how these are delivered.
“Additionally, the city’s approach is partnership-led. By working with investors and developers who share the Belfast City & Region Place Partnership’s long-term vision, we can accelerate delivery, increase housing supply and strengthen the economic competitiveness of the city region.”
Councillor Ian McLaughlin, Chair of City Growth & Regeneration, Belfast City Council, said:
“Belfast is entering a decisive phase. The market conditions are aligning, demand is strong, the development pipeline is established and there’s a clear need to accelerate delivery, particularly in city centre residential.”
Councillor Ronan McLaughlin, Belfast Region City Deal Panel Chair, added:
“What matters now is execution. With the right investment and collaboration, we can address existing housing demand whilst bringing forward new neighbourhoods at scale, supporting sustainable growth right across the city region.
“Our focus at UKREiiF is to engage partners who are ready to be part of this next stage.”
Across all sectors, the emphasis is on deliverable projects with strong public sector backing and a willingness to structure partnerships that can unlock pace and scale.
The Belfast City Region delegation at UKREiiF will focus on building relationships with UK-based capital, development partners and policymakers, with the aim of converting investor interest into active projects over the coming years.
ENDS