Enterprise Framework for Belfast

Steer Economic Development have been commissioned by Belfast City Council to develop an Enterprise Framework for the City. The Framework will be used to inform a City-wide approach to addressing the key challenges associated with starting and growing a business in Belfast.

Belfast acts as the main urban driver of Northern Ireland’s productivity. However, the City faces important economic challenges - low business start-up rates, limited business survival rates, high public-sector employment reliance, and pronounced levels of economic inactivity. Increasing the level of enterprise is a major way of diversifying the economy, and providing improved routes to opportunity for those who are disadvantaged.

Against this background, the Framework is being designed to be as inclusive as possible, focused on ‘what works’ and playing to the strengths and competencies of the wide range of enterprise support partners active in the City Region’s economy.

The Framework will build on the current ambitions of the City, which are set out in existing policy and taken forwards by the Enterprise and Business Growth Working Group.

In delivering this work, Steer Economic Development will be assessing existing enterprise stimulation activity, applying learning from the wide body of evaluation research on enterprise stimulation and start-up. We will be holding key stakeholder consultation workshops to inform and effectively direct the Framework’s development.