Belfast Opens Consultation on Disability Action Plan for 2026-2029

Belfast City Council has opened a 14-week public consultation on its draft Disability Action Plan for 2026-2029.

Residents can respond online or attend one of five public engagement sessions across Belfast during November and December.

The consultation closes on 12 January 2027.

Belfast Disability Action Plan 2026-2029 consultation now open

Belfast City Council is asking residents to help shape its Belfast Disability Action Plan 2026-2029, as part of wider efforts to make the city more accessible and inclusive.

The public consultation will run for 14 weeks and closes on 12 January 2027.

Alongside an online survey, the council will hold five face-to-face engagement sessions, described as “conversations”, at community venues across Belfast.

Residents will be able to discuss the draft proposals and share their views on accessibility and inclusion across council services, facilities and projects.

People can find out more about the council’s work on disability through its Disability Strategy and Action Plans pages.

Public consultation events across Belfast

The council has confirmed the following consultation sessions:

• Friday 6 November, 11am-1pm — Crescent Arts Centre
• Monday 16 November, 5pm-7pm — Cregagh Community Centre
• Wednesday 18 November, 2pm-4pm — Woodvale Community Centre
• Tuesday 24 November, 10am-12pm — Glen Road Community Centre
• Tuesday 8 December, 11am-1pm — Donegall Pass Community Centre

People who cannot attend an in-person session can also respond online through the council’s Your Say Belfast consultation platform.

You can also find more events taking place across Northern Ireland on the Northern Ireland Online Events page.

What is the Disability Action Plan?

The Disability Action Plan is an important statutory document setting out how Belfast City Council intends to meet its legal responsibilities towards disabled people.

Under Section 49A of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, designated public authorities must have due regard to the need to:

• promote positive attitudes towards disabled people
• encourage participation by disabled people in public life

Public authorities are also required to prepare disability action plans outlining how they intend to fulfil those duties.

More information about these statutory requirements is available from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

Following consultation, the final Belfast Disability Action Plan for 2026-2029 will be submitted to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

Four key outcomes in the Belfast Disability Action Plan 2026-2029

The draft plan is built around four main outcomes which the council wants to deliver over the next three years.

These are:

• Delivering for our Communities
• Knowing our Communities
• Leadership
• Skilled and Diverse Workforce

A range of specific actions is proposed under those areas.

Improving accessibility at council venues and major projects

One priority is improving accessibility for disabled people and sign language users when council venues and major projects are being designed, planned and delivered.

This includes major schemes such as the Belfast Region City Deal’s Belfast Stories project and projects being delivered through Belfast’s PEACEPLUS programme.

Reconnected Belfast

The PEACEPLUS-funded Reconnected Belfast project aims to reconnect Waterworks Park and Alexandra Park and improve links with surrounding communities.

The council says the project received €13.5 million in PEACEPLUS funding.

Plans outlined as part of the Disability Action Plan include a Changing Places facility for each park, alongside inclusive and accessible play provision and signage.

More information about Reconnected Belfast can be found on the council’s PEACEPLUS page.

Improvements planned for Belfast play parks

The council also proposes continuing annual accessibility improvements across its estate.

This includes work through the Playground Improvement Programme.

Selected play parks would be upgraded to improve:

• accessibility
• play value
• facilities
• overall site quality

More accessible council events

Accessibility measures would continue to form part of council events and community programmes.

One example outlined in the draft plan is the annual Quiet Christmas switch-on event at 2 Royal Avenue.

The event coincides with Belfast’s main Christmas lights switch-on and provides an alternative for people who may find the larger city centre event difficult to attend.

Residents can discover other events happening throughout the region on Northern Ireland Online’s Events page.

Employment and skills support for people with disabilities

The council also plans to continue developing tailored skills and employability initiatives for people with disabilities.

This could include working with Belfast employers to develop bespoke employment academies.

Enterprise champions would also be appointed as part of efforts to improve access to employment and enterprise opportunities.

Accessible tourism in Belfast

Accessibility and inclusion would continue to form part of Belfast’s tourism strategy.

The council intends to deliver commitments under its Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Programme while embedding accessibility into wider tourism projects, attractions and events.

Belfast City Council already operates an Inclusive Tourism Programme aimed at helping tourism businesses improve accessibility and communication with disabled visitors.

Recycling centres and council facilities to be reviewed

Pedestrian and inclusive access at Belfast recycling centres will also be reviewed under the proposed plan.

The council intends to assess accessibility at its Duncrue facilities for staff, including its resources, fleet and accommodation.

Improving online accessibility

The draft Disability Action Plan also includes commitments to continue promoting accessibility and disability tools across:

• council websites
• social media
• internal staff platforms

The council also intends to evaluate its use of the AccessAble website and app.

Belfast City Council currently works with AccessAble to provide detailed accessibility information for venues and facilities across the city.

More information is available through the council’s Supporting People with Disabilities page.

Disabled and D/deaf communities to have greater input

Another proposed action would strengthen how disability and accessibility data is used when council policies and decisions are assessed.

The council also wants to review how disabled people and members of the D/deaf community can participate in planning and decision-making.

This could give people with lived experience a greater role in shaping future council services and projects.

Accessible versions of the plan available

Residents can view information about the Disability Action Plan through Belfast City Council’s Disability Strategy and Action Plans section.

The council has also made accessible versions of its Disability Action Plan available, including Easy Read and sign language formats.

For the new draft plan, the council says versions are available in:

• Easy Read
• British Sign Language
• Irish Sign Language

Residents can access the public consultation through the Your Say Belfast platform.

Have your say before 12 January 2027

Anyone with views on disability access and inclusion in Belfast is being encouraged to take part in the consultation.

Residents can attend one of the five public sessions during November and December or submit their views online.

The consultation closes on 12 January 2027.

Visit Your Say Belfast to take part.

You can also visit the Belfast City Council Disability Strategy and Action Plans page for further information.

The feedback received will help shape Belfast’s final Disability Action Plan for 2026-2029 before it is submitted to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.