Preserving the transcultural identity of local shopping streets: North Street Castle Street Belfast

Local shopping streets are harbingers of a sense of place and memory for those who inhabit and use them. However, they have been largely neglected by planning decisions in city centre redevelopment, especially in the UK, but also throughout the world, with an approach focused on the franchised retail led occupation of these streets. The relentless demolition of city streets for this purpose threatens to erase the tangible and intangible heritage of local shopping streets. This paper aims to communicate how North Street and Castle Street in Belfast, two local shopping streets are at risk of losing their sense of place and ownership. These are valued by those who in- habit and use them, and will very likely be replaced anonymous franchised commercial spaces.