East Belfast residents will be encouraged to put on their running shoes and jump on their bikes as local health becomes the focus of a new five-year study.

The £800,000 PARC project — Physical Activity and the Rejuvenation of Connswater — was announced by Queen’s University (QUB) earlier this week.

Based at QUB, researchers from the Centre of Excellence of Public Health NI will consult with the East Belfast Partnership and local community groups on ways for people to get active.

And the new study will coincide with the start of construction of the Connswater Community Greenway (CCG) project, due to begin in 2010, and will chart the health effects the new greenway has locally.

Having secured £32 million in grants from the Big Lottery Fund, the Department of Social Development and Belfast City Council, the CCG is set to revolutionise the Connswater area.

The project will connect 379 acres of public open space, building 43 bridges and 19 kilometres of cycle paths and walkways, creating an environmentally friendly area for around 40,000 people.

Wendy Langham, CCG project manager, said: “The CCG will provide opportunities for everyone, young and old, families, commuters and visitors to embrace a more active lifestyle.”

The main focus of the research will be face-to-face surveys conducted with nearly 2,000 people living in the greenway area.

One will take place in early 2010 and another will be conducted in 2013/14, coinciding with the end of the greenway construction.

Questions will include some on the participant's physical activity and attitudes to exercise, health, smoking and drinking habits.

Speaking about the project professor Frank Kee, the director of the Centre of Excellence for Public Health, said: “This is a groundbreaking study looking at the effects of the built environment on physical activity and the health of people in east Belfast.

“Research shows that increased physical activity can help reduce the risks of many diseases, including obesity, heart disease and cancer.

“The results of the project will help other groups across the UK to develop their own plans to promote more active lifestyles.”

The project announcement has been welcomed by Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie.

And Lord Mayor Councillor Naomi Long praised the opportunity the programme will offer to involve Belfast City Council.

She added: “There is no doubt that this will make a significant contribution to the design of future initiatives and services in our city.”