A new regeneration hub situated in the Village area of south Belfast held a special open day for the local community last week.

The £1.4million Richview Regeneration Centre, located on the Donegall Road, is a mixed development of five business incubation units, social housing and a children’s daycare centre.

The centre came about as part of a partnership project between Belfast City Council, the Greater Village Regeneration Trust (GVRT), west Belfast’s St James’ Community Forum and the International Fund for Ireland.

“The community have been very supportive of this project and we’ve been wanting to see the land re-developed for a long time,” said GVRT director Paula Bradshaw.

“Now that it is completed, we decided to open it up to let people have a wander around and see what the facilities here are.

“There’s the children’s daycare centre on the ground floor for people to leave their children while

they go to work, and the first floor is for community use with a training suite, advice unit and board meeting room.

“There are five self-contained business incubation units which have their own buzzer system and electricity supply. Two of these are provisionally booked. There is also an eight-person lift and a shared kitchen servicing the building which we (GVRT) will service in terms of upkeep.”

Anyone who is interested in the remaining three business incubation units is asked to contact Paula Bradshaw on 9033 3527.