Carlisle Memorial: National Lottery Heritage Fund supports Belfast Buildings Trust’s Landmark Regeneration Project in north Belfast

Belfast Buildings Trust (BBT)’s Carlisle Memorial Phase Two: Enabling Regeneration aims to continue the long-term stewardship of the landmark Carlisle Memorial complex and its community-focused approach to heritage-led regeneration.

Development funding of £223,076 has been awarded by the Heritage Fund to help BBT progress its plans to apply for a delivery grant of £1,143,890 at a later date, which will help delivery of the proposed £2.9m project.

Completed in 1876 – with its 150th anniversary in 2026 – the former Carlisle Memorial church, located at Carlisle Circus in north Belfast, was once known as Belfast’s ‘Methodist Cathedral’.

The adjoining Link Building, completed in 1889, once housed the church parlour and minister’s offices.

The Carlisle Memorial complex today consists of three separate buildings, once all connected, but separated after the church closed in 1980.

The former church building fell into serious disrepair and was at risk of being lost prior to BBT taking on a 999-year lease in 2011. Since then, BBT has secured investment of more than £1.6m to stabilise and reopen the building as a space for community use, focused on arts, culture, and heritage activity.

BBT is in the process of acquiring the Link Building, which has been derelict for a decade and is deteriorating rapidly. As part of their long-term regeneration plans BBT aims to reconnect and reuse both buildings.

The Carlisle Memorial Phase Two: Enabling Regeneration project will focus on three connected strands.

This includes restoring the historic Carlisle Memorial Link Building, securing the long-term sustainability of the site and creating space for learning, collaboration and income-generating activity.

Also planned is an upgrade of the infrastructure within Carlisle Memorial to enable year-round, accessible use by a wider and more diverse range of people.

The project will also deliver Creative Belfast, a multi-year programme linking heritage with creativity, with six paid technical internships and new pathways into cultural and technical careers part of the Development Phase.

Creative Belfast is a partnership involving leading cultural, heritage, and skills organisations, with activities co-designed to ensure relevance and accessibility.

Recruitment for the first cohort of paid interns begins this month.

The Heritage Fund development funding will support detailed design work, activity development, and early testing for programming that combines historic building reuse with creative engagement and skills development. It will also support BBT with its longer-term vision of using heritage as a platform for regeneration that is inclusive, sustainable, and rooted in what makes Belfast distinctive.

Dr Paul Mullan, Northern Ireland Director at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We’re delighted to confirm development funding to Belfast Buildings Trust for their Carlisle Memorial Phase Two project.

"It will help develop plans to bring the historic buildings back into sustainable use, access professional advice on design, fundraising, business planning and event programming to create opportunities for creative and community use.

"We’re also looking forward to seeing skills activities get underway which will provide valuable work placements for young people interested in culture and heritage.”

Development Director at Belfast Buildings Trust, Shane Quinn added: “As a community-led regeneration charity this support, made possible thanks to National Lottery players, allows BBT to build on more than a decade of work at Carlisle Memorial.

"This project is about people as much as buildings. It’s about using Belfast’s stories and the skills and creativity of its people to reuse its heritage in ways that open up new opportunities for participation, learning, and work.”