Belfast

VU.CITY Belfast's functionality and rich data layers help reduce design and planning uncertainty, highlight potential impact and speed up crucial decisions.

With VU.CITY accurate, interactive and immersive 3D digital model of Belfast all stakeholders can collaborate on solutions for smarter decisions and project success.

Start a Free Trial

#N/Asq km

MODELLED TO 15CM ACCURACY

262,835

TREES, ACCURATE TO HEIGHT & CANOPY

55,594

Buildings

sq km

MODELLED TO 15CM ACCURACY

TREES, ACCURATE TO HEIGHT & CANOPY

Buildings

VU.CITY Belfast For You

Key Features

Coverage

With cranes dotted across the city and buildings going up at breakneck speed, Belfast is a city with an ever-changing landscape.

Belfast has become an incredibly attractive city to invest in and is ranked as one of the top cities to live, work and play in and VU.CITY is proud to be heavily involved in Belfast's innovative activities.

Frameworks such as Belfast City Council’s ‘Smart Belfast’: the catalyst for sweeping change as developers look to redevelop key areas such as Weavers Cross, Titanic Quarter, Belfast Harbour, Giants Park, Gasworks, Tribeca, with social housing high on the housing executive agenda.

VU.CITY Belfast is playing a crucial role in the regeneration of Northern Ireland’s capital, with rich data to help inform the best design and planning decisions – including Listed Building Information, Conservation Areas, and the Local Development Plan.

'Air Quality Management Areas' have been mapped as part of Belfast City Council’s ambition to become carbon net zero, which we have included in the platform along with other local environmental and socio-economic data.

Belfast City Council is a huge advocate of VU.CITY, as a key tool in shaping the city by supporting planning officers in understanding change with pre-app conversations and the planning approval process.

VU.CITY Belfast licence holders, such as RPP Architects, ARUP, John McAslan + Partners, Juno Planning, Todd Architects, Like Architects and MRL Architects have found the platform and its features beneficial to look at feasibility, review designs in urban context, to aid with masterplanning as well as having transparent discussions with stakeholders and planning bodies.

Belfast has determined that the key to the post-pandemic success will be innovation. The new partnership, Innovation City Belfast, brings together Belfast City Council, Belfast Harbour, Catalyst, Queen’s University and Ulster University, with Invest Northern Ireland as an advisory partner. They are committed to delivering an ambitious long-term plan that will establish Belfast as a globally significant destination for innovation and VU.CITY will be integral to this framework to visualize Belfast incredible change.

Get your Free 7-day Trial

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

VU.CITY Belfast: Highlights

Create, edit and assess massing

Easily test massing to understand design feasibility.

See more functionality

Consented Schemes Timeline

Realise a site’s potential by viewing and assessing recently consented developments across Belfast.

Test Massing

Assess multiple initial massing options at an early stage and GEA potential quickly.

Easily import your designs from external 3D software (such as Revit, Rhino, SketchUp & 3ds Max) into the model of Belfast and test how they will work in situ.

Import Designs

Easily import your designs from external 3D software (such as Revit, Rhino, SketchUp & 3ds Max) into the Belfast model and test how they will work in situ.

Sunlight Analysis

Quickly view and assess the initial impact of light from your proposed developments.

Conduct high-level townscape and visual impact assessments with an accurate 3D model of Belfast.

Camera Studies and Presenter Tool

Conduct high-level townscape and visual impact assessments. Agree on key views to analyse further. Select key views and confidentially present your proposals to take stakeholder on the journey of design.

Zone of Theoretical Visibility

Save time by eliminating unnecessary views for analysis. Understand where your scheme can be seen from and which views are critical to assess.

Work more collaboratively on designs with VU.CITY's 3D model of Belfast

Annotate with Tags

Mark up comments and actions and easily collaborate on a site or scheme with project team members.

Data Layers

Air Quality Management Areas

Data Layers

Conservation Areas

Data Layers

Deprivation Areas

Data Layers

DDP Area of Parking Restraint

Data Layers

DDP Area of Townscape Character

Data Layers

DDP Areas of High Scenic Value

Data Layers

DDP Arterial Route

Data Layers

DDP Belfast Hills Access Point

Data Layers

DDP City Centre

Data Layers

DDP Coastal Area

Data Layers

DDP Commercial Node

Data Layers

DDP Community Greenway

Data Layers

DDP Development Limit

Data Layers

DDP District Centre

Data Layers

DDP Existing Employment

Data Layers

DDP HMO Development Node

Data Layers

DDP HMO Policy Area

Data Layers

DDP Harbour Area

Data Layers

DDP Hills Operational Area

Data Layers

DDP Local Landscape Policy Areas

Data Layers

DDP Landscape Wedge

Data Layers

DDP Office Area

Data Layers

DDP Primary Retail Core

Data Layers

DDP Primary Retail Frontage

Data Layers

DDP Shopping Commercial Area

Data Layers

DDP Sites of Local Nature Conservation Importance (SLNCI)

Data Layers

Listed Buildings

Data Layers

Timeline

Data Layers

Trees

Data Layers

Draft Development Plan Area

Data Layers

Council Assets

Data Layers

Cycle Lanes

Data Layers

Flood Risk

Data Layers

GLPR and Property Assets

Data Layers

Smart District Sites

Belfast Coverage

Can't see your area? Get in touch.
VU.CITY is constantly expanding in coverage.

Request Your Area

Create smart cities the smart way

VU.CITY helps organise, visualise, and analyse city data in the clearest and most accessible way to make better decisions.

VU.CITY covers the whole of London and 25 major UK and international cities.

Quickly identify and appraise sites. VU.CITY's visualization, design functionality and planning data, allow you to optimise your designs.

Transform design and planning

Now everyone involved can have a clear, universal understanding of what’s proposed and why, in a single, secure place. VU.CITY makes decision-making democratic and fair.

Build trust and collaboration

Remove barriers and minimise risks early. Have confidence in your designs and plans. Increase buy-in for project success.

Improve
outcomes

Test out ideas in situ, from one building to a masterplan. Create your vision and submissions with confidence.

Collate site information in one place

Communicate complex spatial arrangements

Make documentation stand up and stand out

Speed up planning conversations

Strengthen relationships

Create winning submissions

In your words

“We’re bringing in architects and our clients and different consultants in one room and we’re viewing the drawing, the architecture and the massing through VU.CITY.”

Charlotte Orrell

Senior Planner at Iceni Projects

"VU.CITY provided a valuable resource on our work for Southwark Charities for an emerging scheme along Blackfriars Road in central London where, working with Fathom Architects, we were able to test different versions in context, have live discussions, and conclude the best approach."

Rosa Gonzalez

Consultant, Landscape, Townscape & VIA - Turley

“We have found VU.CITY to be invaluable in our assessment of one of our major city centre regeneration schemes. We were able to 'walk the development' and assess the impact of the proposals in a way which would not have been possible with 2D drawings, illustrative material and more orthodox 3D modelling. VU.CITY has also allowed us to assess the scheme much more quickly and feedback to the applicant earlier.”

Ed Baker

Development Manager - Belfast City Council

"VU.CITY allows us to convey ideas when physical engagement is not possible, assisting the decision-making process in a way in which all stakeholders can relate to the proposal and its impact in the surroundings."

Rosa Gonzalez

Consultant, Landscape, Townscape & VIA - Turley

Get your Free 7-Day Trial

VU.CITY is all yours to try out. Let your imagination run free in designing, planning and seeing an entire city develop right before your eyes.

No download. No ties. No credit card required.

See for yourself why leading architects, developers and planners across the UK and Ireland trust VU.CITY to help them understand projects in context and bring everyone, everywhere together.

If you are a student please fill in our free student licence form.