Save Botanic Meadow, Belfast
Save Botanic Meadow, Belfast
The Issue
Botanic Meadow (Lower Botanic Gardens) is a sanctuary open to all 1.5 miles from Belfast's bustling city centre. To learn more about the meadow, past & present, please visit: https://botanicmeadow.com
Since the Covid pandemic, it has been transformed from a forgotten part of the Botanic Gardens into a natural wildflower meadow - a cherished place of beauty, respite and relaxation. Each day hundreds of us enjoy it as an unspoilt green space to walk, cycle, meet friends and exercise.
Belfast City Council has approved plans to develop Botanic Meadow into a permanent sports pitch. The decision was taken without public consultation and conducted under a sub-committee’s 'restricted business', i.e. avoiding transparency or accountability. This petition is to call on the Council to reverse this decision as a matter of urgency.
The development would destroy the natural habitat of countless species of grasses, wildflowers, insects, birds and wild animals, including protected species. The associated light pollution would threaten nocturnal wildlife, including bats. The meadow floods regularly, which is why passive flood‑alleviation measures (ponds, swales, native planting) were installed; losing these would increase flooding, including further down the River Lagan.
The riches of Botanic Meadow are not just for the local community. Since 2022, it has been part of an international project ('Upsurge') on nature-based urban solutions to managing rapid climate change. This has funded community and research gardens on the site in order to inform sustainable urban planning for the benefit not just of Belfast but cities around the world.
We urge Belfast City Council to reject these plans and explore alternative options, such as upgrading existing sports pitches to be multi-use or constructing facilities in places other than green spaces.
By signing this petition, you are standing up for the preservation of nature-rich space that is accessible for everyone in the community to enjoy and for the preservation of a biodiverse habitat that is all too rare in Belfast. Help us ensure that Botanic Meadow remains a haven for all and for future generations.
Further Info:
A rare open green space in Belfast
A win-win compromise is wishful thinking
Very basic analysis shows that it is not possible to have even a ¾ pitch that does not remove woodland and community gardens, nor to have a year-round useable sports pitch that does not destroy the species-rich area. A grass pitch would be unusable for 3–4 months each year due to water-saturation and flooding.
Local media coverage:
Irish News (latest)
*Please note any donations given on this page go to change.org and are not received by this campaign.
2,837
The Issue
Botanic Meadow (Lower Botanic Gardens) is a sanctuary open to all 1.5 miles from Belfast's bustling city centre. To learn more about the meadow, past & present, please visit: https://botanicmeadow.com
Since the Covid pandemic, it has been transformed from a forgotten part of the Botanic Gardens into a natural wildflower meadow - a cherished place of beauty, respite and relaxation. Each day hundreds of us enjoy it as an unspoilt green space to walk, cycle, meet friends and exercise.
Belfast City Council has approved plans to develop Botanic Meadow into a permanent sports pitch. The decision was taken without public consultation and conducted under a sub-committee’s 'restricted business', i.e. avoiding transparency or accountability. This petition is to call on the Council to reverse this decision as a matter of urgency.
The development would destroy the natural habitat of countless species of grasses, wildflowers, insects, birds and wild animals, including protected species. The associated light pollution would threaten nocturnal wildlife, including bats. The meadow floods regularly, which is why passive flood‑alleviation measures (ponds, swales, native planting) were installed; losing these would increase flooding, including further down the River Lagan.
The riches of Botanic Meadow are not just for the local community. Since 2022, it has been part of an international project ('Upsurge') on nature-based urban solutions to managing rapid climate change. This has funded community and research gardens on the site in order to inform sustainable urban planning for the benefit not just of Belfast but cities around the world.
We urge Belfast City Council to reject these plans and explore alternative options, such as upgrading existing sports pitches to be multi-use or constructing facilities in places other than green spaces.
By signing this petition, you are standing up for the preservation of nature-rich space that is accessible for everyone in the community to enjoy and for the preservation of a biodiverse habitat that is all too rare in Belfast. Help us ensure that Botanic Meadow remains a haven for all and for future generations.
Further Info:
A rare open green space in Belfast
A win-win compromise is wishful thinking
Very basic analysis shows that it is not possible to have even a ¾ pitch that does not remove woodland and community gardens, nor to have a year-round useable sports pitch that does not destroy the species-rich area. A grass pitch would be unusable for 3–4 months each year due to water-saturation and flooding.
Local media coverage:
Irish News (latest)
*Please note any donations given on this page go to change.org and are not received by this campaign.
2,837
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
Petition created on 28 February 2026