Urbicide through developer-led neglect: Contested narratives of the Half-Bap redevelopment

This paper explores the phenomenon of urbicide through developer-led neglect, examining the socio-political and economic factors that support aggressive redevelopment practices. We conceptualise urbicide by developer-led neglect as a strand of neoliberal urbicide that fails to deliver any redevelopment, drawing from the case study of the Half Bap in Belfast. We examine how the structures of power and influence have been represented by media, developers, and advertising, contrasting these narratives with the actual degradation of the area’s physical and social fabric. Using discourse analysis of media and planning meetings as well as interviews with locals, we highlight the asymmetry between developer discourse, media-promoted visions of urban renewal and the lived experience of locals. This paper aims to contribute to urban studies, by understanding the impact of developer-led neglect on the physical and social fabric of a city.