%0 Thesis
%9 Bachelor
%A Vedder, Kevin
%D 2020
%F theses_frw:3205
%P 50
%T Neighbourhood liveability in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
%U https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/3205/
%X Liveability is an often-used term in the development of cities and other areas. However, researches on the topic of liveability mostly stick to researches between cities, regions or countries, but not within cities or between population groups. In the light of the former Troubles in Northern Ireland and the related, still present, spatial division of Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, specifically Belfast, this research aims to find out whether there is a difference in (perceived) liveability between (formerly) Catholic and Protestant neighbourhoods. Therefore, this research intends to: (1) conceptualise how liveability at the neighbourhood level can best be measured; (2) identify how liveability is perceived in predominantly Catholic and predominantly Protestant neighbourhoods; (3) depict how perceived liveability is related to the spatial environment; and (4) identify how objective indicators influence liveability. Results are acquired by conducting surveys, retrieving secondary data and doing GIS-analyses, based on different indicators of liveability. Indicators are divided in eleven policy areas, for which the comparison between the Catholic neighbourhood, Andersonstown, and the Protestant neighbourhood, Woodvale, will be made. Results show that there is no substantially large difference between perceived and actual liveability within a neighbourhood. However, there are differences in actual and perceived liveability between both neighbourhoods. Overall, liveability is perceived better in Andersonstown, whereas in many cases the actual liveability is better in Woodvale. Concludingly, it can be said that in this case the Catholic neighbourhood (Andersonstown) has a better perceived liveability, while the Protestant neighbourhood (Woodvale) has a better actual liveability, so there is a difference between both neighbourhoods on both aspects. However, because this cannot be generalized to all Catholic and Protestant neighbourhoods, it is unsure whether this difference will also apply in general.