To ask the Minister for Regional Development for an update on the feasibility study of the Belfast Transport Hub project.

Great Victoria Street station has one of the largest footfalls on any single site in Northern Ireland but its facilities are outdated. I am therefore excited about the prospect of a new Transport Hub based in Great Victoria Street in Belfast.

On 14 October, I announced further plans about the new Transport Hub that will bring even more benefits to those choosing to use our growing public transport services network. The project has an approved Strategic Outline case. The project team is currently undertaking a procurement exercise to appoint an Integrated Design Team early in 2014. The Team will initially produce a Master Plan of the new Transport Hub and surrounding lands which will allow for full public consultation towards the end of 2014. A stakeholder plan is under development to ensure engagement at appropriate levels with all interested parties.

Provisional development of the business case for the Transport Hub is continuing. The formal Outline Business Case is due to be completed for early 2015.

Assuming the appropriate approvals for funding and planning are achieved, the aspiration is to start construction in 2016.

Our focus is now on the next Comprehensive Spending Review to secure funding as needed. The project has great potential in addressing the growing Public Transport demand, creating opportunities for land development and for creating a gateway to Belfast and Northern Ireland with potential tourism, business and job benefits. It also throws up opportunities for community regeneration in the area.

The result will be the delivery of a signature transport facility that will bring benefits to passengers across Northern Ireland as well as visitors from the Republic of Ireland and beyond.

The growth in numbers using public transport particularly on rail means we now must think ahead about the capacity needed to deal with this demand.