Officials at Belfast City Council have said they do not have the power to grant rates exemptions for businesses in Sandy Row that have been impacted by the closure and demolition of the Boyne Bridge.
The council is currently looking at options for a new taskforce to support businesses in the area following a motion by DUP councillor Tracy Kelly that was agreed last month.
The Sandy Row area, beside the now-closed Durham Street where the Boyne Bridge is being dismantled, now has less than 30 businesses.
Boyne Bridge is being dismantled by Translink in order to create a new public square beside Belfast Grand Central Station.
At a previous council meeting, two representatives of businesses in the once-bustling area said they had lost up to 40% of trade since the closure of Durham Street in October.
Councillors were told the impact was “worse than Covid”.
At this week’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee meeting, a new motion by Ms Kelly was discussed, which specifically called for a rates break for Sandy Row traders.
The motion highlighted the “crisis” faced by businesses as a result of the work at Boyne Bridge, adding: “Some will not survive without this council’s intervention.”
Northern Ireland is unique in the UK in that it pays what is known at regional rates - which go to fund public services controlled by Stormont - and district rates, which fund local public services run by councils. The district rate is composed of the domestic rate for home owners and the business rate for traders.
A council report on Ms Kelly’s latest motion states: “As the council does not have the power to grant rates exemptions, the report coming back to the committee will look at the possible options available to Land and Property Services.”
Land and Property Services is a subsidiary of Stormont’s Department of Finance.
Councillors agreed to close the motion asking for rates relief, as this was being covered by the previous motion.
