There has been a call on the British government to ensure that red tape does not get in the way of the redevelopment of a former prison and British army base in north Belfast.
During talks with Northern Ireland Office Social Development Minister David Hanson yesterday, Sinn Féin Assembly member Gerry Kelly and Councillor Caral Ní Chuilín said they had received a commitment that discussions on transforming the Crumlin Road Prison and Girdwood Army barracks sites would get under way before Christmas.
Mr Kelly said: "In North Belfast 83 per cent of those waiting for housing are nationalist and this massive shortfall in accommodation has to be part of the development of these sites.
"There is also an obvious deficit in leisure facilities in that part of the city. Consideration also needs to be taken into the views of both St Malachy's College and the Mater Hospital as they neighbour the sites.
"The Mater Hospital, in particular, needs additional land to develop its services further, this needs to happen as a priority, and we forcefully put this argument to David Hanson this morning."
The Sinn Féin MLA suggested the Crumlin Road site had a lot of tourist potential.
Mr Hanson said the meeting as very useful. "I believe that this will enable a consensus to be reached which will bring significant benefits to the people of North Belfast and the wider city.