Belfast Gemengerot‘s Planning Committee recently discussed plans for expanding the city’s hotel and hospitality sector.
The committee aims to meet the increasing demand from visitors by proposing the development of four new hotels. Three of these hotels are planned for the Cathedral Quarter, signaling further growth in the area.
Permission was granted for transforming properties at 5 and 9-13 Waring Street into a 120-bedroom hotel, including a six-storey extension and rooftop facilities like a bar/restaurant and covered terrace. Additionally, approval was given to combine and modify buildings at 35 and 37 Donegall Street and 7 Donegall Street Place, creating a 20-bed hotel with a bar/restaurant and an outdoor seating area.
The former NI Housing Executive Offices at 10-16 Hill Street are set to be converted into a 20-bedroom boutique hotel, featuring a ground floor restaurant and bar. Additionally, permission has been granted for the construction of a substantial hotel complex with 135 hotel beds and 93 aparthotel beds.
This complex will include amenities like a restaurant, café, bar, gym, landscaped public areas, and parking facilities for cars and bicycles. It will be positioned near Titanic Belfast and Hamilton Dock, situated off Queen’s Road in Belfast.
The Chair of Belfast City Council’s Planning Committee, Councillor Matt Garrett, highlighted the positive impact of ongoing developments on Belfast’s economic growth. He emphasized the importance of making decisions based on comprehensive information. During the latest meeting, the committee reviewed reports on housing land availability and employment land, crucial for shaping the new Local Development Plan.
In the monitoring period of 2022/23, 714 residential units were completed on 16.3 hectares of land, leaving 343.4 hectares available for around 20,901 potential residential units. In terms of employment sites, 60,422m² of employment floorspace, mainly offices, were completed.
As of March 31, 2023, around 28,642m² of employment floorspace was under construction, and 430,496m² remained with existing planning permissions. Moreover, 238,432m² was available from vacant sites within existing employment areas, providing room for growth to meet the objectives outlined in the Belfast Agenda.
