A £175 million Belfast Transport Hub has moved a step closer after a planning application was lodged for the project.
Within hours of an extra £400 million being announced over the next two years by the UK government for infrastructure development in Northern Ireland Translink has confirmed it has lodged an application for its new Weavers Cross development.
The major project, which could support up to 400 jobs during construction, will serve as a main bus and train connection for all parts of Northern Ireland and the main rail link to Dublin.
The hub is set to be located on the 20 acre site of the existing Europa Buscentre and Great Victoria Street train station across 1m sq ft mixed use space, with construction estimated to begin in early 2019 for completion in 2022.
The multi-million pound transport hub is one of the flagship projects in the NI Executive’s Programme for Government and it is hoped the additional funds generated for infrastructure by the Conservative-DUP agreement could see the project come to fruition.
Translink group chief executive Chris Conway the new hub will be a "catalyst" for the regeneration of the local area.
“It will play a key role in positioning Belfast as a modern, confident and progressive city with a new energy to attract further multi-national investors and boost the economic opportunities for the city and for Northern Ireland. "
He added: “This impressive facility will be a catalyst for the regeneration of the local area and will play a pivotal role in making public transport ‘your first choice for travel in Northern Ireland’, connecting people and opportunities and connecting industrial heritage with a newly reimagined future.
“The ambitious plans submitted have been developed following months of consultation with local stakeholders and the local community, including formal consultation, community briefings and numerous face-to-face meetings with many interested parties.
“As the master plans progress, we will continue to work closely with the surrounding communities to maximise the opportunities this fantastic project presents.”
The planning application for the transport hub was submitted on Thursday June 15 and a decision is expected later this year.
