A £400 million redevelopment of the former Sirocco Works site in Belfast, which could create 8,000 jobs, is due to receive the planning green light next week.
The masterplan to regenerate the 1.7 million sq ft former Howden Sirocco site is recommended for approval at a Belfast City Council planning committee meeting on Thursday.
It comes after permission was granted last August for the £50m first phase of the project - a 13 storey, 250,000 sq ft office space, due to be operational by 2021.
The Waterside project, being brought forward by Osborne and Co, is set to deliver the first major employment activity at the former ropeworks site in almost 20 years.
The overall plan for the site includes the development of office space to provide for 8,000 jobs, the creation of around 675 apartments, as well as an hotel, serviced apartments and creative working spaces.
The masterplan further includes provisions for community, cultural and leisure facilities such as cafés, bars, gym, restaurants and local retail, as well as a pedestrian and cycle bridge to connect the site to the city centre.
In addition to 8,000 jobs once operational, the major project is set to create more than 1,000 construction jobs over the duration of the build, scheduled to begin in the coming months.
Chris Kane, chairman of Osborne and Co believes the development has the potential to make a profound difference to Belfast.
"We are creating a new place to eat, live, relax and connect by growing new relationships with the existing community and developing a new vibrant residential community in the heart of the city, with a mix of affordable and social, private for sale, and private rental homes," he said.
"We see The Waterside delivering an exemplar of shared and mixed housing that provides a sense of place and community for all. With a project of this scale it is important that we continue to communicate the enormous benefits that The Waterside can bring, not just to the local area, but to Belfast and Northern Ireland as a whole."
Osborne and Co founding director, Conor Osborne added:
"We can attract multinational businesses to Belfast who are seeking the highest quality work environments and talent.
"The success of this application would send out a powerful signal that Belfast is open for business and ready to succeed on a global scale. It would reinforce the message that Belfast can deliver large, innovative projects that will transform the life of the city and its citizens."
