CO Tyrone construction group McAleer and Rushe has dropped plans for a hotel as part of a £60 million development in the centre of Belfast.
It comes as the Cookstown-based firm indicated it will instead develop the former Bank of Ireland art deco building on Royal Avenue into a hotel, as part of a wider mixed office and residential scheme.
Planning officials at Belfast City Council have recommended approval for demolition of Norwich Union House and a multi-storey car park to make way for a seven-storey development between Castle Street, Fountain Street and Queen Street.
Subject to approval at Tuesday night’s planning committee, the project will comprise 230,730 sq ft of floorspace on six levels of B1 grade offices over a ground floor made up of retail and restaurant units.
Norwich Union House was built in 1962. The development area also includes a series of retail units.
The application is in the name of ES NUH Limited, a subsidiary of MRP Land Ltd, the property development, investment and management end of the McAleer and Rushe group.
It is one of three major developments proposed by the Cookstown-based firm in and around Royal Avenue.
The company has secured planning approval for a joint venture alongside Belfast City Council to redevelop the former Belfast Telegraph building. Three weeks ago, it notified the city council of its proposal for the iconic former Bank of Ireland building on Royal Avenue.
