THE businessman behind the Argento jewellery chain looks set to secure planning approval for a £16.5 million office redevelopment in Belfast city centre.
Strabane-native Pete Boyle’s bricks and motor firm Angus Properties has proposed transforming a five storey Victorian warehouse style building on Queen Street into 83,000 sq ft of office space.
The bid, which the developer states involves a £16.5m build cost, includes a two-storey glazed rooftop extension.
It also involves the demolition of two smaller neighbouring buildings and constructing five storeys in their place.
The ground floor proposal includes re-instating shop fronts on Queen Street.
Angus Properties said the entire development will be capable of housing around 710 employees once operational.
While the initial proposal pre-dates the pandemic, the actual planning application was not submitted until February 2021.
A report recommending approval will go before Belfast City Council’s planning committee on Thursday.
The recommendation is subject to a section 76 agreement with the developer, which is expected to include a clause in respect of ‘employability and skills’.
According to the planning report: “This clause will require an employability and skills plan to be submitted to the council to detail mitigations and interventions that will be put in place to ensure the viability of the development relating to employability and skills.”
It’s one of a number of major regeneration projects centred on Belfast’s Queen Street.
The building is located across the street from the site of a 175-bed aparthotel complex, currently being developed Oakland Holdings.
Planning officials are also considering a £7m bid to develop the former Queen Street police station into a 74-bed boutique hotel.
In its submission to the council, Angus Properties described its regeneration scheme as “a highly sustainable form of development”.
“Careful consideration has been given to its design, form, scale, massing and materiality such that it will contribute positively to the character and appearance of the conservation area whilst causing no harm to the setting of the neighbouring former RUC listed building.”
