A DEVELOPER behind plans to turn a former Belfast tax office into a new up-market office venture has revealed plans to develop it into a 113-bedroom city centre aparthotel instead.
Banbridge-based Lotus Property bought Beaufort House on Wellington Place in February 2020 after HMRC moved down the street into its new flagship building Erskine House.
The Lotus Group, which owns The Boulevard and The Junction shopping outlets, secured planning permission last year for ‘The Well’, a new nine-story office venture, dubbed ‘Belfast’s healthiest office building’.
Work on the 35,000 sq ft project was expected to begin this year, with the new office space already brought to market.
But with office occupancy rates yet to recover from the impact of Covid-19, and the city centre already awash with vacant high-spec office space, Lotus has gone back to the drawing board.
The company has lodged a change of use application with Belfast City Council, seeking permission to develop 113 bedrooms across the first to eighth floors.
It would involve a mix of single, twin and double rooms, with between 10-16 units per floor.
The plans also provide for a ground floor bar and restaurant.
A letter from the planning consultancy TSA indicates the work will include an upgrade of the building’s front façade.
The site, sandwiched between the Progressive Building Society Building and the student accommodation at Swanston House, is located just around the corner from a 175-unit aparthotel, which is under construction on Queen Street.
Lotus said when the larger project is complete, the proportion of aparthotel units within the city’s entire hotel stock will be 4.5 per cent, below the likes of Dublin (5.3 per cent) and Manchester (8.1 per cent).
“If approved, the proposed change of use to Beaufort House would increase total aparthotel share of hotel stock in the city centre to 6.85 per cent and increase market options for visitors to Belfast.”
Lotus is also involved in a £55m student accommodation project opposite St Patrick’s Church on Donegall Street. It's expected to include around 720 student units when complete.
