Business

Third tallest residential building on island of Ireland gets planning permission by Belfast councillors

Building is part of four city centre schemes that will feature 700 units

L-R: Artist's impression of Vinder Capital/Endeavour Investments' proposal for 77 apartments on May Street/Victoria Street; Belfast Harbour's City Quays 4 development; and McAleer & Rushe's build-to-rent scheme on Tomb Street/Corporation Street.
L-R: Artist's impression of Vinder Capital/Endeavour Investments' proposal for 77 apartments on May Street/Victoria Street; Belfast Harbour's City Quays 4 development; and McAleer & Rushe's build-to-rent scheme on Tomb Street/Corporation Street.
By Paul Ainsworth

One of the tallest apartment towers on the island of Ireland is to be built after the green light was given for 700 new residential units in central Belfast.

The new units will be developed as part of four major schemes between the city centre and the docks area, which received permission at Tuesday evening’s meeting of Belfast City Council’s Planning Committee.

The proposals were submitted by Belfast Harbour, McAleer & Rushe, Vinder Capital and Endeavour Investments, and were recently recommended by council officials for approval.

Belfast Harbour’s City Quays 4 scheme will see the construction of a 23-storey tower at 76.4 metres in height, alongside a 12-storey element, to house 256 build-to-rent units.

Located between the M3 Lagan Bridge and AC Marriott Hotel, it will become the second tallest residential building in the city, behind the nearby 85-metre Obel Tower, and the third tallest on the island of Ireland, behind Dublin’s 79-metre Capital Dock.

Permission was also granted for 69 apartments and townhouses - including affordable housing - to be built by Belfast Harbour in the Sailortown area, at two sites beside Pilot Street.

An artist's impression of Belfast Harbour's new social/affordable housing scheme in the Sailortown area.
An artist's impression of Belfast Harbour's new social/affordable housing scheme in the Sailortown area.

Meanwhile, the McAleer & Rushe proposal for 298 build-to-rent apartments at Tomb Street/Corporation Street was also granted permission, alongside the Vinder Capital/Endeavour Investments proposal for 77 apartments at May Street.

Neither scheme featured plans for affordable units, despite Belfast City Council’s HOU5 policy that states residential developments on sites greater than 0.1 hectares and/or containing five or more dwelling units, should include them.

Developers had argued that to do so would make the schemes economically unviable.

It is understood planning officials opted for an affordable housing review clause for both the Tomb Street and May Street developments, which would require the delivery of affordable housing were economic conditions to change favourably.