THE historic Assembly Rooms building could be brought back into public use by Belfast City Council.
The news comes after a special meeting of the Council's Strategic Policy and Resources Committee during which members agreed that the Council submit an offer for the Grade B1 listed Assembly Rooms building, dating back to 1769 and located in the city centre.
The Committee decision is subject to ratification at the next full meeting of Belfast City Council on September 1.
Located at the corner of North Street and Waring Street, the Assembly Rooms were the site of the famous Belfast Harp Festival in 1792, which led to the preservation of the ancient tradition of Irish harping.
However, it has fallen out of use in the past two decades.
The building currently belongs to Castlebrooke Investments, which is behind the delayed Tribeca development in Belfast city centre.
Details of the proposed purchase are confidential but the cost is thought to be in the region of £2.7m.
Balmoral Sinn Féin Councillor Natasha Brennan said: “The Assembly Rooms hold deep historical and cultural significance for our city. It was the site of early anti-slavery efforts and the trials of the United Irishmen.
“The United Irishmen were a revolutionary group formed in the late 18th century with the goal of uniting Catholics, Protestants and dissenters in Ireland to achieve democratic reform and independence from British rule.
“The decision to purchase the building and return it to public hands is hugely positive and helps secure its future.
“The Rooms have real potential to be a social and economic driver for Belfast, and I look forward to working with others to realise that.”
Alliance Botanic Councillor Emmet McDonough-Brown added: “Ensuring the restoration of such a historically significant building for Belfast is something Alliance has long been campaigning for, and having consistently argued that Council is in the best place to do so, we’re delighted to see this progress being made today.
“In terms of preserving our heritage sites, it’s an absolute shame that the building has been allowed to fall into such shocking disrepair. Dating back to the 1700s, it has seen monumental social and political upheaval throughout the city and Northern Ireland in general, and has been at the heart of Belfast’s traditional arts and cultural scene.
“It'll be a full-circle moment to see it be acquired by the Council with the intention of bringing it back into public use for both local residents and visitors to the city alike, as well as contributing to crucial regeneration efforts in this part of the city centre alongside the upcoming Belfast Stories attraction."
