A NEW 74-bedroom hotel has been approved for Belfast city centre.

At a meeting this week, Belfast City Council’s Planning Committee gave the green light to the new development  – and granted permission for the listed building to be brought back into use.

21 Queen Street was formerly used as a police station and is a Grade B1 listed building. The new plans include refurbishment of the existing building and a new nine-storey extension and new build to the rear to include a bar/restaurant and other facilities.

At the meeting the Committee also approved planning applications for two residential developments in the East and North of the city.

HOTEL: An artists depiction of what the new hotel will look like
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HOTEL: An artists depiction of what the new hotel will look like

One is for a four-storey apartment block comprising 16 units at 215-225 Castlereagh Road in East Belfast and a three-storey development at 22-30 Hopefield Avenue just off the Antrim Road in North Belfast with 33 units, including a mix of social housing and wheelchair-friendly apartments.

Planning permission was also granted to a social housing development at Pilot Street in the Sailortown area of the city made up of 69 units including a mix of townhouses and apartments and 24 two- and three-bed apartments on the Ballygomartin Road in the West of the city.

Councillor Matt Garrett, Chair of the Planning Committee, said: “Granting planning approval for this new hotel in the city centre and for these major residential developments across the city is fantastic news for visitors to Belfast and residents and potential residents to the city.

“The planning application for the new hotel in Queen Street is of particular significance as the building is Grade B1 listed and on the heritage risk register so bringing it into use again by converting to a new hotel is to warmly welcomed. 

“It’s another great attraction for the city centre showing Council’s commitment to develop the city centre to make it an attractive place to live, work, study, visit, socialise and invest in.

“So far this year, and we are only in the second month, the Committee has granted approval to 773 housing units in the city. This also complements the city’s community plan – Belfast Agenda’s aim of increasing the city’s residential population and bringing forward residential opportunities across all housing tenures.”