Belfast city centre set for four new hotels to 'meet rising visitor demand'

Belfast City Hall has approved plans for four new hotels in the city centre to "meet rising visitor demand".

Three of the properties will be located in the Cathedral Quarter.

A 120-bedroom hotel with a six-storey extension and single storey roof top extension with bar and restaurant will be located at a former museum and vacant office building on Waring Street.

Elsewhere, approval was granted for existing buildings on Donegall Street and Donegall Street Place to be extended and amalgamated to create a new 20-bed hotel with restaurant, bar and outdoor seating area.

The former NI Housing Executive Offices on Hill Street will also now become a 20-bedroom boutique hotel with ground floor bar and restaurant.

Meanwhile off Queen's Road, close to Titanic Belfast, the green light was given to erection of 135 hotel beds, 93 aparthotel beds, restaurants, gym, car and cycle parking.

Chair of Belfast City Council’s Planning Committee, Councillor Matt Garrett said: “It’s great to see these developments coming forward and contributing to Belfast’s economic growth.

"But it’s important that as a Planning Committee, we take these decisions based on robust information.

“During the 2022/23 monitoring year, 714 residential units were completed on 16.3 hectares of land."

He added: "343.4 hectares of land remain, with potential capacity for 20,901 residential units.

"Looking at employment sites in the same period, there was 60,422m² of employment floorspace completed, with the majority being offices.

"As of 31 March 2023, there was approximately 28,642m² of employment floorspace under construction and 430,496m² remaining with existing planning permissions.

"An additional 238,432m² is available from vacant sites in existing employment areas, so we have room to grow and achieve our Belfast Agenda objectives.”

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