Public to view plans for £500m urban regeneration scheme

These will go on show at a public exhibition held by Castlebrooke Investments at 2.00 pm on Monday ,July 29 at the former Mackeys Opticians unit at North Street, Belfast.

The voluntary ten-week public consultation process comes ahead of the submission of the proposal this autumn.

The new plans for the 12-acre site are said to incorporate a “greater degree of retention of non-listed building fabric” and the inclusion of North Street Arcade with space designed for independent retailers.

‘Tribeca Belfast’ focuses on the site located beside St Anne’s Cathedral bounded by Royal Avenue, Donegall Street, Lower Garfield Street and Rosemary Street.

“Sensitive” refurbishment work is already underway to preserve the listed Garfield & North building on Lower Garfield Street,” said a spokesman. A newly-appointed team from architectural design firm Squire & Partners has worked alongside conservation architects from Belfast-based Consarc Design Group on the amendments.

Jonathan Mitchell, director of Castlebrooke Investments, said: “We believe that the changes we have made address many of the areas of concern which have been raised to date and it has been great to see a very positive response to these plans. Over the last three weeks, we have held a series of meetings with city stakeholders, all of which have helped to shape the vision for the future of the city centre. We will continue to listen as we move through this voluntary process.”

A number of site walking tours will be available next month.