Seafront hotel scheme: NI Water branded 'bluntly a nightmare' over hold-up as long-delayed £9m demolition and apartments plan wins approval

The Royal Hotel was once regarded as the iconic face of Bangor, standing proud over the city’s bay and visible for miles around as a bustling symbol of the area’s status as Northern Ireland’s premier resort.

But since going out of business 11 years ago, the five-storey hotel has been lying derelict while £9m plans to turn it into high-end flats were stuck on hold for a protracted period of time, in large part due to NI Water’s worries that sewers wouldn’t be able to cope with the demand.

The plans were finally approved by Ards and North Down Council’s planning committee on Tuesday (1st), during which a planning consultant branded the water firm “bluntly a nightmare in relation to this application”.

Said the consultant: “It took several years to finally agree and work out what the solution was going to be for foul and storm drainage. Positively, we now have agreement to that from NI Water, which is great.”

He added that developers Expedia Capital hope to begin construction in 2026.

Area mayor Alistair Cathcart agreed that the water body can be problematic, saying they can be “a hindrance” and complaining “how much they’ve affected development” of the Royal Hotel site.

He added: “There have been some choice words said about NI Water over the years in this committee.”

The new £9m development will involve see the hotel knocked down and replaced with 35 apartments, plus two restaurants and a shop on the ground floor.

Hopes that the building’s beloved art deco-style exterior could be retained were dashed, however, when engineers found its internal support beams had become corroded and unsalvageable, concluding that the entire building needs to come down.

But the new development’s front and side are to replicate the hotel’s design, meaning the Royal heritage will carry on in some form.

Mr Cathcart warmly welcomed the scheme finally winning approval. Speaking after the committee meeting, he told the News Letter the project “promises to deliver sympathetic regeneration of one of Bangor’s most iconic buildings”.

"I know the public will welcome confirmation that, whilst the redevelopment involves the demolition of the current building, there will be a ‘like for like’ replacement of the famous facade on Quay Street. I thank the planning officers involved for placing a strong legal agreement in the approval to ensure that the facade is rebuilt.

"Like many on the committee, I am frustrated by the length of time it took to achieve the approval. Once again, NI Water have questions to answer over how they handled the application, and I hope they will take time to review their processes.

"This is just one of many exciting projects that will transform Bangor city centre in the coming years. This approval is good news – but like most Bangorians, I want to see action and look forward to works starting on the ground.”

Originally established on Quay Street in 1841, during the 1930s the Royal was heavily reworked to create its now-iconic design, the combination of rooftop corner turrets and decorative pilasters with art deco ornamentation making it instantly recognisable to visitors and locals alike.