Four new Belfast hotels being created to meet market demand

Belfast’s hotel and hospitality sector is set for further growth, following the latest meeting of Belfast City Council’s Planning Committee.

Four hotels are being brought forward to meet rising visitor demand, with three planned for the Cathedral Quarter.

Permission was granted for change of use at 5 and 9-13 Waring Street from a museum and vacant office building to a 120-bedroom hotel with a six-storey extension, single storey roof top extension with bar/restaurant and a covered roof top terrace.

Approval was also given to alter, extend and amalgamate existing buildings at 35 and 37 Donegall Street and 7 Donegall Street Place to create a 20-bed hotel with bar/restaurant and associated outdoor seating area.

The former NI Housing Executive Offices at 10-16 Hill Street will become a 20-bedroom boutique hotel, with ground floor restaurant and bar.

Permission was granted for the erection of 135 hotel beds and 93 aparthotel beds, restaurant / café and bar, gym, landscaped public realm, car and cycle parking, cycle parking directly south of Titanic Belfast and north-west of Hamilton Dock located off Queen’s Road, Belfast.

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. At this month’s meeting, we reviewed both the council’s Housing Land Availability Summary Report and the Employment Land Monitor (ELM) 2022/23 which provide a snapshot of the amount of land available for new residential development and employment purposes. Our officers draw on this data to shape our new Local Development Plan.

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