Howard Buildings In Belfast To Be Transformed Into Hotel And Café

Plans have been approved to transform the Howard Buildings in Belfast city centre into a hotel and café.

Belfast City Council's Planning Committee also approved the refurbishment, part restoration, change of use and extension to the listed Harland & Wolff Headquarters Building to provide an additional 36 hotel bedrooms, which will result in a total of 120 bedrooms at the planned Titanic Quarter boutique accommodation.

Planning permission was also given for the construction of office buildings at Weavers Court Business Park.

Councillor Peter Johnston, Chair of Belfast City Council's Planning Committee said: "We've made it clear in The Belfast Agenda that we want to increase the city's population, jobs and quality of life and the decisions are very much in line with our ambitions for Belfast. Developers are showing a lot of interest in our city and as a result, we're going to be seeing even more construction and regeneration taking place which will boost our economy."

A number of community developments were also given the green light. The Black Mountain Shared Space project at Farset Enterprise Park will comprise a sports hall, gym, dance/drama studio, environmentally focused social enterprise workshop, business units, meeting and counselling/treatment rooms, café and educational facilities.

A new sport and community building and resurfacing of existing playing field with 4G synthetic surface at Milltown Row has been approved, as well as a 3G pitch with floodlighting and single storey extension to existing changing rooms at Cherryvale playing fields off the Ravenhill Road.

(CD)