Belfast Harbour has confirmed that Bank of America has signed a lease for the remaining space at the waterfront City Quays 3 office tower and a separate suite in City Quays 1, meaning all 15 office floors at City Quays 3 are now taken.

Last year, Bank of America announced plans to establish a key hub in Northern Ireland with up to 1,000 new roles across multiple functions, beginning with Anti-Money Laundering operations.

Under the agreement, the bank will occupy the final four and a half floors at City Quays 3, totalling 58,000 sq ft, joining tenants including TP ICAP, Aflac, Bauer Media and Santander. During the fit-out of its new space, the team will operate from 23,000 sq ft of serviced offices in City Quays 1.

City Quays is a modern, sustainable mixed-use waterfront scheme featuring commercial offices, retail, cafes, restaurants, multi-storey parking, the AC by Marriott hotel and City Quays Gardens. Completed in 2022 at a cost of £50m, City Quays 3 provides Grade A space and holds a BREEAM Excellent rating.

Belfast Harbour has set out a 2050 Masterplan that includes £1.3bn of investment in port infrastructure and a further £500m–£750m in property, subject to commercial partnerships. The first stage is already under way via the Advance Regional Prosperity strategy running to 2030.

Planning permission is in place for the City Quays 4 residential scheme and the City Quays 5 mixed-use office project, while a £222m planning application for the Clarendon Wharf residential development in the area has also been submitted. Joe O'Neill, Chief Executive at Belfast Harbour, said: "We're delighted that Bank of America has chosen City Quays 3 as their base in Northern Ireland, and that we have been able to assist them in their employment ramp up through the provision of serviced office space in the adjoining City Quays 1 office.

"With City Quays 3 now standing fully let, our community is thriving, and it is clear that our Grade A facilities with excellent ESG credentials, supported by our dedicated Belfast Harbour Police service, is an attractive proposition for large blue-chip organisations. We have exciting future plans for the development with planning secured for City Quays 4 and 5, as well as wider commitments detailed in our Advance Regional Prosperity strategy, and our 2050 Masterplan. Belfast Harbour remains fully committed to fostering a vibrant, inclusive community for everyone who lives and works across the Harbour estate, and continuing to play our part in driving Foreign Direct Investment in the region."

Patty Clement, Global Anti-Money Laundering Operations Executive, Bank of America, said: "The offices at City Quays 3 will provide a strong base for our Northern Ireland operation. Belfast is an important hub for our business, and this investment reflects our confidence in the region's exceptional talent, strong skills base and long-term potential. We remain committed to responsible growth as we continue to invest in our people, strengthen our presence and contribute to the local economy and community."

Lambert Smith Hampton acted for Belfast Harbour and CBRE NI acted for Bank of America on the deal.