Redeveloped Belfast Court complex prepares for business

The new Laganside courts development is getting ready for business with the transfer of the fixed penalty office to the brand-new court complex on Monday, January 7.

Belfast Magistrates Court and Belfast County Court offices are set to move into the recently completed £30 million development next week, followed by Belfast Crown Court, which will transfer to the new venue on Monday, January 21. The courts will then begin sitting in the new building over the next two weeks. All transfers to the Laganside complex are due to be completed by February 4.

Belfast and Newtownabbey Magistrates courts will also now be situated together at the one location. The Coroner's Office, previously located in Newtownabbey, will now be based in the Old Townhall Building, Victoria Street, while magistrates, family and domestic courts, which previously sat at Belfast Magistrates Court, will also move to the Old Townhall location.

Situated in Oxford Street, the Laganside court complex will replace the Crumlin Road courthouse, which closed in 1998, and Belfast Magistrates Court and will accommodate the business of Crown, County and Magistrates court.

The complex, which was the first court accommodation and facilities project of its kind in the UK, was developed under a government-backed Public-Private Partnership initiative. (KMcA)