Plans Approved For One Bankmore Square

Planning permission has been given for the redevelopment of the Movie House Cinema on Belfast's Dublin Road.

The Planning Committee has approved plans for "the single biggest office block ever to be built in the city centre".

Named One Bankmore Square, it will be a 12-storey, 23,000 square metre Grade A development on the site currently occupied by the Movie House cinema.

The scheme represents an estimated £65 million investment by the Richland Group.

Councillor Peter Johnston, Chair of the Council's Planning Committee, said: "As our figures show, there is an acute and increasing demand for Grade A office accommodation in the city, and we are delighted to have been able to take this latest development to the next stage.

"We worked very closely with the developer to ensure that this application was turned around as quickly and efficiently as possible. From the plans being lodged to tonight's decision, it has taken just eight weeks to process this application. This demonstrates the Planning Service's commitment to working with those wishing to drive forward development in the city, and to fulfilling the aims of the Belfast Agenda in terms of job creation."

In addition to retail space and 11 floors of office accommodation, the scheme will include the refurbishment of the neighbouring Bankmore Square open space and other public realm improvements.

The Committee meeting was also presented with a report showing that 21 new office developments – covering a total of around 150,000 square metres of floorspace - 17 new or expanded hotels and 12 purpose-built student accommodation projects had been granted planning permission between April 2015 and April 2017.

The 21 office developments represent an overall investment of £165 million in the city's infrastructure being given the green light in the two year period. The hotel developments, when completed, will add a total of around 1,500 new beds and represent £70 million of investment in the city's tourism business. The student accommodation projects represent around 5,800 beds and £175 million in construction value.

At the same meeting the Committee also approved planning permission for two schemes involving new uses for listed buildings in the city centre. These were revised plans for the conversion of the Scottish Mutual Building, on the corner of Donegall Square South and Bedford Street, into a boutique hotel, and the conversion of Sinclair House, in Royal Avenue, from office accommodation to 30 student apartments.

(MH/CD)