The development at 40 Linenhall Street is proposed by Kinler Properties, a joint venture by John Curran from Dungannon and Kieran Haughey from Cookstown. Kinler propose to add a 10 storey extension to the back of 40 Linenhall Street and add two storeys to the existing office building at 4m set back and two additional storeys at 6m set back. Kinler also plan to develop an 11 storey building on a vacant site next to the building (corner of Linenhall Street and Ormeau Avenue) which the developer as yet does not own. The development would increase the floorspace of old warehouse building at 40 Linenhall Street from 4,000 square metres to over 12,000 square metres.

40 Linenhall Street: Existing
The existing 6 storey, 14 bay linen warehouse building dates from 1900-02 by Young & Mackenzie. Materials include red brick (facing) and sandstone plinth and central doorcase). The initials “M&S” can be seen over the main door after the linen manufactures Murphy and Stevenson for which the warehouse was constructed.

40 Linenhall Street: Proposed Extension
An additional four storeys are proposed above the existing building – two floors set back behind 4m, with a further two floors set back 6m. Above this there is a sloping roof above the linking atrium between the historic building and the rear extension. On the vacant land an 11 storey tower, with primary frontage to Linenhall Street, is proposed.  The ground floor is set back from the elevation above which is faced in curtain glazing. The new 11 storey tower is linked to the extended warehouse building at 40 Linenhall Street from first floor upwards.

Planning Updates
The Owners Committee of Margarita Plaza (81 Adelaide Street) located behind the proposed development have objected to the application due to "loss of sun and daylight [and] loss of privacy." (17 June 2011)

The landlord of the adjacent building Linenhall Plaza (32 - 38 Linenhall Street) has objected to the proposed development based on loss of light to the rear of the building. (20 June 2011)

Belfast Civic Trust submitted a letter of objection on the "basis of height and because it is inappropriate in a conservation area."  (23 June 2011)

According to the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan Team, "the proposal is contrary to Draft BMAP (the proposed building exceeds the building height criteria for the Commercial District Character Area – Designation CC 010 and is therefore contrary to Policy UE 1)."  However, as this policy is subject to objections, as it is claimed that the height restriction is too prescriptive, prematurity issues arise and is material consideration in deciding this application. (23 June 2011) 

NIEA:HBU considers the proposal "to be contrary to BH11 of PPS6 by virtue of its scale and massing" (11 July 2011)

The consulted Conservation Officer believes that the additional four storeys to the existing linen warehouse "would visually overwhelm the historic façade of existing building". The Conservation Officer suggests that one attic floor may be acceptable if it is "visually subservient and pitched back at an angle ... i.e. be articulated in a manner reflecting traditional character".  The Officer comments in reference to the corner vacant site that, "although a visual marker to denote the corner location maybe acceptable an eleven storey tower is not contextually appropriate." Further commenting on the 11 storey tower the Conservation Officer believes that "the proposed glazed tower is of an ‘unapologetically modernist’ expression, and could not be said to pick up on any of the above contextual cues; i.e. the architecture is not informed by context."  The Conservation Officer concludes that "the proposal is contrary to Policy BH12 New Development in a Conservation Area."  (30 December 2011)












 


 

Visualisations: Gavin McGinty
Planning Consultant: Todd Planning

www.toddarch.com
www.wix.com/visualworks/gmg2