Development Description
The £90 million Aurora building, at 37 storeys and 109 metres (over 300ft), will stand 28 metres taller than the current tallest building in Belfast - the Obel. The tower will accomadate 291 apartments which will all come with access to a private residents gym, 24 hour concierge, valet parking and 146 parking spaces [the developers have stated that the parking figure was a calculated move to encourage people to find alternatives to their car]. The development will also provide 7,000sq ft of commercial space.


Development Design
Aurora has been designed by HKR Architects as a visually striking energy efficient building. A specially commissioned roof top light feature has been designed. This will simulate the northern lights of the Aurora (borealis) at night and can be seen in the image gallery below.


Public Realm Contribution
Mr McAlister commented in the Irish News in September 2007 that he had been “in discussions with the Department for Social Development (DSD) and Belfast City Council about helping to contribute to the Streets Ahead scheme. McAlister Holdings had engaged with EDAW in relation to the offer to fund parts of the Streets Ahead project around Great Victoria Street.


Planning History
A full planning application [Z/2006/2906/F] was submitted in December 2006. At that stage the developer expressed a desire to proceed quite rapidly on the project with an aim to obtaining planning approval at some stage in 2008. However in January 2009 the Belfast Planning Office recommended refusal of the scheme stating that Aurora...
  ...does not pay due regard to the character of the site and the surrounding area.
  ...introduces a significant change in the height, scale, massing and layout at this site resulting in an unsatisfactory development which would be
  detrimental to visual and residential amenity at this location.
  ...has inadequate provision for public and private open space and inadequate usable open space.
  ...will have an adverse impact on existing and proposed properties due to overlooking, overshadowing, lack of privacy and consequent loss of amenity.
  ...does not provide any social housing as part of the scheme.
  ...will have a detrimental visual impact on the setting of the City of Belfast.

The decision to recommend refusal provided mixed reaction from observers and commentators and was perhaps somewhat of a shock to the developer who had been working with the planners for three years and in their last update towards the end of 2008 indicated that they expected a positive approval soon. Mervyn McAlister commented to the BBC at the time that…
  ..."We [the developer] have been working with the divisional planning office for almost three years on this project and this opinion simply beggars
  belief. The proposal complies with every statutory requirement but it seems the planning service has taken cold feet due to the height of the building”

Then Environment Minister Sammy Wilson also commented on the decisionand accused his own planners of “abysmal failure” in turning the Aurora down. Mervyn McAlister said the decision sent out the message that Belfast was “closed for business” [A sign to this effect was erected on the site for some time after the decision].

At a meeting of Belfast City Council on January 8th 2009 there was full support from all members to refer the application to Planning Service Management Board for further consideration of the regeneration potential arising from the development.

The Management Board reached a decision and in February 2010 it was revealed that they would advise the Belfast planning office to refuse the application for the Aurora partly because its design was inappropriate in the context of the buildings around it and that the 291 apartments in the building would not be a sustainable and quality residential development. 

The decision to uphold the first refusal of Aurora meant the developer had two choices according to David Kerr of Strategic Planning. Mr Kerr said McAlister Holdings would consider whether to submit an amended application for a building on the same site, or appeal the decision on the original application to the Planning Appeals Commission. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph the Environment Minister said he had met McAlister Holdings, and that an amended application for a building of 20 to 25 storeys could be sent in to the planners.

The developer McAlister Holdings has since decided to appeal the decision on the original application to the Planning Appeals Commission [Appeal Reference: 2009/A0334].

Planning Consultant: Strategic Planning
Structural Engineer: Buro & Happold
Quantity Surveyor: Faithful & Gould
Building Services Design: Delap and Waller