The development of the Crumlin Road Courthouse and the 2 acres of land surrounding the building are to be developed as a luxury hotel with leisure facilities. It is planned to transform the derelict building into a 161 bed hotel with 10 luxury suites and 92 parking spaces. Many features are to be retained to create, amongst other facilities, a 'Grand Ballroom' and 'Cellar Bar'. There will also be a health suite and over 1000m2 of connference facilities including the original Crown Courtroom restored for lectures, business seminars or private cinema use. It is also proposed that a tunnel will link the Hotel’s Crown Courtroom to the Grade A listed Crumlin Road Gaol on the opposite side of the Crumlin Road.

Northern Ireland-based property developer, Barry Gilligan is to provide the Courthouse with a new beginning as a luxury hotel. The development represents a £25 million investment and will create over 200 full and part-time jobs on opening and up to 300 jobs in the construction phase. The proposals envisage a luxury 161 bed hotel, with many historical features retained including the Crown Courtroom, featuring the infamous tunnel which links directly into its dock from the Crumlin Road Gaol, across the road from the Courthouse. Government funding is currently being sought to help progress the project.


The Crumlin Road Courthouse was designed by the architect Charles Lanyon and completed in 1850 at a cost of £16,500. It is situated across the road from the Crumlin Road Gaol and the two are linked by an underground passage. The courthouse was enlarged in 1905-1906 to the designs of Young and Mackenzie, when new blocks were added either side of the facade.

The Crumlin Road courthouse finally closed in June 1998, after nearly 150 years of continuous usage. The site was sold to Ewarts for just £1 who then sold to private developer Barry Gilligan when he left his position in the company in September 2003. Plans for the hotel were revealed in September 2006 and planning was granted in November 2007.

In March 2009 a deliberate fire in the Courthouse caused extensive internal damage. Another two fires on 15 and 16 August 2009 caused severe damage to the roof and led Barry Gilligan of Big Picture Developments to claim that a rethink was needed on the development plans for the building as the lack of grant aid and resulting levels of damage made the hotel project unviable.

Z/2006/2127/F Approval
Conversion of former courthouse to hotel including demolition of rear section of existing building, construction of new
extension and restoration of former courtroom.