A proposed purpose built managed student accommodation building comprising 620 units (98 studio and 522 cluster units) and 54no. lower ground floor parking spaces. The building is designed with brick and cladding across six to nine storeys.
The site operated as a surface car park since at least the 1990s.
Straben Developments and RPP Architects submitted a planning application (Z/2006/1544/F) in 2006 proposing a five – twelve storey residential building comprising 226 apartments, ground floor retail units at Donegall Street and a double basement car park accessed from Little Donegall Street. The application was approved in June 2008 and enabling works were undertaken in June 2013 to create the entrance to the proposed underground car parking at Little Donegall Street.
The site was briefly included within Northside Regeneration Ltd’s proposed Belfast Northside scheme (2015- 2016).
Northside Regeneration Ltd and RPP Architects submitted a planning application (LA04/2015/0609/F) in June 2015 proposing a managed student accommodation building comprising 710no. units with 54no. lower ground floor parking spaces. This was amended in June 2016 to 620no. units with 54no. lower ground floor parking spaces. The application was refused in October 2016.
Northside Regeneration Ltd / Balfour Beatty Investments submitted a planning appeal (ref: 2016/A0202) in January 2017. The appeal hearings took place during June 2017 and in November 2017 the Planning Appeals Commission issued a decision to allow and granted full planning permission.
The surface car park operated by HandyPark closed during June 2018.
Archaeology excavations took place on the site during October 2019.
Gilbert Ash and L. Loughran & Sons commenced site enabling works during June 2020.
LDS DevCo Ltd and Like Architects submitted a Proposal of Application Notice (LA04/2020/1602/PAN) in August 2020 for purpose built student accommodation, and a Non Material Change application (LA04/2020/1606/NMC) proposing to reconfigure the internal layout to amend the ratio of studio to cluster rooms; increasing studios and reducing clusters.
Dawson WAM carried out enabling works during August 2020.
LDS Devco Ltd submitted a planning application (LA04/2021/0516/F) in February 2021 proposing to develop a purpose built managed student accommodation building comprising 724no. units, as an amendment to approval LA04/2015/0609/F. The application was recommended approval at the August 2021 Belfast Planning Committee meeting.
