A 0.35 acre site bound by Library Street, Stephen Street, Kent Street and the nine storey Library Square apartment building. The site is part occupied by a red brick warehouse building.
Nos. 18-20 was first developed for Thomas Watt & Co., flour merchants in 1896. Nos. 22-26 was first developed in 1925 as printing stores for W&G Baird Ltd.
The site was acquired by Lodgelee Properties Ltd (part of the Jermon Group) in October 2002. The site was later sold to Slaney Ltd (a company associated with Advanced Car Parking Ltd).
An outline planning application (Z/2010/1632/O) submitted by Advanced Car Parking Ltd and Andrew Nesbitt Architects in December 2010 proposed to develop an eight-storey residential building comprising 93 apartments. The application was approved in June 2012.
The site was placed on the market by GVA NI in April 2015.
A planning application (LA04/2015/0676/F) submitted in June 2015 by Car Park Services Ltd and Slaney Ltd proposed to develop purpose-built managed student accommodation. The proposal comprised 78 apartments containing 408 en-suite bedrooms with shared living rooms and kitchens and 10 studio apartments containing 36 self contained studios on ground and 10 upper storeys, a landscaped courtyard and a management reception office at ground level; a basement level containing 22 car parking spaces, 104 cycle spaces, changing area and showers, gymnasium, games room, TV room and laundry; ancillary plant rooms and storage including bin storage and a car lift accessed from Kent Street.
The application was refused permission on 20th January 2016.
The applicant lodged an appeal in May 2016. The Planning Appeals Commission issued a decision to allow the proposal in February 2017 (ref: 2016/A0044). The scheme permitted at appeal comprises a number of amendments; including: floors 3-10 on the Stephen Street elevation set back by 7-8m, reduction in the number of beds from 444 to 393, reduction in car parking spaces to 21, and increase in cycle spaces to 111.
The scheme approved at appeal proposes managed purpose built student accommodation comprising: 79 apartments containing 365 en-suite bedrooms with shared living rooms and kitchens; 8 studio apartments containing 28 self contained studios, on ninth and tenth floor; a landscaped central courtyard atrium amenity space; a management reception office at ground floor level; a basement level containing 21 car parking spaces, 111 cycle spaces, 7 motor cycle spaces, changing area and showers, gymnasium, games room, TV room and laundry for exclusive use of residents; ancillary plant rooms and storage including bin storage and a car lift accessed from Kent Street.
Slaney Developments Ltd & Car Park Services Ltd submitted a planning application (LA04/2017/1375/F) in June 2017 proposing an eight storey residential building comprising 93no. apartments over basement car parking. Planning permission was granted by the Planning Appeals Commission in January 2019 (ref: 2017/A0127).
CBRE placed the site on the market in November 2018 with offers invited in excess of £2.5m.
The site was acquired by CASL Library Street (Belfast) in July 2019.
Eastwood Demolition cleared the site during August 2019.
Dawson WAM commenced piling works during October 2019.
Farrans commenced site enabling works during October 2019.
Construction was paused during much of 2020 but recommenced during April 2021. Completion is expected by August 2022.
The completed building will comprise a student accommodation building with 365 en-suite bedrooms (with shared living rooms and kitchens), 28 self-contained studios and a basement containing 21 car parking spaces, 111 bicycle spaces, 7 motorbike spaces, gym, games room, TV room and laundry. The building will be concrete framed with a brick facade to the 10th floor and standing seam metal to the 11th and 12th floors.
Novel Student will operate the building as Alma Place.
