Weavers Cross is a mixed use regeneration project surrounding the proposed new Belfast Transport Hub. The project proposes c.130,000m2 of development across 4.38ha. and is currently at Outline Planning stage.
Translink appointed John McAslan & Partners and Arup in July 2014 to take forward the Transport Hub and Weavers Cross masterplan.
A Masterplan was completed for Weavers Cross in February 2017 and was updated in March 2018 and again in 2021.
Translink launched a global procurement process to identify a master developer partner for Weavers Cross in June 2021. Translink is seeking a master-developer Private Sector Partner ‘with the financial means and relevant experience, skills and resources to realise the Vision for Weavers Cross’. The development partner is expected to be appointed in 2022.
NITHCO submitted an outline planning application (LA04/2021/2856/O) in December 2021 proposing to develop a mixed use regeneration development comprising office, residential apartments (including affordable), retail, hotel, leisure, public realm, active travel uses, cafes, bars and restaurants, and community uses on lands surrounding the new Belfast Transport Hub and over the Transport Hub car park, to the east and west of Durham Street and south of Grosvenor Road.
The outline application site comprises land owned by Translink to the west of Durham Street and five sites to the east of
Durham Street. The largest of the five sites is the existing Europa Bus & Rail Station and multi-storey car park owned by Translink. The remaining sites include a depot site at the corner of Durham Street / Grosvenor Road (owned by NIHE), a surface car park at the corner of Durham Street / Hope Street (owned by Belfast City Council), a triangular surface car park to the north west of St Andrews Square (owned by Andras House) and a surface car park in St Andrews Square fronting Hope Street (owned by Translink).
The outline masterplan for Weavers Cross proposes three phased character areas:
1. Saltwater Square
This area proposes two development plots to the west of Durham Street, south and north of the new Saltwater Square public realm. The Plots include:
Plot 3a (south): Ground floor retail / cafe use (550m2) with 8 floors of office accommodation above (6,800m2). Total: 7,350m2.
Plot 3b (north): Ground, first and second floor retail / cafe use (1,650m2) with 16 floors of office accommodation above (13,600m2). Total: 15,250m2.
2. City Entries
This area proposes new streets around four development plots to the east of Durham Street, south of Grosvenor Road, west of Great Victoria Street and north of Hope Street. The Plots include:
Plot 4: Ground floor commercial units with 10-11 floors of flexible office / residential use above. Comprises 22,500m2.
Plot 5: Ground floor commercial units with 9 floors of flexible office / residential use above. Comprises 7,000m2.
Plot 6: Ground floor commercial units with 10 floors of residential use above. Comprises c.200 apartments / 18,900m2.
Plot 7: Ground floor commercial units with 9 floors of residential use (128 units) on Plot 7a and 11 floors of residential use (77 units) on Plot 7b. Comprises 17,700m2.
3. City Fringe Campus
This area proposes two development plots to the south of Grosvenor Road and east of the Westlink. The Plots include:
Plot 1: Office accommodation across 5-10 floors (38,760m2).
Plot 2: Office accommodation across 4-6 floors (13,670m2).
Further information on Weavers Cross and the Belfast Transport Hub can be found at the official website: www.weaverscross.co.uk.
