Local councillor asks if there was “demand” in the area for new office blocks
Artist’s impression of the approved plan for an office building beside Lanyon Place Station
A £36million plan by a Translink-related company to develop an eight-storey office building at the Lanyon Place Station car park site has been approved.
Elected representatives at the March meeting of the Belfast City Council Planning Committee (March 10) unanimously approved an application for the erection of an eight storey building, comprising seven floors of grade A office accommodation, and ground floor retail and business units, on the surface level car park at lands to the east of Lanyon Place Station, Mays Meadow, BT1.
While the plan means the end of the station car park, the application involves 15 car parking spaces for the new building, with new cycle parking and plant areas. The plan also involves public realm improvements, including a dedicated drop-off area to the front of the proposed building.
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The applicant name and address is Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, 22 Great Victoria Street.
While the council received no third party objections after neighbour notification, last year there were reports from some media outlets that a survey had revealed 80 percent of respondents were against the Translink plan. The reports added Stormont officials at the Department for Infrastructure also expressed reservations, saying the plans didn’t have enough detail.
Locals reportedly expressed fears that with only 15 car spaces for an eight storey office block, the new workforce would use their residential area as a car park. Council planning officers however recommended the application for approval.
The officer Planning report states: “The site is within the city centre and is a highly sustainable location for new office development. The proposal would provide office, retail and business accommodation which would have a positive impact in terms of investment and economic activity.
“NI Water offered an objection to the proposal indicating network capacity issues. However, it is considered unreasonable to withhold planning permission on those grounds as an appropriate planning condition can be imposed restricting development until a satisfactory agreement is reached with NIW.
“The council’s Environmental Health service and Urban Design Officer raise no objections. There is an outstanding response from DfI Road Services, however it is considered that the remaining issues will be overcome. Shared Environmental Services and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency have offered no objection to the proposal subject to planning conditions.”
At the council meeting DUP Councillor Sammy Douglas asked representatives for the applicant if there was “a major demand for officer space in the area” when in cities like London “they were converting offices into apartments.”
An agent replied: “At present, there has been an issue in the market generally with all the sectors. The “Best in Class” high quality offices cover about 300,000 square feet in Belfast.”
He added: “In terms of Best in Class buildings, where major investors are looking to invest, this scheme is to catch those requirements in the future. Those high quality buildings are proven to attract more investors, attract more occupiers in the buildings, which are healthier buildings, healthier buildings to live in and are more productive. It retains staff.
“It will be one we will look at for the future, with a five year period of planning permission. When the economic conditions and the demand is right, we will then review the options on the scheme.”
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