Student Accommodation at College Avenue

The erection of a mixed use development to include 647 standard bedrooms and 93 studio rooms (740 Total) managed student residential building with ground floor shop use class A1. The student development is comprised of welfare facilities, associated ancillary accommodation, external areas to include landscaped courtyards and an enclosed car park.

This £45 million development regenerated a site which had been vacant for 16 years and was part of an agreement between McAleer and Rushe with Queens University to deliver the completed buildings by summer 2018.

Issues Encountered

• The principle of the development and proposed use at this location
• Impact on the Conservation Area
• Height, Scale, Massing and Design
• Impact on amenity
• Traffic Movement and Parking
• Localised objection
• Deferral by Planning Committee for site visit

Our Involvement

We were instructed prior to reconsideration of the scheme by the Belfast City Council Planning Committee in April 2016 and following deferral for a site visit.

We took forward briefings of key political representatives from all Parties to explain the economic benefits associated with the regeneration of this vacant site, the clear demand for the student accommodation as demonstrated through the agreement in place with QUB, robust management plan which would be in place and the significant improvements to the elevation design and façade materials as the application progressed.