A new state-of-the-art transport hub has been delivered in the Colin area of west Belfast, significantly boosting accessibility to the city centre.

Northern Ireland-based construction firm FORRME completed work on the project, which involved the redevelopment a former greenfield site.

The Colin Connect Transport Hub and Civic Square now provides facilities for the local community as well as the infrastructure to facilitate the much-anticipated Belfast Rapid Transport (BRT) system. It also features an interface between the existing Metro feeder services alongside the new BRT system to improve links to the City Centre while ensuring the surrounding community is highly accessible by bus.

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Key features of the transport hub project include its complex reinforced concrete structure, including a curved structural concrete roof deck. Externally, the building is finished in natural stone cladding, whilst internally, it features a striking pigmented board-marked concrete finish. The new transport hub houses a main concourse, lobby, waiting area, office space and bathroom facilities for the public. The civic square, designed to host activities throughout the year, is complimented by an amphitheatre and cycle parking.

This project forms part of a wider regeneration masterplan of Colin Town Centre which will see a mixed-use development built around the civic square.

Donard Leonard, Site Manager at FORRME commented: "We are particularly proud of the Colin Connect transport bub – not only is it a striking building with strong architectural merit, it has been built to have a positive and lasting legacy for local residents for generations to come.

"As part of the wider Colin Town Centre masterplan, the transport hub represents a critically important step forward in the ongoing regeneration of the area."

The entire Colin Town Centre masterplan is scheduled for completion in 2027.

(CM/JG)