Belfast City Council's Planning Committee has given the go-ahead for a new 74-bedroom hotel on Queen Street in the city centre.

As the building was a former police station at 21 Queen Street the Council also granted Listed Building Consent to bring the building into use again.

Works include the refurbishment of the Grade B1 listed building and a 9 storey extension/new build to the rear of the building. The development would include bar/restaurant and other facilities.

The Committee also granted approval for planning applications for two residential developments situated in the eastern and northern regions of the city. These are for a four storey apartment block comprising 16 units on 215-225 Castlereagh Road and a three and a half storey development on 22-30 Hopefield Avenue with 33 units including a mix of social housing and wheelchair friendly apartments.

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This decision follows January's Planning Committee and approvals granted at that meeting for a number of major residential developments in the city centre- for 298 new apartments in Tomb Street/Corporation Street; 256 apartments in City Quays and 77 new apartments in May Street/Victoria Street/Gloucester Street.

Planning permission was granted for a social housing development at Pilot Street in Sailortown, featuring 69 units including a mix of townhouses and apartments. Additionally, permission was given for 24 two and three-bedroom apartments on Ballygomartin Road in the west of the city.

Councillor Matt Garrett, Chair of the Planning Committee, said: "Granting planning approval for this new hotel in the city centre and for these major residential developments across the city is fantastic news for visitors to Belfast and residents and potential residents to the city.

"The planning application for the new hotel in Queen Street is of particular significance as the building is Grade B1 listed and on the heritage risk register so bringing it into use again by converting to a new hotel is to warmly welcomed. It’s another great attraction for the city centre showing council’s commitment to develop the city centre to make it an attractive place to live, work, study and visit, socialise and invest in.

"So far this year and we are only in the second month, the Committee has granted approval to 773 housing units in the city. This also complements the city’s community plan - Belfast Agenda’s aim of increasing the city’s residential population and bringing forward residential opportunities across all housing tenures."