Belfast’s Titanic Quarter is set to transform with a proposed major student accommodation by Lacuna Developments & Watkin Jones—public consultation and detailed plans are underway.
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Belfast – The Titanic Quarter of Belfast is set to witness a significant transformation with the proposal of a major new student accommodation development.
Lacuna Developments & Watkin Jones’ Vision
In collaboration with London-based Watkin Jones, Northern Ireland’s renowned property developer, Lacuna Developments, has announced their ambitious plans to the Belfast City Council.
They have pinpointed a vast area behind Belfast Metropolitan College, near the iconic Titanic Belfast Museum, as their site of interest.
This expansive five-acre location also intersects with the recently erected Olympic House office structure.
A Continued Partnership
The relationship between Holywood’s Lacuna and Watkin Jones is familiar.
Their ongoing project, the £175 million Loft Lines’ residential scheme adjacent to the Titanic Belfast, highlights their successful partnership.
Currently, construction is in progress for the 778 apartments.
Previously, their combined efforts resulted in procuring the planning green light for a towering build-to-rent project beside Ulster University’s Belfast campus.
This Academy Street property was eventually acquired by Castlebrooke for an estimated £3m, showcasing the investor’s strategy to introduce a social housing component in the overarching Tribeca development.
Introducing ‘TQ Students’
The duo’s newest project is branded with the preliminary title ‘TQ Students.’
While it is still in its infancy, a proposal of application notice (PAN) was submitted recently.
This PAN elucidates the scheme’s vision – a purpose-built managed student accommodation (PBMSA) with aesthetically pleasing features, such as an internal landscaped courtyard.
The planned establishment will also feature access from Queen’s Road.
To maintain transparency and address public queries, an informational session has been scheduled at the Titanic Hotel, Belfast, on November 9, 2023, at 3 p.m.
Furthermore, a dedicated consultation website will soon be operational at www.tqstudents.co.uk, offering an in-depth view of the project’s blueprints.
Project’s Financial Scope
Though the precise number of units remains undisclosed, Construction Information Services (CIS) Ireland approximates the venture’s worth to be close to £87m.
Considering the project’s magnitude, CIS has suggested that an environmental impact assessment report (EIA) might be requisite.
After the consultation’s conclusion, a comprehensive planning application will be submitted in the upcoming months.
Additional Developments
In related news, the Diocese of Down and Connor has approved planning to fashion student lodgings on the Catholic chaplaincy’s premises near Queen’s University.
Approved by the Belfast City Council, the initiative will oversee the development of 41 studio units on the Elmwood Avenue building’s upper levels.
Refurbishments and extensions for the existing chaplaincy on the ground floor are also in the pipeline.
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