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Developer can increase number of apartments in Cathedral Quarter scheme, officials say

An updated computer generated impression of the Academy Street development in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter
An updated computer generated impression of the Academy Street development in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter An updated computer generated impression of the Academy Street development in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter

A DEVELOPER can increase the number of apartments in a £15m high-rise development proposed for Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, officials have said.

Holywood firm Lacuna and Welsh and developer Watkin Jones are behind the 16-storey ‘build to let’ venture on Academy Street, next to Ulster University’s York Street campus.

Belfast City Council’s planning committee approved a down-sized version of the scheme in late 2018 after the developer cut the height from 19 to 16 storeys and the number of apartments from 105 to 90.

But an altered version of the plan, bringing the number of apartments back up to 105, has been recommended for approval at Tuesday’s meeting of the City Council’s planning committee.

The height of the scheme is set to remain at 16 storeys, but 15 two-bed flats have been added to the proposal.

The overall project now comprises 60 one-bed and 45 two-bedroom apartments.