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Fresh concerns over student accommodation plan in north Belfast

Housing campaigner Frank Dempsey has voiced concerns over plans to build student accommodation at a car park at Little Donegall Street in north Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell.
Housing campaigner Frank Dempsey has voiced concerns over plans to build student accommodation at a car park at Little Donegall Street in north Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell. Housing campaigner Frank Dempsey has voiced concerns over plans to build student accommodation at a car park at Little Donegall Street in north Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell.

RESIDENTS in north Belfast have voiced fresh concerns about plans to build new student accommodation at a controversial site in north Belfast.

Plans for a ten-storey student block came a step closer after the proposed site at Little Donegall Street was boarded off last month.

Until recently the area had been used as a car park.

The site, which is opposite St Patrick’s Church, is linked to the nearby multi-million pound Ulster University development.

It is one of several in the area given the green light by planners.

The proposed student block will include 620 units with 54 lower ground floor car parking spaces.

In 2016 permission for the proposal was refused by Belfast City Council planning officials but later granted by the Planning Appeals Commission last year.

The applicant is listed as Northside Regeneration Ltd.

Housing campaigner Frank Dempsey voiced concern about the plan claiming there was now "overkill with student accommodation” in an area earmarked for social housing.

He urged elected representatives to intervene.

“This site should be given back for what it was originally intended for,” he said.

“If it’s good enough for students it’s clearly good enough for people languishing on housing waiting lists for years.”

Attempts to contact the developer were unsuccessful.