THE BBC has significantly scaled back the budget for the planned upgrade of its Belfast headquarters.
A £77 million upgrade to Broadcasting House was originally announced in 2018 by Lord Tony Hall, ending speculation that the BBC could leave the historic Ormeau Avenue site.
But that redevelopment plan was put on ice last year as BBC bosses launched a review against the backdrop of mounting financial pressure on the corporation.
BBC Director General Tim Davie visited Belfast yesterday and confirmed the upgrade will go ahead, but with the budget significantly cut back to £48m.
He said the focus will be on technology and infrastructure improvements within the listed building, which opened in 1941.
Alongside upgrading broadcast technology, equipment and production spaces, the BBC said Broadcasting House will be reshaped as 'an open, creative hub for staff and the wider creative sector'.
A publicly accessible plaza will also be developed.
But the updated scheme no longer includes plans to link the three existing blocks at Broadcasting House.
Additional buildings were added in the 1970s and 1980s.
The BBC said it had considered relocating to another site in Belfast, but concluded that investing in the listed Ormeau Avenue HQ “provides the best value for money”.
Director of BBC NI Peter Johnston said last year’s review involved engaging with staff, the creative sector and looking at how other organisations had responded to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This project will future-proof the work environment and technology for our staff and harness the opportunity to create a BBC in Northern Ireland which is focussed on being collaborative and creative embracing new ways of working for everyone who uses our building,” he said.
