Green light for new hotel development in city centre

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council's Planning Committee has given the go-ahead for a new 70-bedroom aparthotel development in Lisburn city centre.
Pictured (l-r) are Kieran Beazley, architect; Fiona Morgan, Ebony Developments Ltd; Councillor Luke Poots, Chairman of the council's Planning Committee; Joe Tumelty, Ebony Developments Ltd and Edwin Poots MLA.Pictured (l-r) are Kieran Beazley, architect; Fiona Morgan, Ebony Developments Ltd; Councillor Luke Poots, Chairman of the council's Planning Committee; Joe Tumelty, Ebony Developments Ltd and Edwin Poots MLA.
Pictured (l-r) are Kieran Beazley, architect; Fiona Morgan, Ebony Developments Ltd; Councillor Luke Poots, Chairman of the council's Planning Committee; Joe Tumelty, Ebony Developments Ltd and Edwin Poots MLA.

At their monthly meeting on April 9, committee members approved a “major application” for an aparthotel comprising 70 bedrooms and 60 suites, associated parking and proposed road improvements to Governor’s Road at Lisburn Leisure Park.

Approval for the hotel project was the third piece of good news for the local economy in recent days, coming after real estate investment firm Intu announced plans for a £50m investment in new retail units and an 80-room hotel at Sprucefield Park, and Smyth Patterson was given the green light to start work on its new retail and housing development in Lisburn city centre. (Read more here and here.)

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Delighted to approve the aparthotel application by locally-based Ebony Developments Ltd, the chairman of the council’s Planning Committee, Cllr Luke Poots said: “I welcome the decision to approve this application and I recognise that a considerable amount of work and effort has been undertaken to achieve this positive result.

“The provision of additional bed spaces will open up exciting opportunities for our city centre, attracting overnight visitors and additional spend in our council area, and is an example of how planning decisions taken at a local level can have a real benefit to local businesses and residents.”

He continued: “I am particularly pleased that this scheme will also include self-catering apartments attached to it, making it attractive for contractors to stay in our city whilst working on local projects. I also welcome the applicant’s willingness to undertake road improvements as this is something that is much needed and I know the general public will appreciate.

“This new development will bring new jobs and new opportunities, both directly and indirectly, for many supporting industries and we welcome the developer’s decision to invest here in Lisburn.”

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According to Cllr Poots, work on phase one of the aparthotel development at Lisburn Leisure Park is expected to get under way in the near future.

Also pleased to see the ambitious project getting the green light, Lagan Valley DUP MLA Edwin Poots said: “This hotel development proposal has been in the pipeline for some time and I welcome the approval by the council’s Planning Committee.

“There is already a very successful hotel operating in Lisburn and market research would indicate that further hotel development would be beneficial for the area, bringing more overnight stays, higher levels of local spending and of course jobs.

“The location close to the LeisurePlex has a great synergy and will assist those organising major events such as swimming galas at the complex.

“I trust that negotiations with the hotel operators will be completed quickly and construction will commence quickly thereafter.”