Demolition Planned for Belfast Building Dubbed ‘Ugliest’

A tower block, frequently cited as one of Belfast’s least aesthetically pleasing structures, is slated for demolition to facilitate a student accommodation project. Situated on Great Victoria Street, Fanum House is a former office building constructed in the 1960s, characterized by its grey concrete panel exterior. Proposals for its demolition have existed for over ten years, previously envisioning a hotel or residential apartments. The property owners have now secured planning approval for a student development comprising 560 rooms distributed across four separate blocks. Historically, Fanum House served as the Belfast base for various newspapers and media outlets, such as the Irish Times, RTÉ, and Sky, and its rooftop was frequently utilized for television reports throughout the Troubles. This undertaking will also necessitate the demolition of an adjacent office building, Norwood House. Furthermore, Belfast City Council’s planning committee has given its consent for the construction of a new hotel and the enlargement of a research institute affiliated with Queen’s University Belfast. The proposed hotel development entails the redevelopment of a listed former police station located on Queen Street in the city centre. This will involve retaining the building’s listed frontage while adding a nine-storey extension to its rear. Councillors additionally approved an extension for the Queen’s University Institute of Electronics, Communications & Information Technology (ECIT), situated in the Titanic Quarter. This initiative forms part of the Belfast City Deal, which is among several funding agreements established between the Westminster government and local authorities. Councillor Arder Carson, who chairs the planning committee, stated: “These approvals reflect our commitment to supporting projects that enhance Belfast’s heritage, community, and economic vitality.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Details on our approach to external linking are available.