Plans for former Belfast Telegraph building redevelopment unveiled

Plans have been unveiled for the redevelopment of the previous Belfast Telegraph building, which is a landmark in the city.

The £75m redevelopment scheme will be called The Sixth, and feature 230,000ft² of commercial space with cafes, restaurants and retail units.

This scheme has been designed by architectural firm Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM).

The grade B2 listed location was acquired in 2016 by Bel Tel LLP, a joint venture of Belfast City Council and McAleer & Rushe.

A proposal of application notice (PAN) for the scheme was submitted and an application for the redevelopment will be submitted to the planning authorities after a 12-week pre-application community consultation.

McAleer & Rushe property director Stephen Surphlis said: “These are important proposals that will bring a landmark building associated with the news industry back into use for a digital age.

“Adjacent to both the Ulster University Campus and Central Library, The Sixth will play an important role in the regeneration of Belfast by delivering high-quality workspace for global and local businesses, particularly those in the professional, creative and technology sectors.”

Located in Northern Ireland, the Belfast Telegraph building was built in 1886 and was the newspaper’s headquarters for more than a century before it relocated to its new location in June 2016.

The building will be renovated as part of the redevelopment of the one-acre site.

The scheme’s name has drawn inspiration from the newspaper’s original evening edition.