Development partner selected for Belfast project

MRP, the development arm of McAleer & Rushe, has been selected as Translink’s commercial partner for the Weavers Cross development at the new Belfast central station.

In the last few years MRP has been one of Belfast’s most active developers in Belfast having undertook projects such as two large student housing schemes for Queen’s University.

Stephen Surphlis, managing director of MRP, said Weavers Cross was “a very significant project for Belfast’s connectivity and economic prosperity”.

He added that developing the site “requires an experienced and creative team that has at its core the strong social value credentials required to deliver on this ambitious project and we are delighted to have been chosen as that team”.

Weavers Cross will include up to 1.3m sq ft of office, residential, student housing, retail and leisure space. The scheme has outline planning permission and its mix of uses will become clear as applications are made.

The freehold of Weavers Cross will be retained by Translink who will also receive an income stream from the regeneration scheme.

The whole scheme, including the new station, covers an area of about 30 acres between the Europa bus station and the Westlink. Building work on the Grand Central Station is well advanced and is due to be completed in 2025 with the wider scheme estimated to take around 20 years to be fully realised.

Translink group chief executive Chris Conway said: “We are delighted to partner with MRP on this major regeneration project which will bring significant benefits to Belfast and Northern Ireland.

This is the most significant transport-led development project in Northern Ireland and MRP shares our vision for regeneration and placemaking to deliver tangible and lasting positive social, economic and environmental benefits.”