An £88m proposal to refurbish the listed King's Hall building into a huge healthcare complex is being recommended for consideration today, with plans to create up to 640 new jobs if it goes ahead.Belfast's iconic King's Hall building has been largely vacant for the past five years, but plans have been underway since last year to transform the building and its surrounding area into a huge healthcare complex. The plans were given first phase approval last month and the latest developments will be recommended for approval to Belfast City Council Planning Committee today.
If approved and fully developed, the area will contain a primary care complex, a residential care home facility for long-term care, an independent living unit, a hotel, and a car park. Research carried out on behalf of the complex's developer Benmore Octopus estimated that the area would produce an equivalent of 640 new full-time jobs with a potential boost to the local economy of around £47m per year.
The total investment required to complete the plan is £88.5m, with an estimated £60m of that boosting the local construction industry during the 10-year development span. The hotel and independent living unit are expected to produce significant ongoing revenue to keep the health centre profitable, while offering GP services and health diagnostics at a highly central location. The project is being spearheaded by Octopus Healthcare and Benmore Group.
Source: Benmore Octopus press release
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Brendan is a Sync NI writer with a special interest in the gaming sector, programming, emerging technology, and physics. To connect with Brendan, feel free to send him an email or follow him on Twitter.
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