The refurbishment of Belfast's King's Hall into a medical complex has begun with the construction of the new Dataworks precision medicine hub.
The King's Hall has been an iconic sight in Belfast since it was built in 1933, but the building has been disused and vacant for several years. An £88m proposal to refurbish the listed building was given first phase approval at the end of 2018 that would see the site transformed into a huge healthcare complex to service the local area and create up to 640 new jobs.
When complete, 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. In addition to providing a significant boost to the local construction industry during construction, the complex is expected to produce an equivalent of 640 new full-time jobs with a £47m per year boost to the local economy.
The first phase of work on the site has now begun, with local construction firm H&J Martin being awarded the Design and Build contract. The first phase will involve construction of Dataworks, a new precision medicine hub that will hot-house data-focused companies in a collaborative space. Medtech firm Diaceutics has already signed up as the anchor tenant for the building, with others expected to follow.
H&J Martin Construction Director, Gareth Moore commented; " H&J Martin Construction are proud and privileged to be awarded these works at the famous Kings Hall site. The contract provides an opportunity to add another iconic site to the already impressive list to which the business has successfully contributed."
Source: Written based on press release
