A Belfast councillor has criticised the “clustering” of new and planned student blocks around the Sandy Row and Belfast city centre area saying it will leave less space for housing.
At a meeting of the Belfast City Council City Growth and Regeneration Committee, elected representatives poured scorn on recent city core developments during a city regeneration update from council officers. Sinn Féin said the city centre was being “built for profit” while the DUP criticised plans for more student blocks to the south of the core.
As well as Botanic Studios studio apartments on 78- 86 Dublin Road, and the recently completed 253 bed student block Aster House at University Road, plans have been submitted for an 11 storey student block with 210 bedrooms at the site of Filthy McNastys, 41-49 Dublin Road, and an even larger student block with 410 beds at Glenalpin Street, between Shaftesbury Square and Sandy Row.
