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Social housing plan approved for former UTV building

BBC Havelock House, a red building with white outlines painted round the windows. There are cars parked at the front and a cloudy grey sky.BBC
UTV was based at Havelock House until 2018

A plan to build social housing on the site of UTV's former headquarters has been approved by Belfast City Council.

The television station was based at Havelock House on the Ormeau Road from 1959 until 2018 when it relocated to Belfast Harbour.

Havelock House was demolished earlier this year following its sale to housebuilder Lotus Property.

Lotus is working with social housing provider Clanmil to develop more than 100 social homes on the site.

That plan was first revealed in November 2023 with Clanmil describing it as a "landmark project which responds directly to the housing need for Belfast now and in the future".

Belfast City Council An artist's impression of the new apartments at the site of Havelock House. There are trees on the left of the road and a brown apartment building and a grey office block on the right. Cars and a bus travel down the road. Belfast City Council
An artist's impression of the new apartments at the site of Havelock House

The council's planning committee also approved 62 social houses for west Belfast.

They will be part of a mixed-use redevelopment of the former Belfast Metropolitan College campus on the Whiterock Road.

Another large student housing scheme has also been approved for Belfast city centre.

Developer McAleer and Rushe has been granted permission to demolish the disused office building, Norwich Union House, on Castle Street.

It will be replaced with 821 rooms of student accommodation with communal facilities including a gym and cinema.