Housing \ Housing near Donegall Road, Belfast: 'Madison Lofts'

This project refurbishes a derelict shirt factory in the inner city of Belfast and creates 57 apartments, 45 within the existing buildings, 7 new penthouses and a block of 5 new build. The factory consisted of three buildings (two of which were later amalgamated) between Rydalmere Street and Empire Street and was constructed in 1917. It's largely a concrete frame and brick clad building with some impressive large cast iron windows to the main building. It is listed Grade B2.

Our proposals return the factory to the original three buildings and creates a variety of apartment types. A pedestrian street is created between the newly separated buildings in the centre of the site and the development is characterised by a series of steel stairs, external passage ways and bridges which externalise the circulation and enliven the sense of community of the development. In the main building on Rydalmere Street are ground floor maisonettes, first floor apartments and new build penthouses on the existing flat roof. The two buildings on Empire Street consist of studio apartments and large apartments respectively. Two main external spaces are landscaped as well as 11 onsite parking spaces. The main pedestrian entrance is from Empire Street where a later single storey building is to be demolished but its external wall preserved as a garden screen to the street.

The project is currently in its pre-application consultation phase with a view to a full planning application being made in early October 2020.