19/03/2026
Planning Application Submitted for Landmark New Hospitality Ecosystem in the Heart of Belfast.
A planning application has been submitted for an ambitious new hospitality development at 38–44 Upper Arthur Street and 13 Chichester Street, set to create one of the most dynamic and integrated social destinations in Belfast city centre.
The proposal represents the natural evolution of a hospitality presence that has operated on Upper Arthur Street for more than 24 years, building on a long-standing commitment to creating welcoming, vibrant spaces where people can gather, dine, celebrate and connect. This application represents the ambition to build a world class destination venue worthy of any city.
At the heart of the development will be a lively ground floor lobby bar for up to 50 guests, leading into a 180-seat gastro pub at street level designed to spill out onto a newly pedestrianised Upper Arthur Street streetscape, bringing energy, life and outdoor dining to this key city centre location.
Beyond this new social hub, the project introduces a layered hospitality experience designed to appeal to all generations. A 40-seat cocktail lounge will lead into a new purpose-built live entertainment venue, capable of hosting up to 200 guests for live performances, celebrations and events.
The development will also include flexible, state-of-the-art meeting rooms featuring a media wall and self-serve bar area, designed to accommodate modern business gatherings, creative workshops and private events.
Above these vibrant social spaces, the proposal includes 68 curated bedrooms, including two penthouse suites, offering visitors a distinctive place to stay in one of Belfast’s most central and connected locations.
Guests will also have access to a separate wellness and gym facilities, designed with a fit-out worthy of the building’s prime city centre setting, alongside a rooftop garden sanctuary providing a calm and restorative retreat above the energy of the city below.
The development has been conceived as a complete hospitality ecosystem, bringing together accommodation, dining, entertainment, business facilities, wellness and social space within one integrated destination.
Technology will be carefully integrated throughout the project, but only where it enhances the guest experience. “Hospitality is ultimately about people,” a spokesperson for the project said. “Technology should support that experience, not replace it. The aim is to create spaces where conversation, music, celebration and human connection remain at the centre.”
The proposal also aligns with the planned transformation of Upper Arthur Street into a more pedestrian-friendly social environment, creating new opportunities for outdoor dining, green space, street life and vibrant city centre activity.
If approved, the development will represent one of the most distinctive hospitality projects proposed in Belfast in recent years blending hotel accommodation, live entertainment, dining, social spaces, meeting facilities and wellness into a single destination designed for the city and its visitors alike.
The planning application is now under consideration by Belfast City Council.
Media Enquiries: [email protected]
Upper Arthur & Chichester Street Hospitality Development. Belfast, Northern Ireland
https://ampmbelfast.co.uk/planning-landmark-hospitality-belfast/